Background: Medical students frequently report low confidence in assessing and supporting child development. While most can recite developmental milestones, fewer are prepared to apply this knowledge in real-world settings. This may stem from limited exposure to typically developing children and insufficient opportunities to practise developmental assessment. Current teaching focuses on lectures, handbooks, and clinical observations, primarily involving children with developmental concerns. However, child development is a holistic, dynamic process that also requires comfort in interacting with children and gathering relevant developmental history. To address this, a new teaching intervention was trialed for Year 5 medical students to improve their competence and confidence in this area.Aims: This study aimed to (1) evaluate existing methods of child development teaching, (2) assess the impact of experiential learning—particularly a nursery placement—on student confidence, and (3) improve comfort in interacting with preschool-aged children.Methods: A mixed-methods design was used. Forty-six students (including UCLH Year 5 students and attendees of a student paediatrics conference) completed a baseline survey. Only UCLH students participated in the intervention, which included a one-hour lecture, community clinic attendance, a play session with children, and a new one-day nursery placement. During the nursery placement (with children aged 6 months–4 years), students used a structured reflection workbook. Post-placement surveys and workbook responses from participants were analysed. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively to assess changes in confidence levels. Thematic analysis was used to extract insights from qualitative feedback.Results: Post-placement, all students reported increased confidence in interacting with children (table 1), with all rating themselves at level 4 on a 5-point scale—an improvement from a broader pre-placement distribution. Confidence in assessing development also improved, though to a lesser extent. Feedback revealed three recurring themes: (1) improved recognition of milestone variability, (2) increased comfort through direct interaction with children, and (3) a desire for more longitudinal exposure. Students appreciated the chance to contextualise learning by observing healthy children in a relaxed, non-clinical setting. As one participant reflected: “It was amazing for understanding child development and also for a wonderful experience interacting and playing with children—so wholesome and fulfilling.” (Participant 5)Some noted that prior teaching on developmental milestones would have enhanced the placement's effectiveness. Others recommended repeating the experience to reinforce learning. Five out of six students agreed that one day was sufficient to gain meaningful exposure to typical development.Conclusion: Nursery placements offer a valuable, low-cost and scalable teaching method to enhance medical students’ confidence in paediatric developmental assessment. Direct exposure to typically developing children allows students to engage naturally with children, develop clinical observation skills, and apply theoretical knowledge in context. To maximise educational impact, nursery visits should be better integrated with formal teaching sessions and, where feasible, repeated during paediatric placements.This model could be implemented across teaching hospitals, especially those with on-site childcare facilities. While limited by a small sample size, the study’s findings align with existing literature supporting experiential learning in medical education. Further research with larger cohorts is planned to validate these findings and inform national curriculum development.
