New study explores how nursery noise affects babies

An estimated 1.9 million children across the UK are affected by early language delays, with rates doubling among children from disadvantaged backgrounds. A major new research project led by The Institute for the Science of Early Years (ISEY) at the University of East London supported by the Nuffield Foundation, will explore how background noise in nurseries affects early language development. The study will also test whether simple, low-cost changes in nursery environments could significantly improve outcomes for young children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Children who struggle with early communication are eleven times more likely to fall behind in Maths by age 11, twice as likely to experience mental health difficulties, and twice as likely to be unemployed in adulthood.

At a time when changes to UK government funding are increasing the number of infants entering formal childcare, understanding how nursery environments can be better designed to support early development has never been more urgent.

This first-of-its-kind study will use wearable technology to explore how children’s communication is affected moment by moment by fluctuating noise levels, offering new insight into how everyday nursery environments shape early development. Unlike traditional studies that rely on static decibel readings, the research will track real-time interactions between sound, communication and children’s responses, providing a far more detailed and accurate picture of how noise influences learning in real-world settings.
 
Delivered in partnership with the Early Years Alliance, the UK’s largest early years membership organisation, the project will involve 250 children aged 12 to 24 months across ten nurseries in disadvantaged areas. Researchers will use wearable microphones, cameras and physiological monitors to investigate how environmental acoustics and the clarity of practitioner communication influence children’s language comprehension and production.

The study will focus on two core objectives: identifying which aspects of noisy environments most strongly disrupt language development and testing practical interventions that can be easily implemented in nurseries. These include low-cost noise-proofing solutions and practitioner training designed to improve communication clarity, such as enhancing speech rhythms, facial visibility and gesture use. A randomised intervention trial will measure the impact of these strategies on children’s language outcomes.

At present, background noise is absent from Ofsted Early Years guidance and practitioner training standards, despite evidence showing that children’s brains find it significantly harder than adults’ to separate speech from background noise. Despite strong evidence that background noise disrupts learning in school-aged children, remarkably little research has examined its impact on infants and toddlers aged 0–5 during the crucial Early Years period, particularly among 1–2-year-olds, when language development is at its most rapid and sensitive.

Gemma Goldenberg, Lead researcher for the project from University of East London said,

This research has the potential to change how Early Years environments are designed and operated. By understanding in real time how noise affects children’s communication and learning, we can develop simple, evidence-based solutions that support practitioners and improve outcomes. This is about giving every child the best possible start in life, particularly those facing the greatest disadvantage. 

Researchers at UEL hope the findings from this project will have the potential to inform national policy, Early Years practice, nursery design and workforce training. Through the partnership with the Early Years Alliance, the research will be translated into practical guidance and best practice frameworks, supporting real-world application and long-term impact.
 

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