Free PCTB-approved Nursery textbooks for English, Urdu, Mathematics, Drawing, General Knowledge, and Islamiyat. Designed for children aged 3-4 beginning their first formal learning experience.
Nursery is the first formal educational experience for most Pakistani children. All Nursery materials are designed for play-based learning that introduces academic concepts gently and positively, building a love of learning that lasts throughout school life.
Alphabet recognition, phonics, letter tracing
Introduction to the English alphabet through pictures and sounds. Children learn to recognise uppercase and lowercase letters, associate each letter with a familiar object (A for Apple, B for Ball), trace letter shapes, and produce the basic phonetic sound of each letter. Short vowel sounds and simple CVC words (cat, dog, sun) are introduced through colourful illustrations and repetition activities.
Urdu letters, directionality, letter sounds
Introduction to Urdu huroof (letters) through pictures and simple words. Children learn to recognise each Urdu letter in its isolated form, associate it with familiar Urdu words, trace letter strokes, and understand the right-to-left directionality of Urdu script. The primer uses large, colourful text and familiar vocabulary to make Urdu letter learning engaging and accessible for very young children.
Counting 1-20, shapes, sorting, patterns
Pre-number concepts through sorting, classifying, and matching activities. Number recognition and counting from 1 to 20, one-to-one correspondence counting using physical objects, basic shapes (circle, square, triangle), and introduction to patterns using colours and shapes. All mathematics at Nursery level is taught through hands-on activities and games rather than abstract written exercises.
Fine motor skills, colour recognition, pencil control
Colouring pre-drawn pictures to develop fine motor control and colour recognition. Tracing simple shapes and lines to build pencil control. Drawing familiar objects — face, house, tree, sun, flower — using simple guided steps. Introduction to primary and secondary colours through mixing activities. Drawing activities at Nursery level develop the hand strength and pencil control that is essential for later writing.
Body parts, home, animals, seasons
Age-appropriate general knowledge through pictures and simple discussions — my body parts and their names, things at home and their uses, animals and the sounds they make, vehicles and transport, fruits and vegetables, weather and seasons, and days of the week. General Knowledge at Nursery level is taught entirely through conversation, pictures, and real-world observation rather than formal text.
Islamic identity, basic duas, greetings
Introduction to Islamic identity and basic knowledge appropriate for ages 3-4. Children learn the Arabic greeting (Assalamu Alaikum) and its meaning, Bismillah before beginning activities, the name of Allah and that He created everything, the name of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and that he is our role model, and the basic concept of Kalima Tayyiba through song and repetition.
By the end of Nursery, children should ideally be working towards these developmental milestones. Remember that every child develops at their own pace — these are targets, not rigid requirements.
Recognise and name all 26 English letters (uppercase and lowercase)
Produce the basic phonetic sound of each English letter
Recognise at least 20 Urdu huroof by sight
Count objects reliably from 1 to 20
Identify and name circle, square, triangle, and rectangle
Sort objects by colour, size, and shape
Name all basic body parts correctly
Recite Bismillah and Assalamu Alaikum correctly
Hold a pencil correctly using a tripod grip
Colour within basic outlines with reasonable control
At Nursery age, children learn most effectively when they do not know they are learning. Use alphabet games, counting with toys, colour-sorting with household objects, and story-telling to cover the curriculum content in ways that feel like play to the child.
Daily picture book reading is the highest-impact literacy activity for Nursery children. It builds vocabulary, comprehension, love of books, and print awareness simultaneously. Even 10 minutes of shared picture book reading per day produces measurable long-term literacy benefits.
The tripod grip — thumb, index finger, and middle finger — is the correct way to hold a pencil for both Urdu and English writing. Establish correct grip from the very first day of Nursery. Incorrect grips are very difficult to correct later and cause fatigue and poor letter formation.
Nursery children who experience pressure or anxiety around learning develop negative associations with school that can persist for years. Keep the Nursery learning environment warm, encouraging, and low-pressure. All children reach the milestones eventually — the job of Nursery is to make them love learning, not to rush them through content.