raukiya
Froebelian nurseries
Friedrich Froebel founded the first ever kindergarten. He was a pioneer in early years education, which he believed to be the most important stage of a child’s learning, not least for employing women to teach in his kindergarten.
His approach focused on gaining freedom through education, with children being supported to explore their interests and use their free will, thus blossoming (kindergarten means ‘garden of/for children) into confident individuals and enthusiastic learners.
Froebelian nurseries involve:
- When a child starts nursery, practitioners ask parents about the child’s interests and capabilities.
- Children learn through ‘freedom with guidance’. They have access to indoor and outdoor spaces and plenty of learning and play materials that they can explore as they choose. If a child shows interest in a subject, practitioners support them to explore that subject further.
- Connecting all aspects of each child’s life with their learning.
- Connecting with nature.
- ‘Gifts’ are used to promote independent play, imagination and problem-solving. Gifts can be natural materials, everyday items, art supplies and many more.
- Encouraging each child to explore their own interpretation of their feelings and interests.
