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Door seventeen/ advent calendar | Guest editors blog
2012-12-17

Door seventeen/ advent calendar

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Nature plays a major role in Early Years Learning. Through exploring the natural world, children experience a never ending wealth of materials- their smells, their temperatures, their tastes and sounds, and their many uses. They can experience cause and consequence, can touch scientific phenomena –see water turn to ice, wood to soil. They can study the wildlife that surrounds them, and the cycle of life itself- though observing and experiencing seasonal changes, the bigger environment we are part of and the miracle of growth.

FOREST KINDERGARDENS are an amazing way to allow children to make those experiences in abundance. Originally from Scandinavia, the idea has spring over to many other European countries. In Germany, many kindergardens have been founded over the last decades.

Young children from three spend their days out in the woods, summer and winter, in heat and cold.

The image is from the Tuebingen Forest Kindergarden Eichhörnchen (“the squirrels”).

I have talked to Katharina Ostarhild about her work and experiences (see interview/ will follow throughout the day!.)