This week has been inspirational - visiting New Shoots centres that have carefully (meticulously) thought through what it is like to be a child in the space both indoors and outdoors. The care and respect for children is obvious in environments which are high quality, beautiful and engage all the senses. For example,
The smells! : As soon as you walk into these Centres you are met by drifting smells of scented candles and home cooked food! The kitchens are placed right at the front - often close to the entrance, they are the first things you see, looking homely and welcoming. They are usually a hive of activity as children's morning and afternoon tea is being created as well as some yummy recipes for dinner. I had some with the children who all tucked in with great pleasure......eating together is celebrated and a special time with the staff sitting alongside the children. For the babies....they sit on adults knees or lie cosy cushions to have their bottles - supporting their independence.
Entrances: Are bright and welcoming, often with sliding glass doors and always with inviting reception areas - all low level and with welcoming hosts who really want to know how you are (they always ask). Comfy sofas or chairs with plants create a homely feel and just invite you to sit and take a moment. Often the entrances..lead your eyes to the children's rooms which are visible through glass walls so that you can imediately see what is happening inside..and the children can see you.
Connections to the outdoors: The fundamental philosophy here is about children's (and adults) afinity and connection to the outdoors....there are sliding glass doors which open out onto a decked veranda....very reminiscent of Margaret MacMillans model of nurseries. The doors are always open and children are invariably outside in the sand, water streams or busy playing together. All the Centres have the most amazing outdoors..not overly planned but carefully devised to tune into the interests and ideas that children have. I loved the centre at Tauranga which had various water channels, a fire pit and a tree house - the children were very busy in there. Another centre had a maze...the first I have ever seen.
Imaginative materials: The philosophy is based on children having high quality, imaginative spaces and materials which support their ideas and imagination. Materials are open ended and there are plenty...rather than having lots of different materials to play with (lego, Duplo, mobilo, stickle bricks etc etc) there are plentiful amounts of wooden bricks (small and large), train track (lots of it so that you can make really long, collaborative creations), spades, barrows and buckets..... This really encourges children to work together and play collaboratively. When I looked around everyone was involved in something either together or independently...children taking time to become absorbed in books, eagerly looking at their learning journals or having a story with an adult.
All underpinned by observation and learning stories: adults observe children whilst they are playing with them..they all know their children well, really enjoy creating learning stories and interpreting the moments that children have as they play..all based on their interests and a real celebration of what they are busily doing at the centre....more on that later....
Will add some pictures of the environment in the next blog..hopefully you have managed to plough your way through this one...I am on a roll!!!!!
