The Forest Kindergarten- Where Nature is the Classroom
By: Phoebe Ackland, ellaslist
Climbing trees, jumping in muddy puddles..and even handling tools and knives! It is the “Waldkindergarten” or “forest nursery” where children learn through play in nature.
In a world where children are increasingly cut off from the Earth by iPads and devices, could this be the breath of fresh air our modern world needs?
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Is nature the best classroom for children in early education? The idea of the forest classroom could be Germany’s next big export, with countries all over the world adopting this idea in backlash of the rampant technology, soft play areas and indoor ‘coddling’ in the name of safety that seems to rule most playgrounds and schools.
Check out Bush Kinder in Victoria which was the first in Australia- where most of the days activities take place outdoors, no matter the weather. Blackwood in South Australia followed suit with unstructured play for kids in the wild.
With 50 years of successful operation in northern Europe, will forest nurseries be the next big thing in early education?
ellaslist would love to know if you’d send your 3-6 year old to a Waldkindergarten?
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