Kindergarden in the woods (Waltkindergarten)

While many parents and schools around the world push young children to read, write and use computer as early as possible in order to prepare for an increasing academic competition. Germany is taking an old-new approach. They have around 700 "forest kindergartens" in which children spend their days outdoors all year round. Children age 3 to 6 walk into a forest each weekday, come rain and shine. They sing songs, build fires, roll in the mud, experience nature and learn about it.

The teacher who is heading one of those kindergardens for five years says it is much more peacful than inside the room and she says that no child has ever asked for a toy. The kids impovise with what woods have to offer. And according to experience there haven't been any accidents beyond the occasional scrapes, bruises or bee sting.

I really like the idea. Maybe that is the way to avoid the "early academic fatigue syndrom" when 5 year-olds are already tired of going to school. Maybe we will all need to do a step back in academic pressure in order to make an important step forward- to raise children who want to learn and not children who must learn.

You can find more info here.

The story is summarised from the article "Primeval education: In Germany schoolchildren get back to forest" by Mike Esterl from The Wall Street Journal.

Comments

[Darja]

The idea of Waldkindergärten is great.. I never went to kindergarten at all as i live in a village, but i have great memories on days spent in the woods, on my grandma's garret, etc. :) and learning in the woods would be even better..

Few years ago i had an opportunity to work with one of the beginners of Waldkindergarten. I was a volunteer in NMUS project which brought together childern form Germany and Poland separated by a river in the city of Goerlitz. Another great idea... http://www.nmus.de/index.html

[Anja]

Thank you darja for posting your experience. I would be happy to read more about the project. You are welcome to contribute your story. I hope we will soon get something similar in Slovenia...with all the forests in the country, it seems the most reasonable idea :-)