“Naturally nurturing each child’s creativity to achieve their highest becoming in early childhood and beyond.”
The Setting
We are an Outstanding Ofsted registered childminding setting in The Lea Valley Estate (Off lower Luton Rd) Wheathampstead. Postcode: AL4 8HY
The garden is at the heart of our community. It has been lovingly created to provide an immersive, naturally nurturing environment for the children to learn and grow. We respect and enjoy our garden sustainably each and every day.
Throughout the seasons children can experience stewardship and play within the garden. Through doing so, the children develop a sense of place here, agency of the garden and the skills to champion their own health and well being, combat climate crisis and experience an eco friendly lifestyle.
Life beyond the garden: We enjoy adventures to a natural ancient heath land, farms, river and woodland, all within 1 mile of the setting. This provides endless opportunities to learn through exploration and discovery in natural environments, whilst developing an understanding about life beyond the garden and the greater community. We truly strive to create an approach for each child to benefit from Early Childhood in Harmony with Nature.
“To learn a thing in life and through doing is much more developing, cultivating, and strengthening than to learn it merely through the verbal communication of ideas.”
Friedrich Froebel
The Cabin is a cosy, warm and inviting playroom. It’s our nest to share stories, connect at the beginning and end of each day. There are many resources available for the children, many of which are open-ended, natural, reusable and recycled, and always developmentally appropriate, this supports cultivation of a creative mind in every child.
A typical day:
Depending on your child’s interests they will experience a variety of gifts and occupations to explore, discover, create and, in doing so, learn new things about the world, their community and themselves.
Babies 12 months – 18 month old: are nurtured to become confident explorers who seek out play experiences, in the cosiness of the playroom or in the wonders of the garden, and world beyond. Our small ratios and nurturing, knowledgeable practice ensure children feel safe and secure through our loving whole-child approach.
Toddlers 18months – 2 1/2 years : we facilitate several hours of outdoor play each day as well as exciting opportunities to experience our community such as visiting the park, woodland and nature reserves. We also enjoy music and greater opportunities for movement to support children developing body and spatial awareness, and their communication and language skills. This supports our children to develop holistically whilst connecting with nature and life beyond their family as they begin to make sense of the world, their bodies and develop a sense of self.
Kindergarten (2-5 years)
When your child if ready for a little more socialising and adventure we provide experiences requiring a little deeper concentration and collaboration to guide our older children to follow their unique interests and natural trajectory of cognitive development, and to think more creatively, and critically about their play.
Each day children partake in a variety of creative projects that promote all areas of learning across the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) and beyond, they may include the following: block play, clay modelling, gardening, weaving, mark making, cookery, crafting, woodland play, storytelling, role play, and much more.
Children can enjoy wonderful free-flow access to the wild life garden from our beautiful Kindergarten classroom with more opportunities to enjoy challenges and nature connected play.
We predominately plan ‘in the moment’, to ensure we are providing the most enriching first-hand experiences, for each child to thrive in our homely enriching environment.
Children continue to be guided by knowledgeable, nurturing adults to develop new skills and creatively respond to their experiences based on their own interests and thinking.
“It is in playing and only in playing that the individual child or adult is able to be creative and to use the whole personality, and it is only in being creative that the individual discovers the self.”
David Woods Winnicott
Teaching:
We have high expectations of what children are capable of achieving. We support each child appropriately to become a motivated, free-thinking, creative learner, through a well-planned, unhurried child-centered environment.
We use child-led interactions, observations, support, and extending learning practices to ensure we know our children and families exceptionally well. This enables us to make sound judgments to support the child’s individual needs.
When the time comes, children are ready for their next steps in the world and education.
We pride ourselves on offering the highest standard of early childhood care and education, upholding our reputation for an Outstanding practice as childminders (Ofsted report June 2023) and innovative approach to whole child, nature centred pedagogy that is underpinned by Froebelian Principles.
For more information on our Froebelian approach to early childhood education click here
Gallery
Kinder Harmony 