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A pot on your head: this our take on children
We give children space at KinderRijk. Space to grow, to be curious and to develop themselves. In their own way and at their own pace. This is reflected in our educational vision, which includes 4 guiding principles: Fun, Respect, Development and Fantasy.
Maxime, who has been an educational staff member at day care Children’s Campus King for 8.5 years now, explains how these principles come to life in practice. And sometimes, it’s as simple as a child showing up with a pot on their head!
Fun
Maxime: “Fun can be found everywhere. During outdoor play is a great example. For instance, we lay out trays of water, sand and cooking pans and allow the children to indulge in getting dirty. They play with mud, stomp around in puddles or put one of those cooking pots on their heads and use them as hats. This gives them a ton of joy. While playing, their activities are pointed out by me. So while having a good time, they are also developing. Not only aspects about their motor system, but also about language.”
Respect
Maxime: “Respect is demonstrated in a variety of ways. For instance, in how we teach children to respect nature. We do activities like turning over tree trunks and call the children to come and look at the worms and beetles. Respect for autonomy is another daily recurring theme. As educational staff, we always tell the children what we are doing and let them make their own choices, such as what they want for their sandwich fillings. Or whether they want the nappy with the elephant or the one with the giraffe.”
Development
Maxime: “At KinderRijk, each child’s development is our top priority, and this shows in everything we do. For example, we sing lots of songs for language development, have stair slides for gross motor skills and coloured toys to practise colours. We like to make sure to take the time for each child’s needs and address them individually. External parties, with whom we have short lines of communication, can help with this. Such as the speech therapist who will then come and visit us.”
Fantasy
Maxime: “Fantasy is given plenty of room. We have large cardboard rolls, ranging from very wide to very thin, lying around. These are used to make horns. They are stacked on top of each other. Or are rolled around. Children invent new uses for them every time. The same thing happens with objects like a hat. Whereas we only see a hat, children use it as a bag or a hiding place. It’s wonderful to see.”
