Educational Project in Wayenberg Creche

Our philosophy: explore, experiment and learn

Our educational aim is to help children discover and understand themselves, others and their environment. By developing our knowledge, particularly in the area of neuroscience, we can take full account of the skills of young children, and not simply perceive them as individuals with needs to be met. Our support is therefore inspired by the teachings of Reggio Emilia, Maria Montessori and Emmi Pickler, as they allow each child to find what they need to flourish. Our range of options are therefore aimed not only at looking after the children, but also developing their social, cognitive and physical skills. Using their own skills, children can develop their potential and personality in a safe and secure environment, surrounded by caring adults.

We firmly believe that children learn by coming into contact with the world, objects, adults and other children. We therefore advocate freedom of movement in an environment offering a range of options which stimulate children’s curiosity and allow them to experiment by themselves with physical elements as well as with relationships. Children use all their senses to learn. Through our range of educational options, they can develop self-knowledge and self-confidence, as well as learn how to reason, concentrate, listen and remember. We believe that this type of education prepares children for the world of tomorrow and underpins their future successful acquisition of skills.

The four main working principles of our professionals

1. Recognise children as individuals: use their first name and address them directly, go down to their level, allow them to express themselves and take account of what they say;
2. Take into account the specific aspects of early childhood: view the tears and cries of children as a form of expression, do not expect signs of recognition from children, accept repetition and take time;  
3. Utilise children’s skills: trust children, nurture their own experiences, value their discoveries and create an environment which makes them want to explore and experiment;
4. Reflect on their own practices and adapt their professional approach: observe children and adapt the options offered, participate in training and pass on the baton if necessary.

The environment: a source of multiple types of learning

1. Appealing and enriching play areas

We provide a variety of play areas allowing children to find what they need according to their own development and interests at the time. Areas are identified and contained to encourage interactions between children in small groups. The set-up and choice of games in our play areas are carefully thought out by the teaching staff.

2. Open access to play areas

Allowing children open access to play areas and toys gives them the opportunity to choose their game and allow free rein to their movements. Each child can therefore find their place within the group at their own pace and according to their own abilities and interests. This ensures that each child can make their own choices and express themselves. As a result of enjoying their play, children’s brains develop neural connections allowing them to flourish.

Open access to toys encourages children to be independent in their learning and helps with building their self-esteem.

3. Watchful adults on hand

Adults have a strategic role to play in these areas. Their presence within view allows children to relax and feel safe and secure. The adults can be seen by the children regardless of which area they choose to use, and vice versa. Moreover, the time that children spend in free play forms a source of information for the watching adults. It is not only a matter of observing the children in their play, but also the life of the group. The observations made allow the adults to adapt the facilities and also the sessions and equipment offered the following week.

4. Learning areas 

• Motor skills area

Children need to move around. To encourage their motor development, we provide areas where they can climb, run, jump and roll. Children will have access to soft play blocks of various shapes, carpets, tunnels, etc.

These activities allow children to develop their gross motor skills by locating themselves in the space, building their body map, and mastering the various stages of movement (belly crawling, crawling on all fours, walking, running). They also allow children to develop their cognitive skills through understanding concepts such as up, down, above and below. 

• Experimentation area

We offer children the opportunity to handle, grasp, stack and build items. We ensure that there is a range of materials available, with the preference being for natural items and recycled materials.

These activities allow children to develop their motor and cognitive skills by developing their fine motor skills, discovering the links between cause and effect, understanding the concepts of weight, texture and density, learning about objects and developing their concentration and reasoning. They also allow children to develop their creativity by building structures using the available materials, bringing together objects to create a story and finding their own solutions to certain problems.

• Symbol-based games area

Imitation is one of the key forms of learning for young children. Children build their knowledge of how groups work in social terms by reproducing situations which they have experienced. In this area, children can imitate, exchange and observe. They will have access to fancy dress outfits, dolls, toy tableware, recycled objects, etc.

These activities allow children to develop their social and relationship skills by playing and working with other children, managing conflict situations, taking account of others, developing their empathy and developing their self-confidence. They also allow children to develop their cognitive skills by using oral language and gestures to communicate.

• Self-care area 

In a collective space, it is vital to allow children to act individually according to their own personality and needs. We therefore have an area where children can relax, rest and take care of themselves.

These activities allow children to develop their personal skills by identifying their own needs, managing their emotions and engaging in self-care.

• Story area

Being able to access books from a very early age is critical in forming the relationship with reading and writing that will allow children to develop their future skills.  With young children, visual aids such as puppets also allow them to interact with and participate in the story. In this area, children can handle, observe, listen and create.

These activities allow children to develop their cognitive skills by looking at images and naming them, understanding the existence of written communication, and handling and looking after books. They also allow children to develop their imagination and their social skills by telling stories to others and creating interactive stories.

Activities

Children develop their knowledge of the world most successfully when they can experiment for themselves, rather than by having the result explained to them. We therefore respect children’s right to play and the right to take their time and be uncertain. Given that humans learn by doing and that young children discover and learn through their senses, we offer rich and varied sessions.

When we encourage free will, engagement, expression, well-being and a feeling of belonging to a community, children can develop skills in the following areas:

• Gross and fine motor skills: children learn to know and control their bodies, and they understand the concepts of space and dimension.
• Relationships and social skills: children learn to know themselves, take care of themselves, enter into a relationship with others through various means of communication, and express their needs and emotions.
• Cognitive skills: children discover the world by experimenting every day. In this way, they learn the concepts of time, responsibility, and cause and effect, and develop their reasoning, creativity and critical thinking skills.

1. Role of adults

Early childhood is a period when children are constantly experiencing things for the first time. We allow children the time to experiment and to repeat their actions several times in order to find out about and understand the world around them.

We offer a wide range of learning options to allow each child to discover and try out different tools and forms of expression at their own pace. Our key aim is to offer children an environment and materials that encourage the process of experimentation. By limiting instructions and allowing access to simple materials, children will learn. The atmosphere created, the materials on offer and the support provided ensure that children develop according to set learning objectives. The outcome is never an end in itself. Adults never take the place of children. There is no expectation in terms of results.

We invite every child to come to the sessions, but they are free to decide whether or not to take part.

For babies, we offer daily sensory development activities every day (light-up toys, books, songs, massage, etc.), as well as motor skill activities according to their stage of development.

The professionals are creative and inventive in terms of refreshing their sessions and keeping the children interested. The adults are therefore able to adapt their sessions (adding to or reducing the materials on offer), assess the relevance of their sessions in terms of the children’s abilities, and understand the way in which the children grasp the activity through instructions (verbal or implicit), skills and interest in learning and discovery.

2. Practical application

We offer several types of activity at the same time so that children have a choice which meets their wants and needs at the time. Areas are prepared in advance so that children have a positive space in which to learn. The facilities, choice of materials and atmosphere are carefully organised to offer the optimum conditions for experimentation. Materials are chosen according to their sensory and/or creative relevance.

The atmosphere can be peaceful or more dynamic depending on the goal set by the adult and the choice of activity.

3. Topics

ART

Throughout the week, children can express their creativity through art activities. They can express their own representation of the world, their imagination and their emotions at the time. We use recycled and/or natural materials for sticking, painting, drawing and inventing. These sessions encourage fine motor skills and experimentation, and develop children’s senses.

We also use temporary art and recreational installations to offer children the opportunity to be amazed and experiment in an original and surprising setting.

• Baby artist

In this session, children experiment with new tools and forms of expression by giving free rein to their imagination.

• Baby maestro

This session develops their auditory sense and stimulates their perception. It allows children to feel the music in their body, to develop their ability to listen and to form a musical memory.

NATURE

Children can play in nature and with natural objects (such as acorns, stones, leaves, etc.). In this way, they learn about their environment by experiencing new sensations through handling different materials. They discover fauna and flora, and learn about their preservation.

• Baby explorer

In this session, children have as much scope as possible to experiment. This helps them to release their energy and tensions and gradually learn how to manage their emotions. By learning to understand their environment, they develop their self-confidence.

• Baby chef

In this session, children discover a mixture of textures, flavours and aromas. They master coordination by transferring, stirring and measuring solids and fluids.  In this way, they can improve the accuracy of their gestures.

ZEN

Living in a group can sometimes be a source of fatigue and stress. Sharing games, adults and spaces and constantly being with their peers can lead to tensions. By punctuating the day with relaxation and stress relief exercises, adults can support the well-being of the children, who also learn how to handle their own emotions.

We monitor the sound and visual atmosphere in the room on a daily basis to limit stimulation and noise. The adults adapt the volume of their voices and reduce their movements to ensure a calm and measured atmosphere.

• Baby Zen

Through Zen exercises, the children learn how to control the signs expressed by their bodies (identifying their own needs and managing their emotions). They learn how to relax by finding a state of well-being and calm.

COMMUNICATION

We pay close attention to the various forms of communication of young children (verbal and non-verbal) in order to best meet their needs. Children need to be heard, seen and communicated with.

We enrich and diversify their vocabulary through stories, songs, games and everyday activities.

In addition, to help children learn about the various forms of communication, we provide them with images, photos and written media (books, posters, cards, etc.) in the room. In this way, we teach them about reading and writing.

• Baby storyteller

In this session, children develop their language abilities through listening, comprehension and expression, and enrich their vocabulary.

• Baby imagination

On the basis that children can distinguish between the sounds of all the world’s languages, we allow time for activities such as world reading and music.

• Baby sign

We use gestural communication together with words to communicate with the children. In that way, we encourage their understanding and help them to express their needs and emotions by limiting the frustration associated with not understanding adults.

Our daily support: respecting each child’s pace of development and needs

1. Meals

From their bottles to their little spoons, the children discover new flavours and textures depending on the food introduced at home. They gradually start to feed themselves. In the nursery, the children have their bottles individually, in the arms of a professional to encourage interaction. To ensure continuity of care, we offer mothers the opportunity to continue breastfeeding at the nursery or to provide expressed milk.

Later on, when children are able to sit unaided, they have their meals in a chair appropriate to their size so that they are free to sit at or move away from the table. We give them a spoon to encourage them to feed themselves, even if an adult helps them with another spoon.

2. Sleep

Sleep has a crucial role to play in children’s growth and development. We pay close attention to the sleep cycles of each child: we identify the signs of tiredness to help them fall asleep, and we also help them to be aware of how they are feeling. Going to sleep and waking up are done in stages. We ensure that sleeping children remain undisturbed. We respect children’s routines, give them their comforter and reassure them where necessary.

3. Personal care

Personal care merits special attention and is carried out according to the needs of each child. This is personal time when we assist the child and take their development into account. Depending on their age, the child can be changed while lying down or standing up. The personal care is explained to the child, and we ensure that they understand and are focused before anything happens.   We seek the cooperation of the child during their personal care, which is carried out with respect for their intimacy and physical integrity.