Forest kindergartens differ from other kindergartens in two main ways. Instead of being indoors, the children spend most of their time outdoors no matter the season. And instead of using conventional toys, they play mainly with the materials and objects that nature offers them.
Forest kindergartens and their teachers aim to take the different circumstances under which children grow up these days into account and want to compensate for the increasing lack of nature experiences and movement. In close connection with nature, the children experience all seasons and thus have the opportunity to learn holistically, to practice mindfulness with people and nature and to gain many fundamental experiences. Additionally, the fresh air and movement improves the kids’ physical and mental health and their motor skills and perception are great.
I think this is an interesting way of bringing the children closer to nature and comes with many benefits. But in order to form this connection to nature, the parents need to prioritize it and put their kids in forest kindergartens. This is a huge commitment and requires the full conviction of the parents. It would also be interesting to know how these children will be when they’re older and how their social skills differ from other kids’. Lastly, it is also worth noting that nature can be a source of danger whether that’s animals and the diseases they transmit or just the tree roots and uneven ground.
Sources:
https://www.waldpaedagogik.at/waldpaedagogik/waldkindergaerten/?no_cache=1
