MINDFULNESS AND PURPOSE IN EARLY CHILHOOD EDUCATION




THE FIRST THREE THINGS

MINDFUL –  Attentive.  Aware.  Conscious.
PURPOSE – Intention.  Aim.  Reason.
MINIMALIST – Essential.  Moderation. Calm.

We hear so much about mindfulness, purpose, and minimalism in relation to our adult lifestyle, but they can also be applied to child care and programming.

MINDFUL TEACHING. 
PURPOSEFUL PROGRAMMING. 
MINIMALIST ENVIRONMENTS. 

If you would like to be MINDFUL IN YOUR APPROACH to teaching and programming for children, think about what you're putting out (toys, materials and activities) and why.

Everything you put out for the children should be DONE WITH PURPOSE AND MINDFUL INTENT, not just for the sake of being out there or to fill space.  There should be a rhyme and reason to your choice of materials, a main purpose with a base – the children's interests, part of a larger blueprint for play.


Children should have a vested interest in everything you set out.  All too often there are playrooms with a wealth of materials piled all around, yet THE CHILDREN'S PLAY HAS NO FOCUS; not that play needs to be focused, but the children should not be moving aimlessly through the room, so overwhelmed by the materials and toys that they do not engage.

Take a walk around your playroom and ask yourself:

WHY DID I PUT OUT THOSE MATERIALS?   
WHY DID I PLACE THAT ACTIVITY THERE?  

Why have I chosen river rock story stones and why are they out this week?  Is it because the children are interested in storytelling, or because it's spring and part of a theme?  Did you see a Pinterest Pin where the idea looked great, but the children don't use them, or did you want the children to explore the rock textures, feel the smooth surface while exploring the little pictures, maybe handle the stones as part of greater SENSORY EXPERIENCE of ORAL STORYTELLING? 

 
Whatever the motivation, there should be a purpose, and TEACHERS NEED TO BE MINDFUL of that purpose when creating and maintaining their child care environment.

DECLUTTER!

Think about what you're adding the environment.  Use care and purpose to keep things minimal.  Only add or keep out things that have meaningful.

BE MINDFUL.   HAVE PURPOSE.   MAINTAIN MINIMAL.
HYGGE IN CHILD CARE?

FIRST, what on earth is hygge?  Hygge, pronounced (hue-gah) is the Danish concept of comfortable and cozy living.  


Because winters can be awfully miserable and dark for much of the day, it's important to be able to come home to a warm blanket, a cozy cup of cocoa, a soothing fire and soft lights.

Hygge is the enjoyment of creating and celebrating beautiful moments of comfort, acknowledging special feelings of love and friendship, and enjoying the splendor in the ordinary.

HYGGE IN CHILD CARE is creating rich moments for children to enjoy themselves, with each other and with their teacher.

It's teaching children how to enjoy and appreciate special moments.  How to enjoy simple things.  The basics.  The quite everyday things that build a meaningful childhood and life.


CREATE A HYGGE PLAYROOM
  • Use soft lights – turn off those florescent overheads!
  • Use a diffuser – put it up high if you have young children in the group.
  • Choose soft texture surfaces – faux fur and plushy blankets, soft knit cushions and pillows.
  • Create cozy spaces for play.  All those soft textures do not have to stay in the book corner.
  • Slow down the child care day – use fewer routines, have fewer transitions, and add more open free time for emergent inquiry play.


CREATE HYGGE MOMENTS WITH THE CHILDREN
  • Warm cookies and hot chocolate after outdoor play.
  • Warm blankets and snuggle reading time.
  • Make snacks together and unrushed eating.  Imagine making flower tea with school-agers … watching the flower buds unfold in the water.
  • Home child care is the ideal environment for hygge but not impossible for center-based care too.  Slow down the child's day and the teacher's day slows down too.
  • Teachers can find mindful balance in creating hygge in their playroom.   

CONNECT TO OTHER MINDFUL WAYS IN CHILD CARE

FACEBOOK PAGES


#hyggechidcare #cpl4eces






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