20 May 2022

I've been loving seeing our new starters getting excited in the new Autahi outdoor space. Big thanks to our Suz for her ingenuity and energy into 'greening it up'. There is more coming on the horizon as Suz is one of the universe's unstoppables.

I've seen horses galloping over bits of plumbing, concoctions being brewed, delightful pictures being drawn, experimentations, water play, obstacle courses .... you name it. A long and narrow world of discovery along the side of a classroom!

We often have the same conversation "How can we keep this world of curiosity and awe in our youngest alive and flourishing as they move on through our spaces in readiness for the next step?" "When do children start to get inhibited in their freedom of expression? When does a desire to conform and not step outside the box become more prevalent?" All of life's big questions!

I've also been thinking about all of the different early learning experiences our children have had. If I look at Autahi and Rising 5s, we have had children at home overseas in long periods of lockdown, we have had ECE experiences that are from the very free end of the scale to very structured, we have had everything in between. And here they are about to turn 5 or have turned 5 and we want to do our very best to nurture the magic they bring, the individuality they show, build on the experiences they have had in their first few years - it always makes me feel a bit emotional, to be honest, as they are just so ready and wide eyed - and we have such a huge and exciting responsibility!

I came across an article this week: "Let them be kids! Is 'free-range' parenting the key to healthier, happier children?"

"Now, more than ever, children are cooped up indoors and monitored 24/7. But how can they build confidence and social skills if adults never let them out of their sight?"

Well, the term 'free range' always raises my eyebrows as it has a raft of connotations! And I also think it's always a good topic for pondering. Although the article is not in the New Zealand context (which obviously hasn't been impacted to the same degree), I think it's worth a skim and take a chance to reflect on "how we create the social and physical environment that allows those freedoms".