In our babies’ class, we encourage children to interact with a number of materials, natural and artificial.
Experimenting has to be unconditional, in order to trigger all senses.
This way, we give babies the opportunity to become familiar with reality, engage and interact with it.
Such life derived materials can be sand, rocks, spoons, cups, etc.
Getting in touch with real world always turns kids more creative…
(by Maria Gryllaki, teacher in babies’ class in Athens)
September. First days in school for many toddlers. First goodbye to mom….
I notice colors impress children and make them forget their anxiety.
A white paper and temperas. Curiosity.
Choosing and mixing colors. Experimentation. First with brush. Second with fingers. At the end, whole hand is full of color.
Her comes the first smile.
Next day, the children come to me and ask for colors….
(by Jenny Diamantopoulou, teacher in toddler’s class (2-3 y.o.), in Athens)
First days in school are always difficult, especially if you are a baby!
I suggest a small tip on how to help babies relax when they are stressed.
Use water. Just water. Or, water with small rocks, sand, plastic balls, toy ducks and anything else you can imagine.
When babies play with water, they relax and release all their stress.
I call it: «THE HEALLING WATER!»
(by Anastasia Kouroubali, teacher in babies’ class in Athens school)
Babies (1-2 y.o.) discover the world through their senses.
In our school, an activity they love doing is producing colored ice cubes.
Then, kids use those ice cubes to paint, while melting.
(by Anastasia Kouroubali, teacher in babies class, Athens)
Life-derived Learning 