Friedrich Froebel was counter-cultural in his day, vehemently protesting an educational system in which children were forced into a mould instead of being valued and nurtured as individuals. Our results-driven system is not fundamentally different.
Written by Jan White and published by Muddy Faces, Making a Mud Kitchen offers 32 pages of gorgeous photos and inspiring ideas.
Outdoor play also enables children to enjoy the natural environment and learn to seek out exercise, fresh air, and activity.
The best learning environments are informal and naturalistic outdoor nature-scapes where children have unmediated opportunities for adventure and self-initiated play, exploration and discovery.
Mud is an art medium, one that we can mold, dry, and decorate. Unlike many other media, mud permits us to make mistakes.
What a privilege to get glimpses into the lives of individual children who personify the marvel of life and learning that is so bountifully supported by the outdoor environment.
Traditionally the sand area has provided opportunities for manipulation, construction, and discovery as children experiment with pouring, digging, and mixing sand with water.
This book, with its practical text and gorgeous colour photos, will inspire parents and teachers to engage children with the great outdoors in all seasons and weather.
‘A Froebelian approach is… a whole way of thinking about children and childhood’, Helen Tovey writes.