Keeping It Simple: Cosy and Natured Inspired Provision

Aug 30, 2019

Reading this from one of my Hygge in the Early Years Accredited students makes me feel so proud of their journey and all they've achieved.

Nurturing, supporting and allowing my students to flourish is what gives me a warm glow and makes me love my job even more!

"Starting my business back in December 2018 I was approached by a local authority officer who was supporting me with my ofsted registration. Sharon asked me “Laura I’ve never seen a provision like this before it’s wonderful what is your inspiration? What approach do you follow?”
I couldn’t reply I didn’t know myself, the only word I could give was “Hygge” but back then I didn’t truly understand the concept of hygge in the early years I just wanted to create an environment that brought the outdoors indoors, that was cosy and calming. A nature led approach that welcomed new children into my provision with a burst of light and opportunity.

It made me reflect and research, I wanted to be able to give my parents and OFSTED the best answer to this question, my WHY.
I researched and stumbled across on chance “The Hygge in the Early Years Accreditation” after a short read of the inspirational words of KIMBERLY SMITH I was fully intrigued and did not hesitate to sign up.

This accreditation and the awesome book “Hygge in the Early Years” by Kimberly Smith has given me SO much more reassurance and confidence, deepening and expanding my knowledge into a REGGIO EMILIA and HYGGE approach within our provision.

Suddenly it was all starting to make sense. Ide dipped my toe unknowingly before because my heart wanted me to lead my practice in such a way but this training and platform has helped me reflect and embed an ethos and understanding that I will never be more great full for.

I have quotes from The accreditation around our provision, motivating the team and inspiring us as early years educators, advocates for all our children; a status that once before that had been belittled in past childcare roles. In fact as my business started to expand I was keen to adjust my induction and recruitment process. Giving new staff their own copy of “Hygge in the early years” along with the log in details to our accreditation work and vast training and CPD held within the accreditation. Staff well-being was pushed to the top of our agendas a happier more empowering provision for our staff as much as our children showed unstoppable benefits.

Early years matters, sustainability matters, our world matters. Terms as such as “cultural capital”, “a culture of sustainability” and “Global citizenship” we’re starting to make sense! The accreditation has taught me that we as educators must be partners in each child’s learning journey, not dictators, we must find the joy in everyday in the most unexpected avenues, igniting that passion that children are naturally born with to explore, play and learn.

Thus inspiring our upcoming generations to fulfill their deepest potential and carry forward these invaluable lessons to prepare for the unknown future. Knowing that anything is possible and achievable with education at the heart of their individual journeys into childhood, adolescence and continuing for the rest of their lives.
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Find out more about Stone Hen Childcare's inspirational practice on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/stone.hen.childcare/?hl=en or Laura’s website https://laurabrothwell1992.wixsite.com/stonehenchildcare