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Many of you are worried that due the pandemic all the hard work you’ve done over the last year on the ethos of your practice and the learning environment has to go.

I’ve heard of heart broken reception teachers having to sit their children at desks in rows, display boards getting ripped down and child led learning getting lost.

We can’t let this happen.

And…

It doesn’t need to happen.

In this blog post I’m going to share with you some thoughts on how we can keep that hygge feeling without losing all of the hard work we’ve already done.

Let’s begin by reminding ourselves what hygge is. Hygge is the Danish approach to living well that focuses on being in the moment and embracing the feelings of warmth, simplicity and togetherness.

It’s not just about how your physical environment is set up (although this contributes to it) but it’s about slowing down to be present in the very moment you’re in. Taking time to acknowledge the feelings and improved joy.

Insid...

Today we're joined by guest blog writer Nicola Hacking (follow at the curious case of the girl and the dog) sharing her love for nature and the impact on our wellbeing. 

The importance, role and vision of outdoor access in the early years has increased in leaps and bounds over previous years. We’re seeing a move away from traditional learning, with nurseries developing fabulous free-flow access, inspiring outdoor equipment and even ones based entirely outdoors in natural spaces. Children draw in the dirt with sticks, sing from the branches of trees and snooze lazily in hammocks, snuggled up in layers of cozy clothing. Practitioners hand out hot chocolates and giggle as they sneak an extra marshmallow for themselves and try not to develop too bad a t-shirt tan.

But why the shift? Or is it something in our very souls that’s been trying to burst out?

Scientific research tells us that time spent outdoors reaps a multitude of health benefits. These include improved blood pressur...

This week on our Hygge blog we're joining my our members Sarah and Carly. The home based childcare team and recently completed the Hygge in the Early Years Accreditation. 

"My journey on the Hygge Accreditation has been life changing. Yes, I know it sounds corny but honestly it changed every except of my life.

This February I’ve been a childminder for 16 years and the changes and support childminders get has virtually disappeared. Training is now left to us to source as well as the cost. With no support from our local authority we collect a lot of information from support groups like early years teachers, childcare groups and other settings on social media. One night I stumbled upon the Hygge Accreditation and Kimberly and I was hooked.  I soon signed up and honestly, I have never in my life been so enthusiastic to do any kind of training and learning. The Hygge Accreditation is perfectly put together and so easy to understand with a wealth of teachers with knowledge in the early yea...

What is the real point in working harder and living less? Why have all the money but lack in happiness?

Take a step back and consider what means the most to you.

1. Working every hour of the day, chasing the next promotion, having ‘things’ but lacking in moments.

This week we are joined by Hygge in the Early Years Member Amanda Fisher who is sharing with you her journey on approaching Hygge in a Children's Centre. 

I have worked in Children Centres for 9 years, prior to that working within a preschool setting whilst my own children were little, I am currently privileged to manage a Children’s Centre in a deprived area with a wonderful community spirit.

I always strived to create a warm, welcoming and homely environment; indeed it is the one thing the centre is congratulated on frequently by visitors.  I wanted to extend this feeling throughout the centre which is what lead me to explore The Hygge Accreditation, the ethos is one which I feel most relates to what I want to create and offer to families, a sense of warmth, joy and belonging. 

The centre is a hive of activity throughout the week and one of the highlights is the Stay and Play session we offer weekly. We welcome families with children from birth and are privileged to be able to w...

The Art of Letting Go by Cornisheyfsteacher

I was often told that it takes a certain type of person to become a teacher – even more specifically; an early years teacher. Passionate, caring, organised, dedicated, inspired, motivated, resourceful, thoughtful… the list is endless. The responsibility and privilege that comes with the job, having a chance to make a difference and be a part of, arguably, the most important stage of a child’s development, is an honour to say the least. I love my job, I enjoy my job, but I completely understand why it is one of the most challenging professions to be in. The workload, the expectations, the weekends lost to ‘I just need to catch up on…’, the last minute scrutinties, lesson observations, it is never-ending. I am at the start of my career. Now approaching my third year of teaching in a Reception class. I want to share the start of my journey, some of my biggest revelations and the sense I have made of a sector that is continuously evolving.

I am the Area Manager for Daisy Chain Nursery and over the

last year the nursery owner has worked hard transforming the

nursery into a home from home approach. The company has 2

settings and I work to support both settings whilst managing

the Liverpool site. The nursery Owner works closely with

myself and the teams and has completed a lot of the

environment work and the research behind it, educating the

teams along the way.

When the initial decision was made to change the nursery

approach we started by adapting the furniture and muting the

colouring to provide a more natural approach. We immediately

noticed a change in the behaviour of the 2 year old children

and also the children who have special educational needs. more

comfortable. hey seemed a lot calmer and the environments in

general seemed to be calmed as the children were being

stimulated by the toys and the activities rather than being over

stimulated by the general environment.

We began the process in the ...

Reflection is a huge part of Early Years practice – from

the beginning of our training journey we are encouraged

to evolve and develop our own professional identity, by

exploring practice, making mistakes, and learning how to

be more effective in our roles. This principle is something

that truly is at the heart of the Lullabies ethos, and we

have recently embarked on our own journey as a team.

Lullabies Nursery and Pre-School opened in 2016, in the

centre of Glenfield, Leicestershire. The old Georgian

building lends itself perfectly to a nursery environment and

we worked hard to keep some of the original features to

stay true to the character of the building. We have four

classrooms across two floors as well as 3 outdoor areas for

the children to access, including a forest school. As the

nursery enters its third year our nursery Proprietor, Emma

Platnauer and nursery Manager, Chelsie Shaw, were keen

to reflect on the nursery’s journey so far, and our vision for

the fut...

I feel very fortunate to do the job that I do; work with a range of early educators and support them in their reflections to move practice forward. It’s great to see the transformation a setting has had after working so hard on areas of their practice.

Today I had the chance to visit one of the wonderful local nurseries I’ve been working with for the last year. This was a chance to hear and see the progress they’ve made in not only their ethos but how this has translated into their learning environment.

Emma is an inspirational leader who also leads with a love-based leadership style. Making sure she invests time in getting to know each member of her team and giving them opportunities to lead in areas that are their strength. At the same time, she also understands the importance of supporting staff and has a clear system in place for professional development. Over the last year the team have worked hard on creating a shared and consistent ethos across the three rooms of th...