0
Awe & Wonder in Early Childhood
Awe & Wonder in Early Childhood

Discover

Our approach

The Curiosity Approach® is a modern day approach to Early Childhood. It’s a beautiful recipe book of wonderful ingredients, carefully mixed together with experience, passion and a love of Early Childhood.

Be Curious, Have Fun, Make a Difference!
About us

Spreading the Curiosity

Who our approach has helped

1 2

Discover Curiosity Approach

Settings


{module_contentholder name="Search settings"}

Learn the secrets

READ THE BOOKS

Understand the Curiosity Approach.

A to Z

The A to Z of curiosity

A
Close

Authentic Resources

The real thing! Beautiful authentic resources rescued from car boots up & down the land, turning trash into treasure!! Bright shiny beautiful items, eclectic random treasure that captures children & educators imagination. Resources that offer value to play, bringing a mix of textures and stimulus that no plastic cartoon embossed tea set can offer.

B
Close

Beauty is a deep human need

Beauty is innate within us all. Young children are very aware of this and are drawn to it! Our environment and presentation that we offer within our settings should reflect beauty; from the delicate authentic resources to the wonderous natural objects - all declaring, all showing their beauty!

C
Close

Curious Minds

Babies are born learners, with a natural curiosity to figure out how the world works. Curiosity is the desire to learn. It is an eagerness to explore, discover and figure things out. Early Childhood Educators have a responsibility to support and reinforce this innate curiosity to give children the confidence to develop their own theories about our incredible world.

D
Close

Display

We are advocates for calm, neutral backgrounds for any displays to let the learning shine through, making it visible! The use of natural, earthly tones will also give off a sense of calmness as colour play an important role in the overall aesthetic of a space, it can also impact an individual’s mood, emotional wellbeing, learning and behaviour.

E
Close

Enchanting Environments

At the Curiosity Approach our aim is to create a world of magic and wonder, a place to tinker and explore. A special place where children are the centre of everything, filling their hearts and minds with a sense of incredible awe and wonder.

F
Close

Future (the next generation)

In the words of Whitney Houston we “believe that children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way…” Current toys & technology are reducing the innate skills of curiosity. Inquisitiveness, deep level thinking and communication & social skills are declining. Getting the learning environment right helps take massive leaps in protecting and embedding these innate skills.

G
Close

Global Inspiration

We have both been incredibly lucky to travel the world visiting wondrous early childhood centres, collecting inspiration and memories. Our aim is to inspire and be inspired, becoming a nation of curious practitioners who light up this amazing world we live in for the next generation.

H
Close

Homely Hyyge

Hygge is a Danish word used when acknowledging a feeling or moment, ordinary or extraordinary as cosy, charming or special. Curiosity Approach settings would seek to create an environment that captures that feeling of cosiness, warmth and togetherness for all who enter in to it.

I
Close

Invitations to Learning

Creating magical pockets of learning, throughout the environment, which send subliminal messages to children, gently inviting them to come and play.

J
Close

Joy of Learning

Curiosity, or an eager desire to know, is the key to the joy of learning. Children’s curious minds are open and flexible and their hearts trusting and generous ready to be filled will the joy of learning.

K
Close

Kinaesthetic Learners

Kinaesthetic learners are those children who surpass in finding out things for themselves without any needs for real guidance. They love tinkering, finding out how things work and being physical. The world just feels like a giant playground full of wonderful things to discover and explore for our kinaesthetic learners.

L
Close

Loose Parts

Loose parts are items that can be used in a multiple of ways with no pre designed outcome. Children can combine them, line them up, join them together, transport them. Developing opportunities for creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, counting & sorting to name but a few, teaching children how to think and not what to think!

M
Close

Mindfulness

“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” – Aristotle. We need to create a mindful oven of loveliness that needs thoughtful practitioners and professionals to be mentally present, thankful and forever curious about their career with little children.

N
Close

Natural Materials

It is vital that practitioners provide natural materials as part of their core offer. They offer so many more opportunities for creativity, imagination and joyfulness in their play. Natural resources provide a range of textures and possibilities for children to explore closely using all of their senses. They are flexible, open ended, aesthetic and unique.

O
Close

Opportunities Outdoors

“The best classroom and the richest cupboard are roofed only by the sky” - Margaret McMillan. We must offer our children unhurried and plentiful outdoor experiences. No special equipment is ever needed here just the wonder of nature and all her gifts.

P
Close

Process not Product

For our wonderful children it’s the process of learning that is to be enjoyed and savoured, not the end product. It is incredibly easy for children to enjoy the process because they haven’t yet been conditioned to value product over process.

Q
Close

Questions

We should give consideration to our use of questions. Using open-ended questions can really stretch children’s thinking and curiosity, letting us in to the child’s mind. Open-ended questions require thinking time, so be patient as you await a response. If you can answer “yes” or “no” to a question, it is not open-ended, a favourite of ours is “I wonder…”

R
Close

Reggio to Rudolf Steiner

The Curiosity Approach is a recipe filled with ingredients from the great pioneers of Early Childhood Education, Rudolf Steiner (Austria), Loris Malaguzzi (Reggio Emilia - Italy), & Te Whāriki (New Zealand). These three progressive approaches to Early Childhood set the foundations to The Curiosity Approach.

S
Close

Senses

“Children need the freedom to appreciate the infinite resources of their hands, their eyes and their ears, the resources of forms, materials, sounds and colours” – Loris Malaguzzi

T
Close

Te Whāriki

Is New Zealand’s Early Childhood Curriculum and is underpinned by a vision for children who are competent and confident learners and communicators, healthy in mind, body and spirit. We value Te Whāriki at The Curiosity Approach, particularly the well-being and belonging of the child.

U
Close

Unusually Unique

“Each child is unique and the protagonist of his or her growth. Children desire to acquire knowledge, have much capacity for curiosity and amazement and yearn to create relationships with others and communicate” - Loris Malaguzzi

V
Close

Valuing Children

“Believing that every child is a miracle can transform the way we design for children’s care. When we invite a miracle into our lives, we prepare ourselves and the environment around us. We may set out flowers or special offerings. We make it our job to create, with reverence and gratitude, a space that’s worthy of a miracle!”- Anita Rui Olds

W
Close

Who is it for?

“If we thought more about childhoods and less about needs, some of our programs would look less like schools and more like homes and children’s museums, or like fields and parks. We might develop varied places with a genuine sense of beauty; places where adults and children delight at times in simply being together” - Jim Greenman

X
Close

eXtraordinary

“The difference between being ordinary and extraordinary is just that little bit extra!” – Jimmy Johnson. How far will you go to be an extraordinary practitioner? How far will you go to create an extraordinary childhood for the little people you serve?

Y
Close

Young Inquisitive Minds

“Children are such curious creatures. They explore, question, and wonder, and by doing so, learn. From the moment of birth, likely even before, humans are drawn to new things. When we are curious about something new, we want to explore it. And while exploring we discover” - Dr Bruce Perry

Z
Close

Zen

The principles of Zen as used in the art of Japanese garden designs can be seen in many of the environments inspired by Reggio Emilia, Steiner and Te Whāriki. These 7 principles overlap and intertwine into aesthetically pleasing play spaces for young children. A place that promotes opportunities for conversations, communication, well-being and mindfulness in children and adults.



Some kind words from

Our Curious Pioneers

"What a journey it has been! I am beyond proud to be accredited!"


Testimonial picture

Kelly Vaughan

Kelly's Childminding

“We'd started to use in the moment planning and begun to ditch the plastic, introducing loose parts, natural and found resources. It was going well, but we felt something was missing. Then we saw The Curiosity Approach and everything fell into place. This was what we were striving for – to step outside our comfort zones with the same goal in mind.”

Testimonial picture

Kay Garner

Knighton Nursery

“Stephanie Bennett and Lyndsey Hellyn have helped me find my sparkle! My nursery has never been so full of creative, enthusiastic and engaged staff and children! The Curiosity Approach has been a great support for me and my staff and has given us the confidence to let our imaginations run wild! It has been fun developing my nursery and finding my true ethos.”

Testimonial picture

Lisa Wakley-Davies

Little Stars Nursery

“We know children are naturally inquisitive, however The Curiosity Approach ethos promotes curiosity, awe and wonder in Early Childhood. Creating beautiful and aesthetically pleasing play spaces for children using provocations, loose parts and open-end resources. It’s amazing to see us all have light bulb moments, maybe epiphanies which inspired us to make wondrous changes.”

Testimonial picture

Neil Dudman

PearTree Childcare & Your Nursery Business Owner

"It is such an achievement for myself and my team for be on this journey. I believe we will always be on this journey constantly reflecting and thriving to be the best we can. I couldn't of achieved this without my staff and the Curiosity Academy sites and ideas. It was amazing to come to Birmingham and see the nurseries and implement this to mine.

I believe after all this journey it's the children that have made the most achievements. The progression, development and imaginations grow everyday and its a joy to watch and my passion for Early Years has been reignited".

Testimonial picture

Laura Ali

Little Leaders Childcare

Our Blog

Curious bits & Bobs

{module_blogpostlist blogId="16495" rowCount="3" template="/Layouts/Custom/blog.tpl"}
 
  thecuriosityapproach