At Forest Village Kindergarten — our nursery in Morden, Merton SM4 — we don’t follow just one educational philosophy. Instead, we weave together three powerful, complementary approaches: Montessori, Waldorf and the Scandinavian Friluftsliv tradition. As a result, children at our outdoor nursery in South London benefit from the very best of each philosophy every single day.
The Montessori Approach
The Montessori approach was developed by Dr Maria Montessori in the early 1900s. Furthermore, it is one of the most widely respected early years educational philosophies in the world — built on the belief that children are naturally curious, capable and driven to learn when given the right environment and freedom.
What Montessori Looks Like at Forest Village
- 🙌 Practical Life Skills Every DayChildren set the table, pour their own drinks, tidy up their space and care for their environment. As a result, they develop independence, concentration and a deep sense of responsibility from a very young age.
- 🔍 Child-Led LearningChildren choose their own activities and follow their natural curiosity. Furthermore, our role is to prepare a rich environment and then step back — allowing children to explore at their own pace and in their own way.
- 🌱 Respect for the ChildEvery child is treated with genuine respect. In addition, we never interrupt a child who is deeply concentrated — because concentration is the foundation of all learning.
- 📐 Real Materials, Real TasksChildren work with real objects — not plastic toys. Pouring, sorting, cutting, folding and building with natural and real-world materials develops fine motor skills and genuine competence.
- 🤝 Mixed Age GroupsToddlers and Pre-School children learn together. Moreover, younger children learn by observing older ones, and older children develop confidence and empathy by helping younger ones.
The Waldorf Approach
The Waldorf approach was founded by Rudolf Steiner in 1919. Furthermore, it places the seasons, rhythm and storytelling at the heart of early childhood education — creating a deeply nurturing environment where children feel safe, connected and joyful.
What Waldorf Looks Like at Forest Village
- 🍂 Seasonal RhythmOur days, weeks and months follow the rhythm of the seasons. Furthermore, we celebrate seasonal festivals, decorate our nature table with seasonal finds and cook and craft with whatever nature provides at that time of year.
- 🕯️ Daily RhythmEach day follows the same gentle, predictable rhythm — arrival, breakfast, circle time, outdoor play, lunch, rest, afternoon activities. As a result, children feel deeply safe and oriented in time.
- 📖 Storytelling and ImaginationStories, puppets, songs and rhymes are central to our Waldorf-inspired mornings. Moreover, imaginative play is protected and valued — never rushed or replaced with screens.
- 🌿 Nature TableWe maintain a beautiful seasonal nature table filled with natural objects — leaves, seeds, stones, flowers, wool and wood. Children contribute their own finds from outdoor sessions.
- 🎨 Waldorf CraftsBeeswax modelling, watercolour painting, seasonal crafts and natural dyeing are woven throughout the year — connecting children to the natural world through their hands.
The Scandinavian Approach — Friluftsliv
Friluftsliv (pronounced free-loofts-leev) is a Norwegian and Swedish concept that translates as “free air life”. Furthermore, it is a deeply held cultural belief that time spent in nature — in all weathers, in all seasons — is essential for human health, happiness and wellbeing. It is the foundation of early years education across Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland — consistently ranked among the happiest and most educated nations in the world.
What Friluftsliv Looks Like at Forest Village
- 🌧️ Outdoors in All WeathersRain, wind, frost or sunshine — we go outside every single day. In summer, children spend the entire day outdoors. In winter, they are wrapped up warm and head out regardless. Furthermore, this builds resilience, immune strength and a lifelong love of the natural world.
- 🌍 Nature as the ClassroomThe garden, the park, the mud, the trees, the puddles — these are our classroom. In addition, nature provides endless, ever-changing learning opportunities that no indoor environment can match.
- 🐾 Slow, Deep Nature ConnectionWe don’t rush through nature. Moreover, we encourage children to stop, observe, touch, smell and listen — building the kind of deep attention and wonder that lasts a lifetime.
- 💪 Risky Play and IndependenceScandinavian education embraces the concept of risky play — climbing trees, balancing on logs, jumping in puddles and exploring freely. As a result, children develop genuine confidence, physical competence and self-trust.
- 😌 Nature for WellbeingResearch consistently shows that time in nature reduces cortisol levels, improves mood, reduces anxiety and supports emotional regulation. Furthermore, children who spend time outdoors from a young age are healthier, calmer and more resilient throughout their lives.
Aware Parenting
Aware Parenting was developed by Dr Aletha Solter, a Swiss-American developmental psychologist who studied under Dr Jean Piaget in Geneva. Furthermore, it is an attachment-based, trauma-informed approach to raising children that uses neither punishments nor rewards. Instead, it is built entirely on respect, connection and a deep understanding of children’s emotional needs.
What Aware Parenting Looks Like at Forest Village
- 🚫 No Punishments, No RewardsWe never use time-outs, naughty steps, sticker charts or reward systems. Furthermore, we believe these approaches undermine a child’s natural motivation and damage the trust between child and adult. Instead, we guide children through connection, empathy and clear, respectful boundaries.
- 💛 Emotions are Always WelcomeWhen a child cries, we don’t say “stop crying” or “you’re fine.” As a result of following Aware Parenting, our staff understand that crying, tantrums and big emotions are a child’s natural way of releasing stress and processing experience. We stay present, calm and compassionate.
- 🤝 Attachment and Connection FirstEvery interaction at Forest Village is rooted in secure attachment. Moreover, children who feel deeply connected to their caregivers are more cooperative, more confident and more emotionally resilient — not because they have been rewarded or punished, but because they feel genuinely safe and loved.
- 👂 Deep ListeningWe listen to children — really listen. In addition, we take their feelings, ideas and experiences seriously, even when they seem small or inconsequential to adults. This builds children’s self-esteem and sense of worth from the very earliest age.
- 🌿 Gentle Conflict ResolutionWhen children have conflicts, we support them to work through their feelings and find solutions together — rather than imposing adult judgement. As a result, children develop genuine empathy, social skills and emotional intelligence.
- 😴 No Cry-It-OutIn our baby room, we respond promptly and warmly to every baby’s cries. Furthermore, we believe that a baby’s cry is always communication — never manipulation — and that responding with care builds the secure attachment that underpins all future development.
Why combine all four? Because each approach brings something unique and irreplaceable. Montessori gives children independence and practical capability. Waldorf gives them rhythm, beauty and imagination. Friluftsliv gives them nature, freedom and resilience. And Aware Parenting gives them emotional safety, genuine connection and the freedom to be fully themselves. Furthermore, at Forest Village Kindergarten in Morden, Merton, we believe these four approaches are not in conflict — they are deeply complementary. Together, they create the most nurturing, enriching and joyful early childhood experience possible.
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