small hands into the soil!
Kamu Kindergarten in Helsinki, is a nature-oriented kindergarten. What does it mean?
In practice, we carry out environmental education for children at Kamu. The aim is to strengthen children's relationship with nature and to act responsibly in the environment and to guide them towards a sustainable lifestyle.
The basic pillars of environmental education are learning in nature, learning about nature and learning for nature.
In Kamu's everyday life, the emphasis on nature can be seen, among other things:
We strive to go outside every day.
We make weekly excursions to the nearby nature. We are fencing an extra nearby forest for the children to explore.
We establish our own garden in the yard of the kindergarten and take care of it all year round.
Together we learn how to sort and recycle waste.
For the younger children, the emphasis is on nature experiences, experiences with all the senses and adventure. For older children, we also provide information on nature conservation, the circular economy and sustainable development.
NATURE IS VISIBLE IN EVERYDAY LIFE OF THE KINDERGARTEN
Our garden is a big experience!
Designing our own kindergarten garden starts with creativity. First, we think about what our dream garden would be like, and the children are painting garden-themed paintings. In the spring, we plant the seeds, watering and tending to the garden together. We see the important work of the pollinators, and finally we enjoy the taste of the self-grown vegetables.
We can also play in the garden!
In environmental education, children are instructed to respect nature, its plants and animals. It also promotes the growth of sustainable lifestyles and training in the necessary skills, such as litter-free camping, learning to be reasonable and sustainable, eating responsibly, saving energy and reducing waste, for example through recycling, repair and re-use.
Nature has enormous positive effects on children:
Nourishes children's imagination, increases movement and strengthens the development of the relationship with nature
Strengthens motor development - in many ways and at different levels.
Improves appetite and sleep.
In the open air, play is more equal and nature feeds the imagination differently than the built environment.
Nature calms and supports the ability to concentrate.
When playing in mud, immune system improves!
FINNISH EXPERTISE IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ALSO is BROUGHT TO THE WORLD
In Finland, most children have fairly easy access to the forest, even though they live in the city. In the world, it is more difficult to find forests, so environmental education and strengthening the relationship between children and nature are real challenges.
At Kamu Kindergarten, we create a model for a nature kindergarten specifically for the urban environment. We make use of even small forest areas in the vicinity of the kindergarten. In addition, we bring nature to the yard of the kindergarten with urban cultivation and forest materials.
The Nature and Environmental Education Institute of Finland (NEEIF), which operates behind Kamu, takes the wonderful lessons of children's environmental education implemented in Kamu to the world, including China.
Contact with nature improves immunity
Several studies have found that diverse contact with nature improves the body's microbiota, which in turn supports immune defense.
Both forest trips and the forest floor and urban culture brought to the kindergarten’s yard diversify the microbiota.
(Read, for example: A study by the University of Eastern Finland on improving the immunity of kindergarteners in a forest-based yard)
Come to Kamu to put your hands in the mud!
Kamukoti Pitäjänmäki has early childhood education that takes into account the needs and developmental stages of the child, which is based on the City of Helsinki's early childhood education plan and the action plan based on Kamu Kindergarten's nature-focused, strengthening pedagogical perspective.
You are welcome to get to know this Finnish and English language kindergarten in Pitäjänmäki, Helsinki!
Contact us to arrange a private visit for your family: Jingjing Liu jingjing@kamueducation.fi or call p. +358 44239 4068
Read more about the kindergarten, staff and prices on the page Kamukoti Pitäjänmäki!
Kamukoti Arabia is a nature-oriented, bilingual daycare that focuses on strength pedagogy. It is located in the tranquil natural surroundings of Toukola, Helsinki. This strategic location gives us a significant advantage in our pedagogical approach. We frequently engage in outdoor activities, nature-based learning, day trips, urban farming, and fostering a positive relationship with nature.
Contact us to arrange a private visit for your family: Jingjing Liu jingjing@kamueducation.fi or call p. +358 44239 4068
Read more about the kindergarten, staff and prices on the page Kamukoti Arabia!
