This is a sponsored post for The Atelier and was first published on MyCity4Kids.com
As parents, we all
want only the best for our children – be it food, or toys, or books or their
school! We even look for the perfect playschool for our little ones; the one
that will prepare them to spend some time away from home and also help them
learn the basic skills required for them to have an easy ride when they start
school.
So we begin with
well-known names or ask around friends and family as to what playschools they
would recommend; and secure an admission for our children. We check that the
playschool offers convenient hours and hope that they will take good care of
our children.
We don’t
necessarily see what the environment of the place is like – not the standard
books, swings, trampoline, blocks etc., but the real environment where our
child will spend time – like say, are there trees for our children to run
around, is there a pond or a fountain for our children to enjoy, whether the
school encourages children to explore their surroundings – things like that.
After all, many of
the recommended playschool names we shortlist are run by franchisees anyway;
and have the standard books, swings, trampoline and the standard “educational”
toys for children. So the child goes there, learns to stay out of home for a few
hours, learns to play with other children, listens to some songs and stories
and is taught the basic alphabet and numbers and we are all happy!
But what if I told
you, that I have recently been to a playschool that is nothing like the usual?
What if I said that it not only looks and feels unique but also employs a very
unique philosophy to educate children? What if I told you that there are no
“standard educational toys” there, but real, natural things such as leaves from
plants, actual rocks and pebbles, clay and other natural things for children to
explore? That they allow children to play in water, in sand, jump in puddles,
mess with strings of wool, play with natural light, shadow, basic simple paper
or wood?
Well, this place
actually exists and is called The Atelier, an up and coming playschool in
Bangalore. A sister concern of Sanskriti The Gurukul, a renowned ICSE and ISC
affiliated day boarding school in North East India; The Atelier was founded in
2013 and started operations at its first studio in Guwahati in the year 2014.
The place I visited in Bangalore is its second studio which launches on July
30, 2016 and everyone is invited to join in the fun!
What is amazing
about this lovely playschool, in addition to its all-natural environment of course;
is that the children in this play school are protagonists in their own
learning, while the mentors take on the role of co-learners and collaborators.
They believe that the learning and perception of children is not merely based
on what the instructors think or the curriculum decides it should be, but
rather what the children experience themselves; and are in the mood for that
day.
Another beautiful
thing about this charming place is that when children feel like taking a break
from all this free and friendly learning process, they can explore their very
own backyard which they can access right from their own classroom! And oh, if
the mood strikes them, they can also decide to explore one of the mezzanines
that their classroom is connected to – so they can look down on the entire
space that constitutes their school, and feel like a King, or just plain go
there to get away and hide!
This quaint
playschool in Bangalore offers a dynamic and versatile environment that
respects children; and ensures that learning happens through experience and
exploration, at the child’s own pace. With a preschool program for 2 to 6 year
olds and an infant toddler studio for little ones between 6 months and 2 years
of age, The Atelier believes in using a wide range of materials and symbolic
languages, so as to encourage children to express themselves.
At the Atelier, the
educators believe in creating opportunities for children to test the
versatility of everyday things like leaves, flowers, twigs or even clay; and
explore their dynamic nature. They believe that environment is extremely
important for children to learn and understand things around them; and their
focus is on providing an environment to children where they are happy to
express themselves and in the process learn and understand about things around
us – all at a pace that they are comfortable with and at the time they are
ready for it.
The Atelier takes
inspiration from the Reggio Emilia Approach; which as per Wikipedia, “believes
that children are “knowledge bearers”, so they are encouraged to share their
thoughts and ideas about everything they could meet or do during the day.” The
best thing about this philosophy is that it ensures learning through the
child’s own unique view.
Of course, in
addition to projects and play, The Atelier also allocates a dedicated time to
structured instructions that will help prepare children for when they begin
proper schooling. But the distinctiveness of The Atelier lies in the fact that
they invite parents too, to be actively involved in their child’s life at the
school, via meaningful communication, periodic group meetings, workshops,
personal meetings and events.
All said and done,
The Atelier seems to be a charming place where children will learn through play
and experience; something all of us parents will be happy to have our children
do, rather than merely follow instructions and “do as they are told.” If you
ask me, this I think, is one playschool, where children will really enjoy and
look forward to going every day!
For more information
you can visit the website of The Atelier.
#TheAtelierBlr
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