{"id":112,"date":"2017-04-09T16:08:53","date_gmt":"2017-04-09T16:08:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ferniekids.com\/?p=112"},"modified":"2017-04-09T16:08:53","modified_gmt":"2017-04-09T16:08:53","slug":"comment-its-important-for-children-to-learn-to-be-cold-wet-and-survive-that","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ferniekids.com\/index.php\/2017\/04\/09\/comment-its-important-for-children-to-learn-to-be-cold-wet-and-survive-that\/","title":{"rendered":"Comment: ‘It\u2019s important for children to learn to be cold, wet, and survive that’"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Teacher Jane Williams-Siegfredsen was at first shocked and fascinated by Denmark\u2019s forest kindergartens. Now she\u2019s striving to give more children that freedom. \u00a0\u00a0By Jane Williams-Siegfredsen<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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23 FEB 2016 – 11:43 AM<\/span>\u00a0 UPDATED\u00a025\u00a0FEB\u00a02016\u00a0–\u00a02:55\u00a0PM<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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I first came to Denmark 23 years ago with a group of students training to work in the early years sector. We\u2019d heard so much about Danish kindergartens and wanted to see for ourselves what was so special about them.<\/p>\n

The first kindergarten I visited was a nature kindergarten on the outskirts of a town. Nothing seemed so different inside the building \u2013 apart from the fact that no one was there!<\/p>\n

Venturing out into the woodland beside the kindergarten, I discovered the children and their pedagogues, as the early years educators are known.<\/p>\n

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\"Jane<\/div>\n

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Jane Williams-Siegfredsen (right) with Bitten Pedersen, who runs a forest kindergarten outside of Viborg in Denmark. (Photo: Marianne Borowiec)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Children were climbing trees, playing out of sight of the pedagogues and whittling sticks with sharp knives beside an open fire \u2013 I was shocked and terrified, but also fascinated.<\/p>\n

The children seemed so competent, happy and at ease and the pedagogues looked relaxed \u2013 how could that be? Weren\u2019t they worried that the children would come to harm?<\/p>\n

Looking closer and talking to the pedagogues, I realised that the children were skilful in what they were doing, the pedagogues trusted them and treated them as competent and there was a feeling of cooperation and teamwork across the ages.<\/p>\n