Founded by Lyndsey Hellyn and Stephanie Bennett in 2017, The Curiosity Approach® is a modern-day Early Childhood Education method, driven by active learning and critical thinking. Lyndsey states that, in founding The Curiosity Approach®, both women wished to “create a generation of thinkers, doers, and investigators”.
The co-founders formed their unique approach to the early years by taking inspiration from many different sources. Bennett states that The Curiosity Approach® is “a beautiful recipe book of the teachings of all the great early years pioneers, including Maria Montessori, Reggio Emilia, Rudolf Steiner, and Emmi Pikler”.
Within this completely play-based and child-led approach, children become the centre of their own development – or the pilots of their own play. Children are encouraged to explore, experiment, and create, using engaging resources modelled by passionate facilitators. Their innate curiosity is awakened and sparked.
The approach moves away from technology and focuses on the wonder found all around us, here and now. The co-founders believe that modern-day toys are geared towards entertainment, rather than natural play and imagination. Bennett argues that “the more a toy does, the less opportunity a child has to think and communicate”. Curiosity Approach settings instead favour authentic, open-ended resources, and recyclable curiosities, rather than bright, primary colours, or plastic toys.
Within the day, there will still be distinct rhythms, routines, and rituals, such as welcome time, story time, and nap time, and children will learn during each and every part of their day, whether it be a table-top activity or lunch time.
This article was written by Hannah Hawthorne from High speed training