Experiential Learning

Children gain so much from the simple things in life -more so, in fact, than from special equipment or activities marketed as being necessary to help them learn x or y, which are often prescriptive and overstimulating. We offer open-ended play objects which can be used in many different ways, as these offer a child a world of possibilities.

Madga Gerber, RIE®’s founder, recommended “busy babies rather than busy toys”, as the more active the toy, the more passive the child is.

We allow children to move freely and naturally so that they can develop their gross and fine motor skills. We do not place babies in ‘containers’ such as bouncy chairs, bouncers or other restrictive play equipment, nor do we place them down on the floor in positions which they could not get into or out of on their own.

Children move with more ease and efficiency if we allow them to do it at their own pace and in their own way, without trying to teach them. Freedom of movement allows a child to develop both agility and coordination, and good judgement about what he can and cannot do. Developing good body image, spatial relations, and a sense of balance helps the child learn not only how to move but also how to fall and how to recover. Children raised this way hardly ever have any serious accidents.

Through this child-led approach, children learn to move independently, to persist and practice, they experience the joy of their success and patience.