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I have been a Year one teacher for many years now and we have always followed the routine of continuous provision in the first term to smooth the transition from Reception to Key Stage one and then moving to a more formal method for the rest of the year in preparation for Year 2. We had the same issues each year that some children were ready for that transition whilst others weren’t. They missed the outdoor area from EYFS and the freedom to choose and follow their own learning. Add on top of that the missed opportunities the children have had the last couple of years due to covid and we realised that something needed to change.

I have been interested in hygge for a while from a personal point on view in terms of my home and life so when I discovered hygge in the early years it felt like the natural transition for me. I started listening to the podcasts and at the start of lockdown watched the daily Instagram lives whilst on maternity leave. I returned from maternity leave into...

Many of us have a separate space within our setting designated for mark making and writing opportunities. This might act as a central space for children to collect their mark making equipment from and take into an area of provision. Over the years I have had this as part of my classroom set up in both nursery and reception classrooms. I always think it's important to reflect on this area and decide if it's working for you and your cohort. If it's taking up a a large space and no-one is ever at it, consider removing it. 

Here is a list of some of my favourite continuous provision for this area obviously this will vary depending on the age and stage of the children you have):

• Pencils
• Crayons
• Chalks
• Whiteboards
• Paper (different colours, types sizes, lined, unlined, squared)
• Envelopes (of different sizes)
• Alphabet books
• Name cards
• Stamps
• Notebooks
• Card
• Wipeable boards
• Home made books (zig zag books)
• Crayon rocks
• Bark pencils
• Ink stampers
• Gell pens
• Charcoal
• Sand paper letter...

I recently heard one of my lovely members panic that she wasn't doing hygge right or even very well. 

It's so easy to get distracted with what everyone else around you is doing and start believing that there is only one way to do provision or practice in the early years. Especially when you see so many set ups on social media and start to feel the self doubt creep in: Should I have no plastic toys? But what if my children like playing with lego...is this OK? Or what if I don't have lots of money to buy brand new resources?

When we look at high quality early childhood practice and drawn upon research we know that the most effective early years settings are those that put the child at the heart of the curriculum and reflect/ respond to their needs accordingly. Recognising how and what your children want to learn and making this possible. 

A setting could be picture perfect, with the most beautiful wooden small world figures and loose parts to explore, but it's important to...

"When I first joined my setting at the end of 2018 was the first time I heard the word “Hygge.” I remember it took me a while to remember how to spell it, ‘Hoogah, Huggeh’ I could never get my head around it. We used to have a room dedicated to all things ‘Hygge’ and it was my favourite place in the nursery. The room only lit by the salt lamp, fairy lights and whatever cosy image was projected on the wall, a crackling fire, a calming underwater scene or even a forest with the sounds of rain and bird song. The diffuser always puffing out a gorgeous smell. No matter how busy I was I always had time to stop and appreciate how the ambiance of that little room made me feel. After around 6 months unfortunately the man who used to look after the Hygge room left for another setting and as time went on the Hygge room disappeared, something broke, someone took bits of it for a project they were working on and it was soon in a state of disarray and later...

Hygge Case Study by Natalie Carrigher

I began my Hygge in the Early Years Journey in January 2020 after 15 years in Early years, and 8 years in the same school (through special measures to good) I felt lost.  I was at a stage in my career where I needed ‘something’ but I had no idea what!  I still loved  working in Early years but felt my CPD had severely lacked in the past few years.   Through teaching in my mixed Reception/ Year One class I felt lost between knowing in my heart what the children needed and pressures from SLT (OFSTED/school improvement support/LEA) to deliver the National curriculum.  My practice had become segmented between the two curriculums, where I felt divided in  both my time and being able to provide a challenging learning environment for all children in my class.   I spent hours during evenings and weekends planning for both curriculums in great detail and  resourcing sessions. I would have all...

Finally, the right fit!

A Case Study from A Little Fascination, Australia

The pressure for perfection, within a one-size-fits-all model, left me constantly exhausted, stressed and feeling as though I wasn't good enough for the children.

Professional learning frameworks, community expectations, family expectations and government expectations all contributed to a sense of failure within me. To make a difference in the lives of the children, I wanted to enjoy my work again.

I believe in authentic resources and practice upcycling; I gradually shifted my approach towards more natural and unstructured approaches with resources. In addition to creating a sustainable learning environment, I wanted the environment to encourage child curiosity, engagement, and holistic growth.

A search for professional development opportunities led me to ‘loose parts’, which led me to discovering The Curiosity Approach and a concept called ‘Hugge’. I was intrigued, and I...

By Little Chickens Childminding

I’m a childminder who works by herself, and after 10 years of childminding I had lost the joy in my job. My setting was full of all the usual colourful plastic, noisy light-up toys, separate baby toys and preschool toys all designed with one purpose in mind, colourful displays on the walls with the children’s identical craftwork. Outside was set-up with more laminated displays, and bright toys - the nursery look that seemed to be expected. I was feeling claustrophobic and overwhelmed with it all, the children weren’t even engaging with anything and were flittering between toys, not interested in the carefully laid out tuff trays. there would be a chaotic ‘mess’ at the end of the day. I was struggling to switch off when not working, the playroom wasn’t being used by my family, and it had become a separate entity within our home. I was feeling under pressure planning activities - my work, life, and home was completely...

By Louise Fleetwood Childminding

As a Childminder of eight years each Ofsted inspection brought new pressures to work harder, strive for better and produce even more paperwork to 'prove' how you were meeting every childs needs. I was spending my evenings and weekends writing up, documenting and preparing resources and had very little work life balance, or even enjoyment for the job anymore.

When Covid hit I knew I needed a new direction, focus and a renewed sense of worth. Through embarking on my Hygge journey I have brought the outdoors in, loose  parts and uninterrupted opportunity form the best parts of our play and outdoor picnics and adventures are a daily must. Over the past year I have noticed how physically capable my children have become, far more resilient and loads healthier than I have ever looked after. Each and every one of the children I care for now has a desire to get outside each and every day. Parents have thanked me for surrounding their children in nature...