International insights: More nature in early education

As part of the Erasmus+ program, I was able to take part in two impressive study trips this year - first in spring to Rennes, Erlangen's twin city in France, and now in autumn to Brno in the Czech Republic, which in turn is a twin city of Rennes. The two cities have a clear goal in common: to bring more nature into early childhood education - structurally, conceptually and in the long term. It is clear that this process is not a one-sided learning process, but rather a triad: Erlangen, Rennes and Brno act as equal partners who learn from each other and exchange ideas.

Rennes: Nature education as a municipal task
The city of Rennes has set itself the goal of anchoring nature experience in nurseries and kindergartens as an integral part of educational work in the future. This is not about one-off activities, but about systematically integrating nature education into the city's childcare system.

The French delegation - consisting of representatives of the city administration, specialists and representatives of the providers - had previously spent several days in Erlangen. There they visited the Mooswichtel forest kindergarten and crèche, the Pfifferlinge forest kindergarten, the youth farm and a municipal facility. In the theoretical part, the kindergarten and crèche system was presented, including conceptual focuses, pedagogical structures and organizational logics. Erlangen thus acted as the first "foothold" in the trilateral exchange, on which the partners were able to build their further impressions in Rennes.

These impressions were incorporated into the multi-day program in Rennes, which provided insights into municipal structures, funding logics and pedagogical concepts. The city is pursuing a comprehensive "ecological turnaround" strategy in its childcare facilities, with a focus on the crèche sector. This includes:

• More natural elements in crèches and kindergartens,
• Renovation and greening of municipal buildings,
• use of second-hand play materials,
• involvement of municipal farms,
• and the introduction of organic food in all facilities by 2030.

It was particularly impressive to see how strongly early childhood education is seen as a public responsibility in Rennes. Day nurseries, kindergartens and elementary school are often organized in shared building complexes - a concept that facilitates transitions and makes multi-professional collaboration a matter of course. Inclusion is also a structural issue: In every facility, specialists work closely with medical staff (e.g. doctors and nurses) to provide individual support for children with special needs.

Another key component of quality development in Rennes is a project-based, video-supported reflection system. The facilities divide up specific thematic projects in their facilities - for example on experiencing nature, ecological design or promoting physical activity. The educational professionals film individual everyday situations, e.g. the children's outdoor play, their reactions to natural materials or their interactions with the teachers. These videos are then analyzed together: Different specialists specifically look at different participants and perspectives and share their observations.
All participating facilities meet once a month to discuss their findings, reflect on the results and agree on the next steps. This creates a continuous quality cycle in which pedagogical practice is reflected on the basis of data and immediately developed further.
This process enables the city of Rennes to quickly test innovative approaches, evaluate their impact and make the quality of educational work visible and comparable across all facilities.
This model is highly interesting for providers and professionals in Germany because it shows how systematic reflection processes can significantly increase the quality and effectiveness of educational concepts using simple means (e.g. exchange, collegial analysis) - without additional administrative effort, but through collective responsibility.

Brno: living nature education with heart and structure
The second visit took us to Brno - a city that is already well advanced in terms of nature education.
There are not just individual forest kindergartens here, but a nationwide network of around 200 facilities, of which around 60 are already certified by the Czech association. What is immediately noticeable is that nature is not an additional offer here, but part of everyday life.
Whether crèche, kindergarten or school - there are spacious, natural outdoor spaces, willow tunnels, tree trunks, raised beds and barefoot paths everywhere. Even inner-city facilities usually have green courtyards or use public parks.

The forest kindergartens we visited work in small, stable teams, usually with a specialist and an assistant who alternate on a daily basis. The atmosphere is calm, appreciative and characterized by a strong pedagogical attitude: honesty, independence and responsibility are central values that are anchored in the stories and rituals of everyday life. The permeability between kindergarten and school is also remarkable: in Brno, "forest schools" are currently being set up in yurts, creating a link between the natural environment, reform pedagogy and formal education. Learning processes are project-oriented, interdisciplinary and inspired by Montessori and Waldorf elements.

Professional supervision as a bridge builder - impulses for practice in Germany
It was particularly valuable that, in addition to representatives of municipal facilities and forest kindergartens in Erlangen - Mosswichtel, Pfifferlinge and Laubfrösche - a representative of the supervisory authority from Erlangen also took part in the trip to Brno this time.
This change of perspective - the direct experience of nature education in an international comparison - was perceived by both sides as highly inspiring and trend-setting. During the discussion, it became clear that in future, nature experience should also be perceived more strongly as a quality feature in municipal facilities. The specialist supervisors were impressed by how naturally daily contact with nature is anchored in all Czech facilities - regardless of the weather, season or organizational hurdles.

The trip made a decisive contribution to making this topic more visible and relevant in Erlangen: Despite the multitude of tasks and administrative challenges, the question of how nature experience can be systematically integrated into children's everyday lives is coming more into focus. It was suggested that in future, targeted impulses should be given to municipal facilities to make regular time spent outdoors mandatory - accompanied by education about the importance of experiencing nature for children's development. We, as the State Association of Forest and Nature Kindergartens in Bavaria, are available as a point of contact, multiplier and professional sparring partner.

Between Rennes and Brno: a European dialog
The trilateral exchange between Rennes, Erlangen and Brno is an example of what European cooperation in early education can look like in practice: learning from each other, comparing structures, making good practice visible.
For us as a regional association, this process is highly relevant. It makes it clear that outdoor education is not just an educational concept, but a social mission - with implications for urban planning, health, sustainability and social participation.

In addition, valuable networks are created through such programs: specialist supervisors, providers and educational teams come into contact with each other, exchange staff for work shadowing or develop joint projects. This collegial exchange at eye level is the breeding ground for innovation and further development - even across national borders.

Outlook and impetus
I have brought back many ideas and practical examples from both countries, which we will include in our newsletters and offers in the future - as concrete impulses for providers, professionals and decision-makers in the educational sector.

My personal conclusion: curiosity, exchange and thinking outside the box are key success factors for quality in early education. That's why I appeal to our members: stay in touch - with colleagues, professional supervisors, local authorities and partners. Every encounter can be a door opener - for new ideas, for visibility and for an educational landscape in which nature is a natural part.

Michelle Kolb
(State Association of Forest and Nature Kindergartens in Bavaria)