Many experts and researchers would put
that down to something known as hygge,
pronounced 'hue-guh' - a Danish way of
life and an approach to living that focuses
on embracing the moment. Hygge is often
described as a feeling you cannot translate
and is all about creating a space that
promotes wellbeing, togetherness, and
closeness.
More recently, hygge has been discussed
in the context of early years and how adopting the hygge Scandinavian approach can
significantly benefit children's wellbeing and development.
Scandinavian style settings embrace a minimalistic, clean, and simple look and feel
to their learning spaces. The goal of having the environment laid out this way is to
create a relaxed, organised and welcoming space to allow for clearer thoughts and
increased focus.
There are many benefits to following hygge and having your settings designed in a
Scandinavian style for teachers and children. Here are some of the key ones:
1. Creates a calming atmosphere
You may have heard the term "clear space, clear mind". Scandinavian style settings
focus on reducing the amount of clutter present and keeping things tidy and
organised to allow for a clearer headspace. This simple, neat style can help children
and teachers feel more relaxed, reduce anxiety and stress levels and make children
feel more cosy and at home. Many nurseries install calming resources such as fairy
lights, lamps, soft cushions and blankets to help create this relaxing environment.
2. Reduces time needed to tidy up
With less clutter in the learning space, there's less to clean up! Scandinavian style
settings get into the habit of keeping things organised and easy to maintain, making
it much easier to tidy up at the end of the day. Keeping things decluttered and
organised can also help to create more space in your setting, giving children a larger
area to play and learn in.
3. Increases concentration levels
As we've mentioned, a disorganised, clutter filled environment can negatively affect
mental health. But it also affects focus and concentration levels. An environment
with too many products or furniture and insufficient space is more likely to distract
children. With a clear learning space, children are more engaged. Scandinavian style
settings also generally opt for neutral coloured furniture and resources so children
are less likely to become overstimulated.
4. Embraces outdoor learning
Scandinavian style settings tend to share a love for the simple things in life and a
passion for the outdoors and anything related to nature. The benefits of outdoor
learning are endless and range from giving children more opportunities to work
on developing early learning skills to positively affecting their mental health and
wellbeing.
5. And finally, it looks nice!
Although visual appeal is subjective, the neutral, simple aesthetic
adopted by Scandinavian style settings is widely seen as an attractive
interior design choice. Over the years, we've witnessed minimalism
increasing in popularity due to its sleek and modern look and feel.
It's also become a popular design choice for content creators to use in
their videos, so it is an excellent choice for teachers and practitioners
actively posting content on social media.
These activities have been taken from Little Learners, a FREE magazine full of early years resources and activities. Click here to read our latest issue!
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