Early Education Online

Philosophize with children

Philosophize in the daycare

Children regularly marvel at things that are common for us. They often ask questions that cannot be answered in a few sentences. Philosophizing together in the daycare helps children to become aware of some things.

The ritual is well known: Every week the “wobbly tooth children” – in other words, all preschool children of the BMW FIZ Strolche day care center – gather in front of the philosophy room.

The educators Raphaela Zwießler and Katrin Fischer brought a book with them. A creepy book, it says "Always these monsters". Two wobbly tooth children do not want to philosophize, all the others follow the two teachers in the room and sit in a circle on pillows.

The BMW FIZ Strolchen in Munich has been philosophizing for 10 years. In the beginning, the team under the leadership of Margit Knapp tried a lot:
Where and when should the conversation take place? Who is the offer aimed at? Should the whole thing be voluntary or mandatory? Margit Knapp and her team decided to volunteer. “When I talk about the free spirit, I can’t say, ‘Now you’re thinking about God, now you’re thinking about justice. I believe that only the children who come voluntarily really open up to the whole, ”says Knapp.