Nowon-gu Launches Child-Centered, Eco-Friendly Daycare Centers

Selected 5 Hub-Type Daycare Centers... Environmental Improvement Projects and Ecological Programs... ‘Didimdol Community’ of 77 Teachers... Group-Based Theme Research and Case Sharing... Daycare Vehicle Support Linking Forest Experience Sites and Butterfly Garden Ecological Activities

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Nowon-gu (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) is officially operating an eco-friendly daycare center focused on children, where infants and toddlers can freely experience nature and play.

This project, costing 80 million KRW, is characterized by breaking away from the conventional uniform childcare curriculum, and the operation direction of the project is broadly divided into two parts.

First is the operation of hub-type daycare centers that will serve as the focal point of the project. A total of five centers have been selected: three public daycare centers (Kkumbit, Junggye Haebom, Parannara), one private daycare center (Sahmyook University Affiliated), and one home daycare center (Bebeshule).

Indoor environment improvements were completed through prior consulting and seminars. Plastic educational tools were replaced with eco-friendly material baskets, and standardized tools were substituted mainly with toys and natural objects that allow infants and toddlers to express creativity. Outdoors, nature-friendly vegetable gardens and other facilities were created to enable close observation of nature.

In the second year, this year, more effort will be focused on improving outdoor environments such as playgrounds to match the hub-type daycare center environment.

The other is the operation of a teacher research group for eco-friendly childcare. The ‘Didimdol Community’ leads these activities. The Didimdol Community consists of 77 teachers from 33 daycare centers, organized into 10 groups. Each group selects themes such as vegetable garden activities, seasonal festivals, and seasonal ecological play to research, discuss, and share applied cases, growing together to practice ecological childcare.

Teachers who participated in last year’s activities left feedback saying, “It was good to empathize and learn from each other’s concerns about ecological experience activities.”

Since 2019, the district has been leasing two charter buses to support daycare centers. Most daycare centers lack vehicles, making outdoor activities difficult, so this support addresses that issue. When daycare centers apply for use, various ecological education opportunities are available within the district, including the Infant Forest Experience Center, Bulamsan Butterfly Garden, Nowon Eco Center, Suraksan, and Yeongchuksan.

Mayor Oh Seung-rok said, “We will strive to ensure that children can run freely and grow healthily in nature,” adding, “We will work to establish and expand an eco-friendly childcare environment centered on nature, play, and children.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.