The World heritage preschool
In January 2007 the Municipality of Tanum started a preschool for 1 – 5 year-olds at Vitlycke Museum. The preschool is a long-term collaboration between two organizations – Västarvet/Vitlycke Museum and Tanum Municipality. Exchange and cooperation take place at both organizational level and among the staff and the aim is to give the preschool a natural and cultural heritage profile.
The preschool is to be a model and a part of a larger context in which responsibility for humanity’s natural and cultural heritage is a part of a future sustainable development in the world. The Lpfö 98 syllabus is a basic policy document for the activity and the Municipality of Tanum is the responsible authority.
The preschool’s profile contains three strong themes:
- Outdoor preschool
- World heritage, cultural heritage – global and local
- Nature and culture together shape the landscape and our surroundings
Approach and educational method
The approach and the educational method springs from the UN’s Children’s Convention, which recognizes the basic rights and obligations of children and makes adults responsible for giving children the best possible conditions for developing a democratic society. The Children’s Convention builds on the principle of non-discrimination and every child’s rights regardless of gender, skin colour or religion.
It has four underlying principles:
- that all children have the same rights
- that the child’s best interests must be taken into account in all decisions
- that all children have a right to life and development
- that all children have a right to express their opinion and have it respected
The Children’s Convention has a close affinity with Unesco’s Convention on Protection of the World’s Natural and Cultural Heritage, known as the World Heritage Convention. As the only World Heritage Site in the Västra Götaland Region Vitlycke Museum works in accordance with the ideas and mission of the World Heritage Convention. We believe that it is very constructive to incorporate these two conventions in planning a programme of activities for young children. The preschool should place great emphasis on understanding the significance of the Tanum World Heritage Site and its connection with our time. A humanistic approach and a positive belief in the future should pervade activities.
