We would like to offer interested parents access to ideas how to create with simple means engaging and developmentally appropriate surroundings for their children, which foster their selfconfidence, creativity and idenpendence.
Manuela:
"On my rambles through mostly english web pages to find ideas for my daughter, I realised that i was 'forced' to read through long articles and scrolled through endless pictures, to find the information on how actually I can recreate this beautiful idea on these 20 pictures and which materials would be required for it. If the instructions were from the United States I often also had to research with what to replace certain ingredients.
My page ought to be different more of a lexicon then a field report, where you can find easily what you are looking for. Compact Instructions, direct links to the required materials and by now also alternatives to buy instead of making it yourself.
With the printables and other materials in the Downloads-section I would like to offer aesthetic, self printable, German, English and soon also French, Spanish and other materials."
How the Wunderwekstatt came to be
Inspired by Rebeca Wild and Maria Montessori we created in 2013 a prepared invironment at home for our daughter. We - especially our daughter - were so enthused about these new possibilities that we also invited other children to an 'open play group'.
These children (and their mothers/dads) also wanted to try this kind of independent playing. So we regularily had to explain, write down instructions and send links. On top of that we also started to research more and more ideas, discovered the world of sensory play and started to make our own materials.
This is how bit by bit the idea of the 'Wunderwekstatt' was created: a collection of play ideas which are easy to find, quick to realise and which capture children in their developmental stage and their interests.
Our new 'baby', the "Ideenpost" is there to be in touch with like-minded people without having to use a detour over social media platforms.
The Wunderwerkstatt team
Manuela
- is enthusiastic about alternative pedagogy approaches and would like to pass on her enthusiam to other parents and their children.
- has always made things 'pretty', because she has a degree in conservation-restoration of cultural heritage (TUM).
- loves order and a tidy clear view.
- enjoys coding web pages a lot.
- is artistic since early childhood - the Children's house and her daughter profits from it ;-)
Michael
- as a former Waldorf pupil he is creative, enthusiastic and always learning something new.
- has a degree in psychology, is a graphic designer and passionate internet communicator.
- in the Wunderwekstatt he is resposible for strategic planning and creative realisation.
- has the ambitious dream to one day make the Wunderwerkstatt our livelihood.
Our daughter
- would like to 'take over' the Wunderwerkstatt, when she's a grown-up, and lets us work on it from time to time ;-).
- went to the Montessori - Children's House with great enthusiasm and is now proudly going to the Montessori school.
Our team of helpers and experts
- help with research, translations, technical questions and other various tasks.
- develop with us ideas, which can help you to easily implement alternative pedagogic approaches from Montessori, Wild and Reggio at home.
Our Guest-authors until now
- Sabrina from "Wunschkind-Herzkind-Nervkind"
- Mathilda from "Emil und Mathilda"
- Zehra Özdemir from "Montessori_lifestyle"
- Marie from "Juno und Gefährtin"
Our daughter insisted, that she belongs to the team Wunderwerkstatt and has a right to be on the picture. So after I explained the internet to her, she chose this old photo.