Advantages and Disadvantages of Forest Kindergarten in Czech Republic

Abstract

The aim of the paper is to describe advantages and disadvantages of forest kindergarten in Czech Republic from stakeholder's point of view. In the light of qualitative data obtained from semi structured interviews and observation in 3 forest kindergarten and document analyses we are answering of this question: What are advantages and disadvantages of forest kindergarten education from different stakeholder's point of view? We present this advantages and disadvantages as characteristics of forest kindergarten: aspects of the society (e.g. increasing the capacity of preschool education, man and woman teachers, experience of parents), parents’ lifestyle (e.g. whole day children staying in nature, alternative education, food), educational areas (e.g. creativity, positive approach to nature, social behaviour, emotional development, development of both gross and fine motoric), children's’ health (e.g. physical condition of children, immunity of children, environment of forest kindergarten), safety (e.g. risks, insect, small injuries, hygienic). In the conclusion we relate to existing empiric investigations and theoretical knowledge of the possibility to compare common kindergarten and forest kindergarten