Our Educational Approach

Growing in nature, with respect and attentive support.

Here you can discover our educational philosophy, what everyday life looks like and the principles that guide us.

What is El Petit Edèn?

El Petit Edèn is a child-centred educational project set in nature in Sant Pere de Ribes (Garraf, Barcelona), for children aged 2.5 to 9, across Early Years and Primary, and run by a family association.

We are a non-profit association with a shared vision: to offer a living, respectful educational environment that responds to children’s genuine needs. We nurture each child’s whole development, working alongside families to create safe environments and offering attentive, empathetic support that respects their individual rhythms, needs and developmental journey.

El Petit Edèn was founded in 2013 by a group of families who wanted to foster a strong sense of community and a more conscious approach to raising children. Over the years, the project has grown and evolved organically, shaped by the experience, commitment and contributions of both families and the educational team, while staying true to its original spirit.

We are based in Sant Pere de Ribes, at the foot of Montgròs, surrounded by nature and in constant contact with its rhythms and cycles, which nurture a deep sense of love and respect for life.

Sant Pere de Ribes (Garraf) · Ages 2.5–9 · Family-led association · Child-centred education in nature

Pedagogical foundations

At the heart of El Petit Edèn is child-centred education: an approach that trusts in children’s natural capacity to learn and grow when they are supported by attentive adults, emotional security and a rich environment full of meaningful experiences.

Our educational approach is based on meaningful, experiential learning and freedom of movement. We encourage children to follow the curiosity and motivation that arise from within. We support life together and nurture relationships through trust, freedom and critical thinking.

We believe that without love, values cannot truly take root. That is why we care for relationships and developmental processes with awareness and intention.

Child-centred, respectful education

Free play and exploration as key drivers of learning.
Experiential learning through art, stories, observation, experimentation and conversation.
Freedom of movement and respect for individual rhythms.
Thoughtful group life: clear boundaries, support through conflict and care for the group.
Everyday life: independence, responsibility and care for the environment.

What everyday life looks like

To give you an idea, here are the typical timetables for each stage. Expand them to see the details.

Each day, children take part in what we call learning invitations: structured learning experiences prepared by the educational team.

Each invitation is supported by carefully chosen materials and thoughtful planning, based on a broad understanding of both the group and each individual child, including their developmental needs and learning goals.

These invitations cover a wide range of areas: literacy, numeracy, English, art, music, gardening, the natural world, yoga, dance, cooking and skills for life outdoors and in the woodland.

Being in nature is not an occasional activity: it is the setting in which we live and learn. Its cycles, the changing seasons and everything happening around us offer real learning opportunities every day.

Learning in nature

Our foundation is child-centred education, and we also draw inspiration from approaches that place children at the heart of learning, including Montessori, Reggio Emilia, Pikler and Forest School. We bring these influences together thoughtfully, in a way that supports everyday life and the needs of our community.

Inspirations

Mission · Vision · Values

We nurture children’s whole development, working alongside families to create safe environments and offering attentive, empathetic support that respects their rhythms, needs and emotional processes.

Mission

To build a vibrant, coherent educational community where children can grow through respect, nature and meaningful relationships, and where families and the educational team move forward together with a conscious approach to raising and supporting children.

Vision

El Petit Edèn is a shared, community-led project, built through co-creation: families and the educational team move forward together. These are the values that guide how we act and make decisions, both in our work with children and in the life of the association.

We believe that values cannot truly thrive without love. From this starting point, we foster love and respect for ourselves, for others and for the world around us, nurturing relationships and individual processes with care and awareness.

Coherence — We aim to act in line with what we believe, bringing our words and actions into alignment.
Commitment — We take responsibility for moving the project forward and giving it the energy it needs.
Empowerment — We put all the resources available to us at the service of the community: our spaces, materials, knowledge, experience and time.
Enthusiasm — We do what we do because it feels meaningful. It connects us with who we are and who we want to become.
Gratitude — We recognise and appreciate all the positive things this project brings us, helping us grow both individually and collectively.