Nursery World - Feel the warm embrace of hygge

Kimberly Smith

The Danish concept of hygge encompasses a sense of wellbeing and awareness based on the simple things in life. Author Kimberly Smith explains how she discovered its value and translated it into early years practice.

'Hygge brings an increased sense of calmness to the day.'

Your mental health matters and I remember when I was striving to be a successful early years teacher I would attend courses, read books and reflect on my teaching daily. Yet none of this had the impact I desired when I didn’t have the tools I needed to look after my own mental being and selfcare.

In the early days of my teaching career everything used to be at such a fast pace, rushing from one activity to the next, never getting to know the children, having a daily lunch date with the laminator and creating provision that ticked a box but didn't actually meet the children's needs. I used to spend so much time on evenings doing paper work that had little impact on the children, and this was all fuelled with sugary snacks and coffee. It left me feeling drained, anxious and fed up.

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