As one of the main goals of our institution is the continuous improvement of the quality of the educational process, one of the main ways we achieve this goal is by training educators to apply innovative approaches when working with children. One of the seminars our educators attended during this school year was “Project-Based Learning in Preschool Institutions” (authors: Gordana Đorđević and Jelena Krsmanović), which focuses on the project approach in working with preschool children. Below, we share the basics of the project approach and how we have applied what we learned in practice.

The project approach is a method where learning happens through research and working on a topic chosen and led by the children together with the educator, unlike the traditional approach where the educator alone usually plans, prepares, and leads the topic.
The project approach differs from other learning methods because the topic is only partially defined—it is something that truly interests the children at that moment, is important to them, and holds a meaningful place in their lives. In this process, children can explore the essence of the topic much more deeply than adults might expect.
In projects, learning is based on an integrated approach—different learning situations are intertwined with content from various fields.
This approach is just one of many ways children can learn and develop their abilities and interests. The advantage of project-based learning in preschool is that it allows all children to apply what they have learned in practice, since all activities are based on the real-life relevance of the topic they are exploring.

Projects in the Trešnjober Kindergarten
In our kindergarten, all topics arise from the children’s interests, so it was easy for us to apply the knowledge gained from this seminar in practice. One of the topics that brought together the children and educators in our Altina facility was creating our own small garden corner. Caring for plants and nature in general is a topic we talk about throughout the year, so spring was the perfect time to enrich our yard and surroundings with new plants. Through workshop activities, we learned how to plant, how plants grow, and how to take care of them. We were especially excited when, just a few days after planting, we saw the first sprouts appear.

Milijana Lazarević, Pedagogue,,
Trešnjober Preschool