“The most important thing for me—and the biggest benefit for my child—is that Lyubo is getting used to being around other children. He feels good here. You can see that he feels good. I also see a huge difference in his manners.”
For Elena, this is the most important change she sees in her son since they started attending the Early Learning Space for children aged 0–3.
For the past seven months, Lyubo and his mother Elena have been taking part in the early learning activities at the MIR Center in Kyustendil, run by the Health and Social Development Foundation (HESED). Lyubo first came shortly before his second birthday. At the beginning he was scared, but for his young mother the change in him is now clear.
“At first he cried and didn’t want to come. He wasn’t used to being around so many children. But now he comes with great excitement. Sometimes he even doesn’t want to leave,” Elena says.
“Manners”—that’s how the young mother sums up everything Lyubo is learning in the Early Learning Space.
“I’m very happy with Lyubo’s behaviour. He learned many new things here. He learned to share his toys. To be kind with the other children and not get upset. To say ‘thank you,’” Elena adds.
The group at the Early Learning Space at the MIR Center in Kyustendil brings together around seven or eight children. Activities take place four days a week—from Tuesday to Friday. Tuesday is story day, Wednesday is music day, Thursday is play day, and on Fridays the children alternate between creative activities and gymnastics.
The MIR Center in Kyustendil is one of the places where activities from the Early Learning Spaces I.G.R.A. project, implemented by the Trust for Social Achievement, take place. The spaces and activities are designed for the youngest children—from 0 to 3 years old. The methods are based on the internationally recognised The Element of Play® programme developed by the Rise Foundation.
The activities focus especially on communities living in segregated and isolated areas, where children often do not have access to services, nurseries, or other forms of early learning.
For Lyubo and Elena, these activities are one of the few places where children can meet others their age, while parents can build their own small community for conversation and friendship.
Through the different activities, Lyubo develops his motor skills, concentration and speech, but most of all he is encouraged to express emotions, collaborate with others, and build social and communication skills.
“Before we started coming to the group, he couldn’t share his toys. He wanted everything for himself. Now when he sees another child crying because they want the toy he has, he immediately tries to give it to them so the child won’t cry,” Elena says with a smile.
She adds:
“Before, he didn’t say ‘thanks’ or ‘thank you’. Now he says ‘Thank you, Mom!’ or ‘Thanks, Mom!’. He has become calmer and more patient, and he listens to me. He learned that here. That’s where he learned his manners.”
Another difference Elena notices is that her son can now concentrate for much longer. At home he calmly listens to the stories she tells him. And not only that—Lyubo remembers them, talks about them and even draws pictures inspired by the stories. He also repeats many of the words he hears in the stories and during the activities in the Early Learning Space.
The group facilitators—the “teachers”, as everyone calls them—psychologist Ivana Karamfilova and her colleague Dani also give parents many ideas for games and activities they can do at home. Stories, finger games, songs, drawings—every parent takes home a bit of “homework”, adapted to the needs of their child and family.
And so, almost without noticing, children and parents build strong and lasting connections—with each other and with the rest of the group.
Starting from the very beginning, without losing the precious time of early childhood—so children can have the best possible start.