Do you ever get to the end of the day and think, “Where did the day even go?”
The early childhood day can feel like a constant dance between routines, transitions, meals, experiences, documentation and everything else that happens along the way.
We know our days are busy – but do they always need to feel rushed?
Much of our day is organised around clock time.
Morning tea is at a certain time.
Lunch needs to be served.
Children need to transition from one part of the day to the next.
Slow pedagogy invites us to approach the day in a less hurried way – to value the present moment and create space for children to:
- follow their interests
- revisit their learning
- build connections
- develop independence and move through their day at a pace that works for them.
What is Slow Pedagogy?
Let’s unpack what the term slow pedagogy actually means;
In early childhood, slow is about more than simply moving at a slower pace.
It invites us to value the present moment and be attentive to children’s individual pace, rhythm, interests and ways of participating.
Pedagogy refers to the approaches, methods and strategies educators use to support children’s learning and development. It is the intentional practice of creating the conditions where learning can happen.
Together, slow pedagogy invites us to think differently about time.
Rather than seeing the day as a series of things that need to be completed, we can consider how we create a rhythm that is responsive to the children and the environment around us.
That doesn’t mean everything needs to happen slowly.
It means recognising that the days can be busy without being rushed.
There will always be meals to serve, routines to complete and transitions to navigate.
The question is whether we can create pockets of unhurried time within those realities.
- What might happen when children have an extra 5 or 10 minutes to explore an idea?
- What might we notice when we don’t immediately move on?
- What learning might emerge when we allow an investigation to continue because the children are deeply engaged?
Slow pedagogy encourages us to notice these moments and consider whether we really need to hurry children towards what comes next.
The Relationship We Have With Time
This is where slow pedagogy gets really interesting.
As educators, we are constantly aware of clock time.
⏰ “It’s nearly 11 o’clock”
⏰ “We need to pack up”
⏰ “Lunch is being served’
⏰ “We need to get outside”
⏰ “We have group time in 10 minutes”
The clock is a reality of early childhood education.
Routine needs to happen, meals need to be served, and the day needs structure.
But clock time is only one way of thinking about time.
What if we approached time differently? What if we thought about Children’s time?
Children don’t necessarily experience a day in the same way adults do.
A long day in an early childhood setting can feel very different to a child than it does to the educator watching the clock.
So rather than ignoring the clock, slow pedagogy asks:
“How do we balance the realities of clock time with children’s need for unhurried experiences?”
- Sometimes a child may need five or ten minutes extra.
- Sometimes a group may become deeply engaged in an investigation that is worth protecting.
It doesn’t mean every day needs to move at the same pace.
It means noticing opportunities for stretched, uninterrupted and unfragmented time.
Where can we reclaim time?
In Practice this might look like…
Look at the Day
❌ The question isn’t: How do we fit more into the day?
Creating Intentional Moments of Calm
There are also ways educators can be deliberate about slowing down the rhythm of the day.
For example, the middle of the day can provide opportunities for quieter experiences that support children to pause and regulate.
In Practice this might look like…
ℹ️ The intention isn’t to create another activity that children have to participate in.
Instead, it is about recognising that the rhythm of the day can change and intentionally create opportunities for children to experience quieter, less hurried moments.
We don’t need every part of the day to move at the same pace.
Sometimes children need the opportunity to stop, pause and simply be.
Busy Doesn’t Have to Mean Rushed
This could be one of the biggest messages we take from slow pedagogy.
There is a difference between being busy and being rushed.
- A busy day can still be intentional, connected and responsive.
- Being rushed can create a sense of pressure…and when educators feel rushed, children can begin to experience that pressure too.
You might be wondering… “What does ‘feeling rushed’ feel like for a child?”
It can mean having less time to process, respond, finish what they are doing or move on to what comes next.
🤔 So ask yourself: Is this moment genuinely busy – or has it created an unnecessary hurry?
In Practice this might look like…
🔍 Two children are investigating a ball. They’ve managed to get it somewhere they can’t easily reach and are trying to work out how to retrieve it.
It’s almost snack time.
Option A | Option B |
|---|---|
|
Option A The rushed response |
Option B The slow pedagogy response |
|
Option A “Come on guys, it’s snack time. We need to go.” The children are moved on because the next routine is waiting. |
Option B The educator pauses. “What are you trying to work out?” They listen. The children explain their thinking. The educator might ask a question or provide a resource but does not immediately solve the problem for them. Maybe the children find a solution. Maybe they don’t. |
But suddenly that little moment contains:
- Problem-solving
- Communication
- Collaboration
- Persistence
- Agency
- Relationships
- Mathematical thinking
- Physical development
- Language.
The educator did not need to create another activity.
They simply noticed the learning that was already happening and made space for it.
Treasure Uninterrupted Play
Children often enjoy the journey as much as the result.
- The experimenting.
- The repetition.
- The mistakes.
- The conversations.
- The “what if?”
- The trying again.
When we constantly rush children towards the next experience, we can unintentionally interrupt these valuable learning processes.
Slow pedagogy gives permission to stay with an idea.
Slow Pedagogy: Making Space for Every Child
The EYLF talks about the importance of educators “being attuned to children.” But how can we truly be attuned to children when we are constantly rushing from one thing to the next?
Being attuned requires us to notice — to observe children’s cues, interests, emotions, interactions and ways of communicating.
One way we can become more attuned is by finding and responding to children’s individual rhythms.
Every child has their own rhythm.
Let’s take a look at a group of 3–5-year-olds – there can be huge differences in communication, attention, sensory processing, motor development, emotional regulation, confidence, independence, interests and previous experiences.
Yet our routines can sometimes unintentionally communicate that everyone needs to be ready, participate or respond at the same time.
Slow pedagogy asks us to consider: What happens when we give children the time they need to participate successfully?
In Practice this might look like…
For one child, this might mean allowing additional processing time before expecting a response.
For another, it might mean having the opportunity to move their body before joining a group experience.
Another child may need visual information rather than repeated verbal instructions.
Another child may need to watch an experience before joining in. While another may need to revisit the same experience repeatedly before they are ready to move on.
These aren’t simply strategies for individual children. They are examples of inclusive practice.
Inclusion is about creating environments where every child can access, participate and engage. Sometimes, that means changing the pace, environment, routine or way we communicate rather than expecting the child to keep up with it.
It shifts our thinking from: “Why can’t this child keep up?”
To: “What can we change so this child can access and participate?”
A Little ADHD Awareness
It’s ADHD Awareness Month, so let’s take a moment to think about how our routines, environments and expectations can support children with ADHD.
Could offering movement, extra processing time or different ways to participate help a child access, participate and engage?
Sometimes, inclusion means changing our approach rather than expecting the child to change.
In Practice this might look like…
Asking ourselves some questions:
All children are capable, and they will learn in their own time. Slow pedagogy asks us to consider whether we are giving them that time.
Slow Pedagogy Requires a Team
Slow pedagogy can easily sound like an individual educator’s behaviour: “Just slow down.”
But it isn’t that simple.
Creating an unhurried environment requires a high-functioning, coordinated and communicative team.
There is often a lot of work happening behind the scenes.
Communication → Collaboration → Reflection → Decision-making → Consistency
Educators need opportunities to talk about children’s rhythms, needs and experiences.
In Practice this might look like…
• “What could we change about this transition?”
• Maybe Sam needs more warning.
• Maybe the environment becomes overwhelming.
• Maybe Sam needs additional processing time.
Slow pedagogy starts with slowing down our thinking
Instead of immediately looking for what we need to change about the child, we can reflect on:
- Our environment
- Our routines
- Our expectations
- Our language
- Our timing
- Our interactions
- Our perceptions
This is where critical reflection becomes so important.
Slow Pedagogy and the EYLF
There is a beautiful connection between slow pedagogy and Belonging, Being and Becoming.
When we give children time, we communicate something powerful:
“What you’re doing matters.”
“I’m interested in your thinking.”
“You have time.”
When children are constantly hurried, the message can unintentionally become:
“The next thing is more important than what I’m doing – I don’t matter.”
When we pause, listen and make space for children’s ideas, we communicate:
“You are important. Your contribution matters. You belong here.”
And perhaps this is one of the most important things that slow pedagogy can offer:
Time to be a child
Time to play.
Time to wonder.
Time to repeat.
Time to connect.
Time to make mistakes
Time to figure things out.
Time to regulate.
Time to become.
A Final Thought
Slow down.
Get down to the children’s level.
See what they see.
Notice what captures their attention. Wonder alongside them. Give them time to explore, question, revisit and simply experience the moment.
Because when we slow down enough to see the world from a child’s perspective, we may notice something we had been too busy to see before…
The beautiful wonders of life.
