The Pikler Institute's recent evolution
The Pikler Institute has been part of the International Emmi Pikler Foundation since June 22, 1998. At that time, Anna TARDOS became the Institute's Director.
The Institute includes:
- a care-center, able to accommodate forty children from birth to six or seven years. They live in five groups. In each group there are eight children (or less when the group includes children with handicap) and four nurses. (Presently, the number of children with handicap increases)
- a training-center, open to groups or individuals;
languages of communication : Hungarian, German, French, English, Spanish (when necessary).
formulas :
1. for groups of twelve to fifteen people: seminars are organized according to a program planned in advance by the Institute, or in response to a request from a group of people.
2. for groups of four people: the Institute organizes visits with direct observations of the children on request of groups or individuals.
duration : in general, the training take place from Monday to Friday; other periods can be arranged.
- a research centre
An impressive collection of notes from direct observation, films (video, super 8 in the past), photographs and slides are used in the research and/or the development of educational texts on topics concerning:
development of affectivity and the personality;
autonomous psychomotor development;
development of autonomous activity and play;
socialization;
play; walks;
care: meal; bath;
organization of a day; life of a group;
etc.
The particular interest of this research lies in the originality of the principles and practice of the Pikler Institute - as demonstrated in the conditions of education and care, which are found there.
The Institute is also interested in transmitting to the parents the ideas and the experiences. It should be remembered that Emmi Pikler began her career as a paediatrician within families, and it is this family experience which she has been adapting for the education of young children without family, when the Institute was created in 1946. In addition she and her collaborators, and later her successors, continued also to deal with children living within their family. They continued to transmit and publish their experiences in periodicals intended for the parents and in radio and television. Two years ago groups of play were created for little children to play freely, while the parents being present and observing them are then able to discuss the experience with specialists from the Institute.
At the end of 2003 a series of 12 video films in Hungarian, created by the Foundation, and intended for the parents, were published. They describe the various aspects of the life of young children within the in family. Editions in other languages are contemplated.
Since October 2006 the Institute opened a crib. It receives presently 12 young children, from 6 months to 2 years, during 5 days per week. They are the experienced nurses of the Institute who are working in the crib. Here also the education is based on the Pikler ideas : play on the initiative of the children, free movements, the respect of each child and attention to the personality of each child.
The success of this new activity was such that as all the places were taken quickly and there are already children on a waiting list
The Pikler-Lóczy Association of Budapest and the International Emmi Pikler Foundation produce and market video films intended for professional training or for parents. Contact for both:
Lóczy Lajos utca 3. - 1022 Budapest - Hongrie
fax : 36 - 1 - 212 - 4438
Email : pikler@t-online.hu
Basic principles
Its results
Its Radiance