Susan Isaacs’ belief in giving children space and independence to lead their own learning has lots of resonance today. Nicole Weinstein suggests some appropriate resources
Susan Isaacs’ pedagogy influences creativity and exploration at the Chelsea Open Air Nursery
Susan Isaacs’ pedagogy influences creativity and exploration at the Chelsea Open Air Nursery

Susan Isaacs (1885-1948) is best known for her deep knowledge of child development and her detailed observations of young children. She was a strong advocate for children's play, particularly ‘open air’ play, and she believed that through this form of self-expression, children could safely release their feelings and work out how to deal with a range of emotions. This was revolutionary during the 1920s, in the buttoned-up society in which she lived. She founded Chelsea Open Air Nursery in 1928 and her philosophy lives on in the setting's ‘garden of imagination’, where children indulge in free-flow play and learning, indoors and out (see Case study).

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