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26th Jun 2015

Is this the best montessori in the world?

Sophie White

This pre-school in Kumamoto City, South Japan may well be the best montessori in the world.

Designed by Youji No Shiro a branch of the Hibino Sekkei architecture firm. The Youji No Shiro team specialise in designing for kids and the Dai-Ichi Yochien pre-school building is a beautiful space that is part kid centre part art installation. An open air atrium provides a space for the children to play.

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In rainfall, the courtyard collects rain to form a clean “puddle” pool for the kids to run and jump in.

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The pre-school kitchen boasts a glass wall so that the children can watch the chefs at work.

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And there are PLANTS in the toilets (these are the toilets look closely). In my National school children were given an allowance of one sheet of toilet paper per toilet visit, you had to ASK for extra sheets in the event of a number two. These kids have PLANTS.

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Never mind our Irish pre-schools this place makes my house look below par. Though is it all a bit sterile and clinical looking? Are they even real kids? They look a bit too well-behaved. Where’s the chaos and mess one usually finds where kids dwell?