Poster child
Firmly believing in the benefits of outdoor play and the holistic development of children, Starting Small Standing Tall has always had an environmentally-friendly ethos
Pamela Walsh and Mella Byrne opened their Starting Small Standing Tall childcare centre in Limerick in 2006 designed around the learning experiences they wanted their own children to have. It has grown from five children and five employees to having 200 children in its care ranging in age from six months to 12 years and 33 staff.
They believe the energy efficient childcare model they have created stimulates children’s curiosity and independence, while also fostering a sense of respect for the environment.
“Our aim is to provide a quality care programme that assists the development of each child from babies through to school-aged children,” says Byrne. “Activities are carefully chosen to ensure each child reaches their potential.”
The daily routine at Starting Small Standing Tall is varied and flexible, balancing structured activities with free play and quiet time. Each room is designed to incorporate play and the age group of the children it is geared towards. There are indoor and outdoor built and natural areas, incorporating a range of materials and equipment to support the holistic development of each child.
“The physical environment has a direct impact on a child’s well-being, learning and development,” says Byrne. “By using natural resources both inside and outside, the children naturally develop respect for the environment.” The centre recently developed an outdoor preschool, despite being based in an urban setting.
A geothermal heating system keeps the centre heated throughout at a comfortable temperature of 20-23 degrees every day. The floors are always warm, allowing the children to walk around in their socks or bare feet.
“We have installed a night meter to make the geothermal heating more efficient and there are heat monitoring sensors in each room to ensure the optimum running of the system and decrease the energy use,” Byrne explains. “On top of this, we use technology such as WeMo to constantly monitor our energy consumption and carbon footprint.”
The centre is currently in the process of switching to LED lighting, which will mean using 80% less energy than the current fixtures. Its ‘print less’ policy encourages employees to use less paper and recycle and it has joined ReCreate Ireland, which supplies affordable art materials and education supplies made from surplus items. “We use recycled tyres in our play area and are currently working on creating a sustainable organic garden,” notes Byrne.
“The physical environment has a direct impact on a child’s wellbeing, learning and development”