When you're looking for a daycare center (kinderdagverblijf/KDV) for your baby, you may occasionally come across the name Emmi Pikler. This Hungarian pediatrician and educator developed an approach that is becoming increasingly popular in Dutch childcare, especially for the very youngest children. But what does it actually involve, and what difference will you notice for your child in practice?
What is a child in the Pikler approach?
The starting point of the Pikler approach is that every child comes into the world as competent and curious. A baby is capable of far more than we often realize: feeling, seeing, smelling, and connecting with others. The Pikler approach therefore assumes that a child needs space and security to develop at their own pace, when they are ready.
That may sound simple, but it requires a different fundamental attitude from caregivers: not directing, but observing. Not pushing, but giving space.
Care as the foundation for attachment
Pikler established a strong connection between daily care moments and a child's emotional development. Nappy changes, getting dressed, feeding: these are not tasks to get through as quickly as possible. In the Pikler approach, these are moments of mutual attention in which attachment grows. The caregiver communicates with the child about what is going to happen, waits for a response, and respects their pace. This takes time and a calm setting. At a daycare center that follows this approach, you will therefore often see fixed care routines with the same caregiver. The child knows what to expect and feels seen. During a tour, ask how care moments are scheduled and whether there is room for this kind of uninterrupted attention, even when things are busy.
Free movement and own pace
One of the most recognizable characteristics of the Pikler approach is the trust in a child's own motor development. Instead of placing or positioning children in postures they cannot yet achieve themselves, the caregiver waits until the child rolls, crawls, or walks on their own. This requires patience from the adult, but according to Pikler, it produces children who are not only more physically skilled but also more confident in their movements. In the group, you see this reflected in the environment: soft floors for safe falling, climbing equipment that invites but doesn't force, and adults who observe rather than intervene. The result is that a child who has sat up by themselves also knows how to lie down again. This reduces frustration and increases body awareness.
The space as an invitation
At a Pikler location, the environment is important. The space is carefully and calmly arranged, without too many stimuli. No busy paintings on the windows, little on the walls, a calm floor. Attention naturally goes to the play materials.
Those play materials are deliberately kept simple: think of wooden spoons, colanders, cloths, baskets, and climbing materials such as the Pikler triangle. The idea behind the Pikler approach is that passive play materials make an active child. A toy that lights up, makes sounds, or moves by itself does the work for the child. Simple materials invite exploration, manipulation, and experimentation.
A fixed caregiver, a genuine bond
Attachment is central to Pikler's vision, and that requires continuity in the relationship between child and caregiver. Not every childcare worker who happens to walk by, but one or two familiar faces who truly know the child. This connects to the fixed faces rule that is legally enshrined in the Netherlands in the Childcare Quality Act (Wet IKK), but in the Pikler approach it goes further than a formality. The fixed caregiver is the one who provides care, who observes the child, and who informs the parent. This bond gives the child the confidence to explore, knowing there is a safe home base. When choosing a daycare center, it's worth asking about personnel policy. How are fixed caregivers assigned? What happens in case of illness or absence? And how is the handover arranged when a caregiver is permanently away?
Is the Pikler approach right for your child?
The Pikler approach was developed primarily for babies and toddlers, although the basic principles of respectful interaction and space for individual development apply to all young children. It suits parents who value calm, attachment, and an environment in which their child can grow at their own pace, without pressure or haste. Want to know if there's a Pikler location near you? On Kiddie.nl you can compare childcare locations and filter by pedagogical approach.