In May, Alam Atelier Preschool Jakarta presented “If You Listen Closely”, a year-end project exhibition that celebrates how children – from 6 months to 6 years old – think and discover creatively. It honoured the school’s philosophy: that children are competent, capable individuals with powerful ideas, and that learning begins with listening.
Alam Atelier is a nature-based early learning school in the heart of Jakarta, where children thrive in learning environments with awe and wonder. For months leading to this exhibition, the students embarked on various explorations sparked by their own enthusiastic interests:
• Crawlers (6–15 months) explored bunnies through sensory play and quiet observation in their “Hap Hap” project, which included gentle encounters with real bunnies.
• Walkers (16 to 24 months) discovered butterflies in motion, interpreting their beauty through dance, light, and color.
• Pre-Nursery (2 to 3 years) children followed numerous threads— rocket ships, sunflowers and iguanas. One class’s fascination for birds even inspired the creation of the school’s very own aviary.
• Nursery (3 to 4 years) children were captivated by mushrooms, which evolved into examining fungi under microscopes, building mushroom villages, and taking daily care of wild mushrooms.
• Kindergarten and Prep (4 to 6 years) students’ curiosity about snails led to them hosting snail races, measuring trails with popsicle sticks and recording detailed observations in a session with Dr. Ayu Savitri Nurinsiyah, a taxonomist who discovered 22 new snail species in Indonesia.
Every class followed its own path of discovery, naturally guided by the children’s evolving investigations. Based on the Reggio Emilia philosophy, which is grounded in the belief in The Hundred Languages of Children, the results recognised the many ways children express their ideas and thinking through art, music, movement, construction, storytelling, and reflection.
Behind each moment of thoughtful documentation by the students were educators who listened and observed with intention. As facilitators in each child’s learning journey, they paid close attention to their thinking, capturing not just what they did, but how and why it happened. Each exhibit became a visual dialogue between child and adult—a shared journey that made learning visible and illuminated how children make sense of the world.
Parents and families were officially invited to visit the exhibition starting from 16 May 2025. As they entered the space, they were invited to slow down—to notice, to feel, and to understand how children make sense of the world.
“Learning is most meaningful when it’s shared,” stated Maryati Lauw, Director of Operations at Alam Atelier School. “We are excited to welcome parents and families into this space—not just to see, but to experience the children’s stories. It truly takes a village to raise a child, and when families show up for learning in this way, they strengthen the community that surrounds each child—affirming their journey and deepening the partnership between school and home. Together, as a learning community, we nurture the full potential of every child.”
“This exhibition beautifully affirms what we believe at Alam Atelier – that when we trust children with the freedom to lead their own learning, they flourish. Our role is to listen, observe, and create the space for their ideas to grow. What unfolds is not only knowledge, but confidence, creativity and boundless joy,” said Ms. Supiani Winata, Director of Alam Atelier Preschool Jakarta.
Ms. Claudia Adinda, Parent of Millie (Pre-Nursery) expressed, “This Project Work has been such a beautiful and natural way of learning for Millie. I love how one interest leads to another, opening doors to new knowledge and discoveries along the way. As a parent, it’s fulfilling to witness Millie grow in confidence, awareness, and joy through such meaningful learning experiences.”
At its heart, Alam Atelier Preschool Jakarta’s “If You Listen Closely” was not just a title—it was an invitation, a call to tune in to the many ways children express, explore, and learn. Most investigations began with nature itself—reminding that the natural world is a profound teacher. Upon observing the world alongside children, every leaf, sound, or snail can spark wonder and deep examination. When listening closely, children aren’t just heard—they’re understood.
For more information, visit alamatelier.com.
Alam Atelier Preschool Jakarta
Jl. Pangeran Antasari No. 19
+62 811 8010 2233
@alamatelierjakarta
