ONLINE WORKSHOP SERIES WITH ANNA HARSCH
About the Workshop Series
Anna Harsch was involved in developing the WaBe (from german: "WArnehmung der BEdürfnisse") observation tool:
“WaBe – Perceiving Children’s Needs: Assessing and Reflecting on the Well-Being of Children Aged 1–3 in Nursery Care”
In this interactive workshop series, she presents the tool for the first time within the framework of Pikler International and connects its application to the core principles of the Pikler approach.
The workshops invite participants to discover the tool together, work through it using practical examples, and reflect on its application in everyday pedagogical practice.
Content of the Workshop Series
Perceiving children’s needs is an essential prerequisite for the well-being of children in nursery care. Children between the ages of one and three are especially dependent on sensitive adults who recognize, understand, and appropriately respond to their needs.
The WaBe observation tool supports professionals in:
- systematically perceiving children’s needs,
- assessing the well-being of individual children,
- reflecting on their pedagogical practice, and
- deriving concrete courses of action for everyday practice.
The tool is based on five need groups, oriented on Maslow’s human needs while also taking into account each child’s individuality. For each need group, an observation sheet was developed, comprising observable behavior, reflection questions, and recommendations for action.
The Pikler approach considers the child’s well-being a central prerequisite for healthy development. Attentive perception of and response to children’s needs, as well as support for their growing independence, form essential foundations. The workshop series shows how the WaBe observation tool can be connected with the Pikler approach.
Structure of the Series
The series comprises six consecutive, building online workshops:
|
Workshop 1 |
Introduction to the WaBe observation tool · Fundamentals of perceiving children’s needs · Introduction to the five need groups & exploration of need group 1 |
|
Workshop 2 |
Need Group 2: Safety Needs |
|
Workshop 3 |
Need Group 3: Social Needs |
|
Workshop 4 |
Need Group 4: Individual Needs |
|
Workshop 5 |
Need Group 5: Educational Needs |
|
Workshop 6 |
WaBe in Light of the Pikler Approach · Children’s Needs and Children’s Rights · The Pikler Convention as Pedagogical Guidance |
Each workshop includes expert input, joint reflection, practical examples, and time for discussion and questions.
Practical Information
Format: Online (Zoom)
Duration: 3 hours each (including a short break)
Thanks to Zoom’s built-in translation feature, subtitles can also be displayed in the desired language.
Presentations will be provided to participants in writing in advance.
Date of the 1st Workshop: October 9, 2026, 6:00–9:00 PM CET
Languages: German and French
Cost:
€30,
€25 for individual members of Pikler International
Charity Event
This workshop series is a charity event in support of Pikler International. The speaker and the translator are volunteering their collaboration; proceeds will support the work of Pikler International.
