What is Blum?
Blum develops adults’ capacity for play. Because the more confidently an adult can play, the more securely they can connect with a child.
The capacity for play is a skill that can be developed.
Blum was created to help educators and parents become confident play partners for children once again.
Who we play with
A Master Player™ speaks the language of children. With well-developed play skills, they confidently use the arts to foster children's cognitive and emotional development.
The Three Levels of
the Master Player Training
The Blum Master Player™ Training is designed for educators who want to consciously develop their own play competence and confidently navigate the pedagogical world of the Artistic Play Space™.
The programme unfolds across three interconnected levels, each building on the one before.
Master Player I.
Foundations of Connection through`
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the Artistic Play Space™
Master Player II.
Integrated Pedagogical Presence
Master Player III.
Integrated Arts Pedagogy `
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and Project Thinking
What’s Blum?
“Blum is a professional way of life for me and for our educators. It gives us the freedom to grow, connect, and create together for the benefit of children. Instead of rigid, overly regulated methodological frameworks, it creates space for educators’ creativity, the development of group dynamics, and the individual needs of each child. Play permeates everyday life, transforming the time educators and children spend together into a truly shared experience.”
“In traditional early childhood education the educator is often in a directing role. The Master Player is more of an emotional companion. In Blum groups it is striking how children resolve their conflicts in a much more self-regulating way. Less discipline is needed, and symptoms of anxiety often decrease within a short time.”
“Earlier I worked according to the traditional kindergarten curriculum, mainly following the rhythm of the seasons. Today I start more from the current group dynamics. I enjoy working with emotions on a project level. The children love that now we are in a shared play space together.”
“I have been an educator for fifteen years, and earlier I did not understand why I would need self-reflection or self-awareness. I truly understood it during the Movement Competence module. I have always been a very energetic person. Through Blum I became calmer. For some people it speeds things up, for others it slows things down—depending on what they need. And the children really love that I am a Master Player.”
“Earlier, the atmosphere of parent meetings was distant, often filled with awkward silence. During the Blum training I learned how to offer playful situations to one another—even to people who were strangers at first. It felt unusual in the beginning. Three years later the parents are almost unrecognizable: they play, they participate in the projects, and they can rely on each other. Blum created new patterns of connection.”
“Before the Blum training, I was more of a rule-following educator. Today my way of working is much more spontaneous and flexible. The quality of my connection with the children has completely changed: I work more confidently with emotions and with the issues that currently affect the group.”
Research
The pedagogical impact of the Blum program is currently being examined through university and international research collaborations.
We work in professional partnership with the University of Szeged, the Eötvös Loránd University, and the French nonprofit research institute Aloïs Institute.
The aim of these collaborations is to scientifically study and further develop a pedagogical practice built on play and meaningful connections
What makes Blum different?
The Blum enriches everyday early childhood education practice by developing adults’ capacity for play. While the major pedagogical approaches primarily focus on the child’s development, Blum places the emphasis on developing the adult—the educator or caregiver—who makes this possible.
Blum also works well with Montessori, Waldorf, Reggio Emilia, Freinet, and other child-centred pedagogical approaches.
The major pedagogical approaches
focus on the child’s development
Blum
builds on the adult’s—educator’s or caregiver’s—capacity for play
Our Partners
FAQ
How can you introduce the Blum approach in a traditional kindergarten?
According to Blum’s experience, it doesn’t begin with adopting a few individual techniques. It begins with a shift in how the educator works, thinks and connects.
Blum is not simply a method. It is a pedagogical culture that develops gradually – both at an individual and an institutional level.
That is why the answer to the question “how?” lies in the training process. Through first-hand experience, educators discover the essence of the approach and learn how to bring it into their everyday practice.
And the journey doesn’t end when the training does. The deeper integration of Blum culture is supported through Reflective Supervision and Consultation (RS/C), helping educators navigate their everyday practice and enabling the approach to gradually become a natural and lasting part of the institution’s culture.
Can you work with the Blum approach if only one educator has completed the training?
Yes. But it is important to understand that Blum is rooted primarily in a transformation of the educator themselves – in their inner functioning, presence and way of connecting.
When one educator completes the training, this transformation can already bring a noticeable change within their own group. The strongest impact, however, emerges when several educators work together within the Blum approach.
This is why training – and the reflective supervision workshops that follow – are so important. They create opportunities for Master Players to continue learning, reflecting and growing together as a community.
How long does it take to become a Master Player?
It’s a journey.
The Blum training consists of interconnected modules that build on one another, allowing educators to develop through their own first-hand experiences.
The goal is not a quick methodological training, but the gradual development of a new way of seeing and understanding.
You can explore the full training structure and current courses on the Blum website.
What is the most challenging part of growing into the Blum approach?
For many educators, the biggest shift is realising that they are not simply learning new techniques – they are beginning to reflect on their own inner functioning.
This is why self-reflection and self-awareness play such an important role in the training.
When the educator’s own presence changes, the dynamics of the whole group begin to change too.
How do you choose a tale for a project?
The choice of a story is always connected to the group’s current situation and emotional themes.
However, the methodology behind this process cannot be conveyed in a short answer. During the training, educators learn how to observe and understand group dynamics, and how to use these insights to build a project around a story.
What happens if the children aren’t interested in the chosen tale?
In the Blum approach, the educator continuously observes the group’s responses. If a tale doesn’t resonate with the children, the educator adapts the process accordingly.
This kind of sensitive responsiveness is part of the educator’s play competence – and something that is developed throughout the training.
How long does a Blum project last?
The duration of a project always depends on the group and the theme. Some projects are shorter, while others require a longer process.
The educator shapes the length of the project by continuously observing the dynamics of the group. The practical methodology behind this, too, is something educators learn through the Blum training.
What do you do if a child doesn’t want to take part in the play?
In the Blum approach, it is perfectly acceptable for a child to simply be present as an observer. There is more than one way to participate.
The educator does not force the child to join in. Instead, they create a safe and welcoming environment in which the child can choose to connect and take part when they are ready.
Aren’t educators worried that parents might find a Blum-style parents’ meeting a little unusual?
This question often comes up at the beginning. Experience shows, however, that once parents themselves begin to take part in the play, the atmosphere changes very quickly.
Parents often begin to connect with each other – and with the educator – in a more open and relaxed way.
Of course, creating and facilitating these experiences is also something educators learn through the Blum training.
What if parents don’t want to play?
One of the core principles of Blum parent sessions is that no one is ever required to participate. There is always the option to simply be present as an observer.
The educator gently offers opportunities to play, and parents often choose to join in on their own.
Where can I apply for a Blum training programme?
Applications and course dates will be announced on the Blum website and Blum Fb page. We plan to offer the training as an accredited programme again next year.
Can university students get involved, too?
The university course launching at the University of Szeged will be a theoretical course. It is not the same as the Blum training modules, but offers a different way of introducing students to the approach and the thinking behind it.
What happens if there is strong interest in Blum training in a particular region?
If there is strong professional interest from a particular region, Blum will do its best to offer a training programme there as well.
That’s why it’s worth keeping an eye on the latest opportunities on the Blum website – and letting us know if you’re interested.
How is Blum different from other educational approaches?
Blum is not primarily a set of teaching tools or techniques, but a pedagogical approach. Its focus is on the educator’s presence, play competence and connection with the child.
This is also why self-reflection and self-awareness play such an important role throughout the training.
What does play competence mean in the Blum approach?
In the Blum vocabulary, play competence is at once an innate human capacity, a skill that can be developed, and a process of psychological maturation.
An openness to play exists within all of us. For educators, however, consciously developing this capacity is essential in order to be able to truly bring it into their work with children.
Play competence encompasses several dimensions of an educator’s professional practice. A play-competent educator is able to think in projects: to choose a theme, design and bring a project to life, and reflect on the process along the way.
They observe group dynamics and emotional processes, adapting their pedagogical work accordingly. Play competence also involves regular self-reflection and continued work on one’s own inner functioning through supervision workshops.
In the Blum approach, we call this way of functioning the Master Player approach.
A Master Player is an educator who works with Blum-inspired guidance in the kindergarten group and is able to build collaborative communities with children, colleagues and parents.
The work of the Master Player unfolds within the Connection – Artistic Play Space™, where storytelling and narrative thinking help create shared experiences.
Here, play becomes the shared language of connection.
What makes a kindergarten a Blum Partner Institution?
A Blum Partner Institution is a kindergarten that has committed to implementing the Blum Culture approach. Rather than adopting a ready-made method all at once, it gradually builds an institutional culture rooted in play, the arts, meaningful connection, and reflective practice.
How does a kindergarten become a Blum Partner Institution?
The journey begins with an institutional needs assessment, followed by Master Player trainings, ongoing reflective professional support, and collaboratively designed institutional development. Master Player trainings equip early childhood educators to create PARC (Play · Art · Connect) – artistic play spaces where children can flourish emotionally, socially, and cognitively. The first milestone is a Pilot Project tailored to the kindergarten, where the principles of Blum Culture become part of everyday practice.
How is this different from a traditional professional development course?
Blum is not simply about delivering new knowledge. Its goal is to help create a sustainable institutional culture. As educators strengthen their play competence, reflective practice, and collaboration, the benefits extend throughout the entire ecosystem surrounding young children. Becoming a Blum Partner Institution therefore marks not the end of a training programme, but the beginning of a shared journey of growth.