ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to provide the base upon which all pedagogies should be built; the ultimate aim of any pedagogy is to develop the whole child and ensure that they flourish in every pedagogical encounter. The idea of integrating a holistic approach in the early years is associated with developing a ‘holistic curriculum’: the idea that a whole child approach can only happen when linked to the curriculum and its outcomes. Well-being has been gaining ground across a range of policy fields. However, well-being has always been an aim of early childhood education and care, where holistic pedagogy mirrors the aim to ensure that children are happy and flourish. A holistic pedagogy nurtures the development of children as human beings, and develops their potential, character, and identity, which are associated with the person the child becomes when growing into an adult; this is a dynamic process of evolving through the head, hands, and heart.
