Lebenswelten-Spiegel: Practical relevance, advantages and scientific standards
From everyday scene notes to team conferences: implementation in everyday nursery life. Analysis of the advantages, disadvantages and validity of the qualitative method.
MANAGEMENT(EN)
The Lebenswelten-Spiegel (Life Worlds Mirror) is an innovative, resource-oriented observation method for nurseries that takes a holistic view of each child's individual reality. It enables educational professionals to identify each child's strengths, interests and developmental stages in the context of their everyday life, relationships and environment, and to use this information to provide individual support. In contrast to standardised checklists, the Lebenswelten-Spiegel emphasises situation-based observation, participation by children and parents, and flexible, appreciative documentation. Please note that the observation tool is an ongoing project and, accordingly, changes to documents etc. are constantly being made here. For scientific work etc., it is therefore essential to save the current website status 😉.
The core principles of the Lebenswelten-Spiegel
Observation in education, especially in the context of the Lebenswelten-Spiegel, is characterised by several key features. It is situation-specific, which means that observation always takes place in real, everyday situations. This can be during free play, at mealtimes, in the morning circle or during conflicts. The aim is to ‘capture’ the child's actions and feelings precisely ‘in the moment’.
Another important aspect is meaning orientation. Here, the focus is not only on the ‘what’ of the child's behaviour, but also on the ‘why’ and the deeper meaning for the child in this specific situation. This is complemented by the resource focus in action. This means that the child's strengths, skills and interests become visible as the child demonstrates them in coping with their life world. The aim is to recognise the positive and build on it.
The interconnection of perspectives is also crucial. The views of the child itself, the educational specialist and the parents complement each other to form a holistic picture of the child's life. Finally, the entire process is process-oriented. The ‘Lebenswelten-Spiegel’ documents developmental steps and learning processes and is not a static snapshot. It functions as a dynamic tool that ‘grows’ with the child.
In summary, the approach can be described as follows
Situational relevance: Observation always takes place in real, everyday situations (e.g. free play, meals, morning circle, conflicts) in order to capture the child ‘in the moment’.
Meaning orientation: The focus is not only on the “what” of the behaviour, but also on the ‘why’ and the meaning for the child in the respective situation.
Resource focus in action: The child's strengths, skills and interests are made visible by the child demonstrating them in coping with their everyday life. The aim is to recognise the positive and build on it.
Networking of perspectives: The perspectives of the child, educational staff and parents complement each other to form a holistic picture of the child's everyday life.
Process orientation: The ‘Lebenswelten-Spiegel’ documents developmental steps and learning processes, is dynamic and ‘grows with the child’.
The elements of the Lebenswelten-Spiegel
A. Everyday scene notes (the professional's view)
This forms the core of the observation. Instead of rigid, predetermined categories, short, concise notes are made here on specific and significant everyday situations involving the child.
Focus: The aim is to capture an authentic situation from everyday life at the nursery in which the child acts or reacts in a specific way.
Content:
Context description: A brief and concise record is made: Who is involved? When and where does the scene take place? What was the initial situation?
Example: ‘In the building area (10:15 a.m.) on 12 April 2025, Max (3;9) wanted to continue building Mia's (4;2) tower without asking her.’
Child's behaviour: What did the child do, say or show non-verbally in this situation?
Example: ‘Max pushed Mia's blocks aside and placed his own blocks on her tower. Mia protested loudly. Max looked at her and shrugged, then pushed another block on top.’
Interpreted skills/interests/challenges: What strengths (e.g. determination, inventiveness), interests (e.g. building) or current challenges (e.g. sharing, conflict resolution) of the child are visible in this scene? What could this mean for the child?
Example: ‘Max shows a strong interest in continuing to build (perseverance, initiative), but has difficulty respecting the boundaries of others and reaching agreements. He seems to ignore or fail to interpret Mia's protest.’
Possible next steps/starting points: How can this observation be used to further support the child? What options or measures could we consider?
Example: ‘Repeatedly offer role-playing games on the topic of “asking and sharing”. Address Max directly in a similar situation and ask him how Mia is feeling.’
Format: Small note cards, an easy-to-use digital app or a notebook are suitable for recording observations directly in the moment or shortly afterwards. The aim is to collect fewer but more meaningful observations.
B. Relationship world mirror (interaction in context)
This element complements the everyday scenes by focusing on the child's social and spatial interactions, which also form an essential part of their everyday reality.
Focus: How does the child interact with other children and adults? How does it use and shape its environment?
Content:
Interaction patterns: What role does the child play in the group (e.g. leader, observer, follower)? How does it resolve conflicts? What means of communication does it use (verbal, non-verbal)? With whom does it seek contact?
Use of space and materials: How does the child use the various educational areas? Which materials does it prefer? Does it show any particular skills in using them? How does it shape its play environment?
Significance for the child: What conclusions can be drawn from the interactions about the child's needs, feelings and experiences?
Documentation: This can be done through short descriptions, sketches (e.g. where the child is in the room) or photos (with the parents' consent).
C. My voice, my world (the child's perspective)
This element actively involves the child in the observation process in order to capture their own view of their reality.
Focus: What concerns the child? What is important to them? How do they experience the nursery?
Content:
Situational conversations: Targeted, open-ended questions about a significant situation, such as: ‘How did you feel when...?’ ‘What were you thinking?’ ‘What was the best/most difficult thing for you today?’ The child's answers are briefly noted, often with original quotes.
Creative forms of expression: The child is encouraged to express their experiences, thoughts and feelings through drawings, picture stories, clay figures or role-playing games. A short note by the professional records the meaning.
‘My world maps’: The child chooses or paints pictures of important people, places, animals or activities in their life (nursery, home, hobbies) and talks about them.
D. Parents as experts on their child's environment (the parents' perspective)
Parents are the primary experts on their child's environment outside of nursery. Their observations are an indispensable addition to the overall picture.
Focus: How are the child's skills and needs expressed within the family? Are there similarities or differences to their behaviour at nursery?
Content:
Short feedback forms/prompt questions: Regular, short questions at home. Examples: ‘What new interests has your child shown recently?’, ‘Is there anything that your child is particularly preoccupied with at the moment?’, ‘In which situations does your child show particular strengths or face particular challenges at home?’
‘At home’ stories: Parents can share short anecdotes or observations from everyday family life that provide insight into the child's skills or challenges.
Joint interpretation: In parent-teacher conferences, observations from the nursery and family are brought together and interpreted jointly in order to obtain a holistic picture of the child's living environment and to plan possible support together.
Documentation: The life worlds folder
All the information collected from the various observation elements is brought together in an individual life worlds folder for each child. This folder is not static, but a dynamic tool that grows with the child and their development. It serves as a central collection point for everything that defines the child and their life world.
Contents of the life worlds folder
The folder contains a diverse collection of materials that paint a comprehensive picture of the child:
Everyday scene notes: The concise observations of the specialist from everyday life at the nursery form the core of the folder.
Photos of situations: Visual impressions of significant moments or interactions of the child that capture their actions and experiences.
Drawings/works by the child with comments: Creative forms of expression by the child, supplemented by short notes from the professional recording the meaning or context in which they were created.
Quotes from the child: Original statements by the child that provide insights into their thoughts, feelings and perspectives.
Notes from parental feedback: Important information and observations from parents about the family environment that round off the picture of the child.
‘Strengths compass’ (optional): A visual element, often represented as a circle, which is gradually filled in as the child's strengths and skills grow. This can be a motivating and vivid way of making positive developments visible.
Visual representation
The folder is deliberately designed to make the child's life vivid and tangible. Photos, sketches, colourful markings or even small collaged elements can be used for this purpose. The aim is to create an individual and appealing documentation that is not only informative but also personal.
Basis for discussions and planning
The life worlds folder is much more than just a collection of documents; it is a concrete and vivid basis for various exchange and planning processes:
Parent-teacher conferences: It provides a concrete basis for talking to parents about their child's development, interests and needs and for developing a common perspective. The collected materials can be used to start the conversation or for illustration purposes.
Development discussions: For the educational team, the folder serves to reflect on the child's development, recognise successes and plan the next steps together.
Planning individual educational programmes: Based on the observations collected, targeted educational and support programmes tailored to the individual needs and interests of the child can be planned.
This comprehensive and dynamic documentation makes the life world folder a valuable tool that visualises the child's development and enables resource-oriented support.
Implementation in everyday nursery life
To ensure the quality and effectiveness of the life world mirror, certain procedures and structures are essential.
Focused spot observations
Educational professionals are trained to pay specific attention to individual, significant everyday situations in everyday nursery life. The focus is on recording these moments spontaneously and directly with ‘everyday scene notes’. The quality and relevance of the observation is more important than the quantity. The aim is not to collect as many notes as possible, but to capture the truly significant scenes that provide insight into the child's skills, interests or challenges.
Regular living environment conferences
The team meets at regular intervals (e.g. weekly for 30 minutes) to exchange the collected ‘everyday scene notes’. These ‘living environment conferences’ are about jointly interpreting the observations. Questions such as the following are asked: What patterns can be seen in the child's behaviour? What skills become apparent in these situations? And above all: Where can we as professionals build on this to provide the child with the best possible support and encouragement? This joint reflection promotes a deeper understanding of each individual child and enables coordinated educational work.
Appreciative communication
A fundamental principle of the ‘Lebenswelten-Spiegel’ is appreciative communication. The focus is always on the strengths and potential of the child. Challenges or difficulties are not seen as deficits, but as opportunities for development and are formulated accordingly. This positive and resource-oriented attitude shapes not only internal team communication, but also conversations with the children and their parents.
Introduction and training
A thorough introduction and regular training of professionals are crucial for the successful application of the method. Only when the educational staff understand the philosophy, instruments and practical applications of the ‘Lebenswelten-Spiegel’ and can handle them confidently does the concept unfold its full potential. Training can help to sharpen observation skills, deepen the interpretation of everyday scenes and practise appreciative communication.
Observation sheets of the Life World Mirror
FOLLOWS!
Life world exploration sheet
Follows!
Application of the Life Worlds Mirror
Review individual observations and identify initial patterns (regular routine)
Individual observations are reviewed and initial patterns are identified (regular routine).
Quick overview: Go through the completed ‘Everyday Scene Notes’ and, if necessary, the sections of the ‘Life Worlds Exploration Sheet’.
Notable features and repetitions: Are there certain behaviours, interests or challenges that come up again and again? Does the child show certain reactions in similar situations?
Deepen your understanding of ‘aha moments’: Read through the ‘aha moments’ again – they often provide deeper insights.
Intuition and questions: What strikes you spontaneously? What questions arise for you regarding the child?
Updating the ‘Life Worlds Folder’ (ongoing)
The Life Worlds Folder is the central documentation tool.
Classifying observations: The completed forms and notes are filed chronologically in the child's folder.
Visual additions: Add photos (with the parents' consent), drawings or painted ‘My World Maps’ by the child that match the observations. These make the child's development and living environment particularly vivid.
Updating development snapshots: The ‘Life Worlds Exploration Form’ includes a section entitled ‘Overall Overview & Development Snapshots’. This should be updated after an intensive observation phase or a team exchange. Here, the overarching strengths, interests, development topics and the educational steps derived from them are summarised.
Deriving and implementing educational measures (ongoing)
This is the ultimate goal of any observation.
Individual educational opportunities: Based on the findings from the observations and team discussions, you plan targeted activities for the child. For example, if a child shows great interest in construction and problem solving, you could provide them with more complex building materials or set up an ‘architect's corner’.
Adapting the environment: Perhaps the room needs to be changed to meet specific needs (e.g. retreat, movement).
Targeted support: If a child has difficulties in social interactions, the professional can provide targeted support in interactions and help them to negotiate.
Adapting routines: Sometimes observations show that certain nursery routines (e.g. transitions, mealtimes) are particularly challenging for a child, and adjustments can be made here.
Impact monitoring: Continue to observe how the child responds to the measures implemented. Has anything changed? Have new strengths become apparent? This cycle of observation, planning and implementation is continuous.
Team reflection: The ‘living environment conference’ (regularly in the team)
This is a central and indispensable step in the method.
Establish fixed dates: Set a fixed time for a short (e.g. 30-45 minute) ‘living environment conference’ every week or every two weeks. Each professional brings 1-2 current observations (everyday scene notes) of children that are of particular concern to them or that offer new insights.
Case discussion:
Presentation of the observation: The observing professional describes the situation, the observed behaviour and their initial interpretation.
Change of perspective: Other team members add their observations about this child. This can reveal previously unseen facets.
Joint interpretation: Discuss together:
What strengths and resources of the child become apparent in this and other situations?
What developmental issues or challenges are apparent?
What needs might the child have had in this situation?
How do contextual factors (space, materials, other children) affect the child?
Deriving ideas: Brainstorm together to come up with educational ideas or ways to support the child. These could be specific activities, changes to the space, targeted conversations or the involvement of other children.
Objectives: Joint reflection sharpens the focus, reduces subjectivity and enables a more comprehensive picture of the child. It also strengthens team spirit and educational professionalism.
Participation: Involving the child and parents (regularly and as needed)
Conversations with the child (‘My voice, my world’):
Use the ‘quotes’ or ‘pictures/works’ noted in the form as a starting point for conversation.
Have regular, short, situation-specific conversations with the child to understand their perspective (‘How did you feel when...?’ ‘What were you thinking?’). Briefly document relevant statements in the folder.
Parent discussions (‘Parents as experts on the child's environment’):
Preparation: Use the ‘Life Worlds Folder’ as a basis for parent discussions. It offers concrete examples and shows appreciation for the child's individual development.
Exchange on equal terms: Talk about the strengths and developmental steps you have observed in the child at the nursery. Give parents space to contribute their perspective and observations from home.
Joint strategies: Work together to develop the best way to support the child in their current reality – both at the nursery and at home. This may include offering certain materials, changing routines or practising certain skills.
Parents' questions and concerns: Address the parents' specific questions and concerns.
These steps make the Lebenswelten-Spiegel a dynamic and lively tool that not only documents, but also actively shapes educational work and supports the development of each child in an appreciative manner.
Advantages of the Life Worlds Mirror
The Life Worlds Mirror offers a variety of advantages that make it a valuable tool in educational practice and go far beyond conventional observation methods. It enables a deeper understanding by providing detailed insights into the individual reality of each child's life and their unique learning paths. This leads to a high degree of authenticity and relevance, as observations and the educational interventions based on them are directly aligned with the child's actual everyday experiences. A central aspect is the focus on strengths: the Life Worlds Mirror promotes a positive attitude and highlights the child's resources and potential, which forms the crucial basis for targeted and motivating support. It also promotes participation on an equal footing by taking children and parents seriously as experts in their own lives and actively involving them in the process, which significantly strengthens the educational partnership. The motivation of all those involved – children, professionals and parents – is promoted through visible learning successes and positive, appreciative documentation. Last but not least, the method is characterised by its practical relevance: thanks to its flexible structure and the possibility of ‘spot observations’, it is easy to implement and practicable in the often turbulent everyday life of a nursery. The Lebenswelten-Spiegel is thus more than an observation method – it is an attitude that perceives and values each child in their uniqueness by making their lived reality the starting point for all educational work.
Deeper understanding: The method provides detailed insights into the individual reality of each child's life and their unique learning paths.
Authenticity and relevance: Observations and interventions are directly aligned with the child's actual everyday experiences.
Strengths orientation: It promotes a positive attitude and highlights the child's resources, which forms the basis for targeted support.
Participation on an equal footing: Children and parents are taken seriously as experts in their own lives and are actively involved in the process, which strengthens the educational partnership.
Motivation: Visible learning successes and positive documentation motivate children, professionals and parents alike
Disadvantages of the Lebenswelten-Spiegel
Even though the ‘everyday scene notes’ are deliberately kept short, recording qualitative observations, interpreting the situation and noting possible next steps requires a certain investment of time. This can be a real challenge in the often hectic everyday life of a nursery, which is characterised by spontaneity and unpredictable events. Similarly, although the ‘life world conferences’ for jointly interpreting the observations are considered valuable, they are an additional time factor that must be firmly anchored in the team schedule. Maintaining the ‘life world folder’ with its diverse media (such as photos, drawings, quotes) is also more labour-intensive than simply ticking off a predefined list.
Subjectivity and scope for interpretation
The focus on ‘significant everyday scenes’ and the subsequent interpretation of the child's skills and interests leaves a great deal of room for interpretation on the part of the professional. There is a risk that personal assumptions or the current mood will influence the observation and thus compromise objectivity. It can be difficult to make a clear distinction between pure behavioural description and interpretation, which is why thorough training and regular reflection within the team are essential to ensure the quality of the observations.
Demands on the pedagogical competence of professionals
The use of the Lebenswelten-Spiegel places high demands on the pedagogical competence of professionals. They must learn to go beyond merely ‘seeing’ behaviours and to recognise and interpret the deeper meaning behind children's actions. This requires strong observation and interpretation skills. In addition, communication skills are required, especially when it comes to sensitively talking to children to interpret their forms of expression and confidently dealing with parents in the context of ‘parents as life world experts’. Intensive training and continuous professional development are therefore essential.
The challenge of child and parent participation
The active involvement of children requires sensitive communication and the ability to understand their different forms of expression, as not all children are equally adept at expressing their thoughts and feelings verbally. The willingness and ability of parents to cooperate can also vary greatly. Parents with limited German language skills, time constraints or cultural differences may find it difficult to participate fully, which requires a flexible approach and tailored support services.
Comparability and standardisation
As the Lebenswelten-Spiegel is highly individualised and based on specific everyday situations, it is less standardised and less comparable with checklist-based observation methods. This can be a disadvantage for nurseries that require specific quantitative data for providers, internal quality management systems or external evaluations. It is more difficult to record ‘average values’ or ‘developmental stages’ in direct comparison with a norm group.
Risk of ‘invisibility’ of inconspicuous children
If the focus is too strongly on “striking” or ‘significant’ situations, there is a real risk that very quiet or inconspicuous children who do not display particularly conspicuous behaviour will be less intensively observed and documented. Conscious attention must be paid to the fact that even seemingly ‘inconspicuous’ behaviour can provide important insights into the child's life and therefore also deserves attention and documentation.
Data management and data protection
The collection of diverse and personal data (notes, photos, quotes, parental contributions) requires a clear concept for data management and data protection. This is particularly relevant when digital tools are used for documentation. The secure storage of information and sensitive handling of the personal data of children and their families are crucial in order to comply with legal requirements and ethical standards.
The Lebenswelten-Spiegel & scientific standards
The question of whether the Lebenswelten-Spiegel can meet scientific standards can be answered as follows: Yes, the Lebenswelten-Spiegel method can meet scientific standards, albeit with certain conditions and restrictions, as it is primarily a qualitative observation method. Qualitative methods are widely recognised in educational research, especially in the field of early childhood education. Their aim is to gain a deep, contextual understanding of phenomena rather than to quantify or generalise causal relationships.
The following section highlights how the Lebenswelten-Spiegel is positioned with regard to key scientific standards of qualitative methods:
Validity: Does the method measure what it is supposed to measure?
The Lebenswelten-Spiegel has a high ecological validity, as it observes children in their natural environment, which leads to more authentic behaviour than in artificial laboratory settings. The inclusion of multiple perspectives (child, professional, parents), comparable to ‘triangulation’ in research, increases validity by providing a more comprehensive and nuanced picture of the child. In addition, the focus on interpretation and context ensures that the ‘why’ behind the behaviour is captured, which is crucial for a deep understanding. The method also has good face validity, as it appears logical and sensible for capturing the child's development in their living environment. However, the subjectivity of the professional's interpretation remains a challenge; it is therefore crucial that interpretations are reflected upon and validated within the team, whereby a clear distinction between pure behavioural description and interpretation is important.
Reliability: Would different observers or the same observer at different times come to similar conclusions?
This is often the most difficult point for qualitative, narrative observation methods compared to standardised checklists, as individual perception and interpretation play a major role. However, the Lebenswelten-Spiegel can increase reliability by:
Clearly defining the fields of observation: Even if the notes are open-ended, the criteria for context description, behaviour and interpretation must be clearly defined and trained within the team.
Training and calibration: Regular training sessions and joint ‘interpretation workshops’ (such as the ‘Lebenswelten conferences’) improve observation skills and the consistency of interpretations within the team.
Peer review/team exchange: The ‘Lebenswelten conferences’ serve as a form of peer review, in which observations are critically reflected upon and supplemented by colleagues, reducing individual observer bias.
Documentation of processes: Transparent documentation of the observation and interpretation process (e.g. through short meta-notes) increases traceability.
Objectivity: Is the observation independent of the observer?
In a qualitative method with a focus on interpretation, absolute objectivity in the sense of quantitative measurements is not the primary goal and is also not fully achievable. The subjectivity of the professional is part of the knowledge gained. The Lebenswelten-Spiegel aims to make subjectivity conscious and to achieve intersubjective traceability through multiperspectivity (child, parents, team). The goal is a ‘well-founded subjectivity’ that is underpinned by reflection and exchange.
Transparency and traceability: Can the path to knowledge be understood by others?
The Lebenswelten-Spiegel is characterised by its strength in transparency. Through detailed documentation of context, behaviour and interpretation, the professional's thought process becomes transparent and comprehensible. The possibility of including quotes, photos and works by the child makes the observation and the conclusions derived from it very concrete and tangible.
Generalisability (transferability): Can the results be transferred to other children or groups?
Qualitative methods such as the Lebenswelten-Spiegel are not primarily designed for generalisability in the statistical sense. They provide deep insights into individual cases and specific contexts. However, their strength lies in their transferability: the detailed case descriptions can encourage other professionals to draw parallels with their own observations and apply the strategies developed in similar contexts.
Conclusion and recommendations for scientific robustness
The Lebenswelten-Spiegel is a method that can easily meet qualitative scientific standards if certain conditions are met:
Detailed process description: The method itself must be described precisely.
Comprehensive training and quality assurance: Regular, in-depth training of the team in observation and interpretation is essential. The ‘Lebenswelten conferences’ are a key element in quality assurance and in increasing reliability through intersubjective agreement.
Transparent documentation: It is important to clearly separate observation (description) and interpretation (interpretation) on the documentation sheets.
Inclusion of multiple perspectives: The systematic integration of the views of children and parents enhances validity.
Reflection on subjectivity: Professionals must be aware of their own perception filters and reflect on them.
For a purely scientific study, it would also be necessary to form a sample, carry out inter-rater reliability tests (to see whether different observers arrive at the same result) and formalise the methods of data collection and analysis even further. However, for everyday use in nurseries as an educational tool, the current design is very promising and scientifically sound in terms of qualitative research.
It is important to emphasise that this method does not aim to compare a child with a ‘norm’ or to ‘measure’ them, but rather to understand and support them in their uniqueness. This is a quality feature shared by many established observation methods in early childhood education (e.g. education and learning stories).
Summary
The Lebenswelten-Spiegel is an innovative and holistic method of educational observation and documentation that aims to place the individual reality of each child at the centre of educational work. Instead of querying standardised categories, this approach focuses on capturing authentic moments from everyday life at the nursery in order to develop a deep understanding of the child's actions, feelings and learning paths.
The method is based on four closely interlinked elements: the ‘everyday scene notes’ as the core element, which record the professional's specific observations; the ‘relationship world mirror’, which illuminates the child's social and spatial interactions; ‘my voice, my world’, which incorporates the child's active perspective through conversations and creative forms of expression; and ‘parents as life world experts’, who provide irreplaceable insights into the child's family environment. All the information collected, from notes and photos to children's drawings, is compiled in an individual, dynamic ‘Life Worlds Folder’ for each child. This folder serves as a living documentation and is also a concrete basis for parent-teacher conferences, development discussions and the planning of tailor-made educational programmes.
To ensure the quality and effectiveness of the Life Worlds Mirror, focused ‘spot observations’ in everyday life, regular ‘Life Worlds Conferences’ for joint interpretation within the team, and appreciative communication that highlights strengths and sees challenges as opportunities for development are essential. A thorough introduction and continuous training of professionals are crucial in this regard.
The Life Worlds Mirror offers numerous advantages: it enables a deeper understanding of the child, ensures the authenticity and relevance of educational work through its connection to everyday life, promotes a strong focus on strengths and strengthens the equal participation of children and parents. The method is practical and motivates all those involved. Although, as a qualitative method, it is less focused on standardisation and generalisability than quantitative approaches and poses certain challenges in terms of time consumption and the subjectivity of observations, it can meet scientific standards through clear processes, intensive training and the inclusion of multiple perspectives.
Ultimately, the Lebenswelten-Spiegel is more than just an observation tool; it is an educational approach that recognises and values each child's uniqueness by making their lived reality the starting point for all educational support and encouragement.