Little Kids Daycare
Acclimatization
You were just pregnant. Your little one was very close to you, and you were the only person to care for her. Now, suddenly, strangers are supposed to look after your child... Questions arise in your mind: Will this person understand the signs my child uses to communicate? This step is very difficult for many mothers. This change requires a great deal of sensitivity! We are mothers and educators ourselves, and we understand children!
To make the transition as gentle as possible, we apply the following pedagogical keys:
At Little Kids, children can be settled in as early as 3 months old. We follow the Berlin settling-in model and plan for a two-week settling-in period. Our group leaders will work with you to create a settling-in plan tailored to your and your child's needs. A well-professional settling-in process lays the foundation for a pleasant and trusting period of care. We want to gently accustom the children to their new surroundings so that they enjoy coming to us.
First week: Your child comes to visit us , accompanied by you, and also goes home with you. This allows us to get to know each other in a relaxed atmosphere. Once your child sees that you trust us, the first short separations will take place. (Day 3) This way, your child learns that you will return, which creates security. The separation times will be gradually increased until, by the end of the week, your child is staying with us for a full day.
Starting at the end of the second week, your child will stay with us for two full days from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You will be available at any time if your child needs your presence.
After this gentle introduction to the new people and the new environment, your child can come to us on the booked days. Should your child need more time, we will provide this on an individual basis. The daycare center should be a place of joy.
The settling-in period can take place during maternity leave and is free of charge, meaning you only pay for the booked days and not the full hours of care. Experienced daycare centers usually have a much shorter settling-in period. It's more of a getting-to-know-you period.
Rituals in the daycare center
Rituals are of great importance for children:
Rituals are repetitive processes that are always carried out in the same way. Children know the process and can orient themselves as to what will happen next and what is expected of them. This familiarity gives children security and strengthens their trust in themselves and in the community. Rituals promote the social and emotional development of children in the long term.
What do we learn through rituals?
Through rituals, children learn about rules, structures and processes. They learn that they are part of a group and that their actions have an impact on the entire community. Everyday rituals such as singing together, morning circle, eating together, brushing teeth and washing hands are some examples.
Festivals and holidays
We differentiate between everyday rituals and annual rituals. Annual rituals include celebrations such as birthdays, Easter, Christmas, St. Nicholas Day and farewell parties when children move on to kindergarten.
In our daycare center, we cultivate a culture that is strongly influenced by rituals. What would Easter be without painted eggs and Easter nests? And Christmas without the contemplative pre-Christmas period, when we bake Gritibänz and cookies together, tell stories, and make presents for the parents.
Rituals in education
Rituals are extremely important in day-to-day daycare life. They create safety, security, trust and a positive learning environment. Children feel safe when they know what will happen next. That is why rituals are an essential part of our educational concept at Little Kids.
Rituals for development
Rituals also support children's cognitive development by helping to organize and structure information, which in turn promotes learning processes. This is evident in free play, for example. Rituals are also an essential part of the development of bonds between children and caregivers. Through shared rituals and regular routines, children can build close relationships with their caregivers. Rituals are a significant expression of the appreciation and care that children receive.
Season Festivals
The seasonal cycle of spring, summer, autumn and winter shapes life in our daycare center. Celebrations mark particularly special periods of time that enrich the children's everyday lives and set them apart from the usual. They convey joy, happiness and a strong sense of community. The seasonal festivals illustrate the natural rhythms that the children can orient themselves by. This regular and reliable change gives the daycare year a fixed structure that gives the children a sense of security and safety. In the daycare center's everyday life, we offer a lot of freedom for the children's individual development - therefore, the emphasis on the annual cycle is of crucial importance.
The celebrations in our daycare center vary greatly in content and scope. The activities range from creative handicrafts to parent aperitifs and joint craft afternoons. Some celebrations are celebrated internally in the daycare center, while others are celebrated together with the parents. During the preparation phase, we sing, paint, tell stories and experience with all of our senses. By actively participating, the children can grow with their tasks. Older children are already familiar with the annual celebrations and can have a say in how they would like to celebrate them.
Is it a job or my calling?
Educators who invest their heart and soul in the children...
Educators
Our goal is for our teachers to laugh, dance and play with the children with joy and commitment. We focus on care that is based on trust and transparency and that prepares both the child and the parents for the transition.
Some features:
Reliability : Our educators are reliable caregivers who offer loving care and create a feeling of security.
Attention and presence : Through your constant attention and presence, you give the children the feeling of being safe and cared for.
Sensitivity : You recognize children’s nonverbal signals and respond sensitively to their needs.
Individual attention : The teachers adapt their responses to the different needs of the children and offer appropriate activities.
Role model function : They demonstrate what they expect from the children by practicing active listening and explanatory actions.
Play support : You accompany the children in their play, provide impulses and encourage their exploratory behavior and curiosity.
Respect for individuality: Every child can decide for themselves how much closeness they seek and is included in decisions.
Stimulating environment : The teachers create a learning environment that encourages self-development and free play.
Needs-based activities : You recognize the needs of the group and the individual and design the offer accordingly.
Lifelong learning : Our educators continuously train and reflect on their actions in order to always ensure the best care.
We attach great importance to natural, authentic and loving care in which every child feels welcome and understood.
