Introduction/specifics

Our kindergarten "Alte Gerbe" is located in a listed building. The "Alte Gerbe" was built around 1600 next to the former Fürstenberg rent office. Red and white tanners practiced their trade there for centuries. It was inhabited until the 20th century. After a thorough renovation, the kindergarten was opened in the summer of 1994. During the renovation, care was taken to preserve the original character of the building.

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Our kindergarten is located in a listed building. The old walls give our facility a cosy character. The various rooms and function rooms are spread over three floors.

Up to 50 children are cared for in two regular groups. In the respective group rooms, they have plenty of time for free play, where they can build friendships and cultivate relationships. Individual rooms are used by both groups so that friendships can develop across groups.

You will find the aims of our educational work in our concept.

Here is a partial extract:

    - a child is accepted, accepted and respected with their strengths, weaknesses and special characteristics
    - the children's questions are heard, seen, understood and answered
    - Mutual, respectful interaction between the parents and us educators is a basic prerequisite for supporting and complementing the education of the parents at home

The child should

    - develop their self-confidence and self-esteem
    - find a balance between their own needs and the needs of the group
    - form and maintain relationships and friendships
    - be inquisitive, keen to experiment, persistent, focussed and creative

If you would like to find out more about our kindergarten, please contact the manager, Mrs Alexandra Winter.

Rooms

Our kindergarten is a three-story building. The individual floors contain the group rooms of the "hedgehogs" and the "foxes" and the various play areas for the children. Some rooms are used by the children for inter-group play.

The old walls give our facility a cozy character. The old wood paneling and wooden floors give the rooms a special atmosphere.

In each group room, the children find various role-playing and building corners, the dining table and other tables for crafts and play.

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Outdoor Facilities

Our outdoor play area is divided into two parts. The smaller garden area is mostly very sunny and has a sand area, a climbing frame with slide, a play corner and a lawn.

On the opposite side of the street, the children have plenty of space for running, sliding and movement games. A climbing tower invites additional role play and climbing. Two large trees provide sufficient protection against the sun on hot days.

Daily Schedule

Free play has a special place in our daily routine. During this time, the children can choose the play partner, the material, the place and the amount of time, all within certain limits and in accordance with the group rules.

Own ideas can be realized alone or with other children and friendships, even across groups, can be made and/or deepened. Here the child has a wide field for the extension of its different abilities. In addition to the promotion of playfulness, endurance and motor skills, social behavior is of particular importance. The feeling of togetherness is strengthened and, to the same extent, self-esteem is built up. 

This time is actively accompanied by the educators. We support the children and encourage them playfully in the various areas. 

During free play time, the children have the opportunity to eat the snack they have brought with them together with their play partners.

Following the free play time, activities from different educational areas take place in accordance with the respective theme. 

We usually end the kindergarten day in the fresh air.

Food

During free play time, the children have the opportunity to eat the snack they have brought with them at the dining table. The child chooses the time and, if necessary, we remind them to eat breakfast.

We ask the parents to bring food that is appropriate for the child, as healthy as possible, and a drink that is in a sealable bottle.

Basics

The kindergarten complements and supports the child's upbringing in the family.The individual, holistic support and development of each child is very important to us. 

Through targeted observation of the individual child and the entire group, we try to recognize the respective needs. In our daily routine we then have the opportunity to support the children in a playful and holistic way. Although we are a municipal kindergarten, we are guided by the Christian image of man.

Our pedagogical work can be divided into the areas of self-competence, social competence and subject competence. These are connected and influence each other.

A balanced development of the competencies enables a self-confident, socially capable personality formation.

Employee

Currently, six educators take care of the children, supplemented by interns.

Through regular training and continuing education, we are constantly educating ourselves.

The long-standing team of educators works with a lot of heart and expertise in the two groups.

Additional Offerings

- Language group for children with vocabulary problems

- regular forest/nature days

Teamwork with school

We work together with the elementary school in Geisingen. Our cooperation teacher visits the preschoolers regularly in the kindergarten and is in exchange with us educators.  In addition, the children are also invited to the school on special dates (school visit, sports day, traffic scavenger hunt).

Teamwork with parents

The family and the kindergarten are jointly responsible for the well-being of the children. Positive cooperation and an open atmosphere are therefore the basis for successful cooperation.

Satisfied parents mean satisfied children, which is why we seek and maintain contact with parents and the home. 

Parents receive information about their child in annual development meetings. The basis for this is the portfolio, which we partly design together with the child.

Mutual, respectful interaction between educators and parents is a basic prerequisite for our work. This basis facilitates the interaction with the children.

Specifics

In 2024, the "Alte Gerbe" will be fundamentally renovated and expanded. The existing groups will be relocated during the renovation period.

During the renovation and expansion, care will be taken to preserve our small rooms and the extraordinary atmosphere, so that the children and the team of educators continue to feel as comfortable as they currently do.