Introduction/specifics

Our children, are our most important guests.

They come to us, demand our careful attention,

stay with us for a while, and then depart,

to go their own way.

Henri Nouwen

With this in mind, we warmly welcome you to our St. Maria Kindergarten in Aufkirchen. Our kindergarten is a place of humanity, a place where appreciation is experienced and opinions are actively exchanged. A place where children and adults meet again every morning full of joy, interact with each other, play, laugh, talk, learn from each other, and share many experiences and beautiful, unforgettable moments. Therefore, our interactions within the facility, as well as externally, are characterized by openness and friendliness. It is of great importance to us that we take time for each individual child. Only through intensive contact with the child and the parents can we get to know each other and build trust, so that we can perceive and respond to the individual needs, wishes, and feelings of the children and parents. We strive to accompany children on their journey of lifelong learning in collaboration with all parents and families and to provide them with the best possible conditions for their future lives.

The team at St. Maria Kindergarten

Rooms

Plenty of space, bright rooms, and an open atmosphere

A home where you feel at home, with open doors and many possibilities in lovingly and creatively furnished rooms:

• Three spacious group rooms with plenty of light and direct access to the terrace and front garden
• Consistent and well-thought-out color scheme for the green, yellow, and blue groups (curtains, carpets, bathrooms)
• Unique educational area in each group room: role play and Montessori materials, creative studio, building and construction
• Activity room
• Workshop
• Ball pit
• Long hallway as a meeting place with changing play activities
• All on one level
• Professional kitchen

Outdoor Facilities

Two large gardens full of possibilities

Two beautiful gardens, one in front and one behind the house, and a beautiful hard court offer our children many opportunities. We go outside in the mornings and afternoons in (almost) any weather – all year round. The children will find in the garden:

• Plenty of space to play, run, and hide
• Climbing frame
• Large sandpits with lots of accessories
• Slide, seesaw, and swings
• Gazebo
• Playhouse and balance beam
• Mud kitchen
• Rocking animal, spinning top, vehicles, soccer goal, and much more.

Daily Schedule

7:30 to 8:00 a.m.

• Early shift in a group room for all children; free play and needs-based care

8:00 to 8:30 a.m.

• Drop-off time for children; arrival at the home group

8:30 to 9:00 a.m.

• Morning circle, guided activities

9:00 to 11:45 a.m.

• Educational core time, flexible snack time, partial opening, free play, cross-group work, preschool work, themed crafts, portfolios, and much more.

11:45 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

• First pick-up time

11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

• Lunch

12:45 to 4:00 p.m.

• Partial opening, free play, educational activities

12:45 to 1:00 p.m. | 1:45 to 2:00 p.m. | 2:45 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

• Pick-up time depends on booking time

Food

Lunch

The Schmankerlküche in Wolfratshausen provides a delicious lunch every day, fresh and handmade from natural, healthy, and regional ingredients.
We eat in the group rooms at 11:45 a.m. We have rituals, from setting the table together to praying before meals. This creates a pleasant and calm atmosphere right from the start. Table manners are important to us.

www.schmankerlkueche.de 

Snacks

Starting in the 2025/2026 kindergarten year, Ms. Weilguni (certified gourmet ambassador) will prepare healthy and varied snacks freshly prepared daily for all children. Snacks will then be served buffet-style, and your children will only need a water bottle with an unsweetened beverage for garden time, walks, or excursions.

Basics

• We create a living space where every child should feel comfortable and secure.
• We give every child the time, support, and structure they need to optimally develop and flourish in all areas of development. We focus on a diverse learning and play environment, supporting children in various skill areas.
• The goal of our daycare center is to encourage natural, creative impulses and to accompany and support children in their learning process. We offer children appropriate activities, suggestions, learning opportunities, materials, and joint activities to allow them to express their creativity and further develop cognitive skills. We create opportunities for self-experimentation, discovery, and exploration.
• We accept each child as an individual. We encourage and support them in developing their own identity. We focus on the child's strengths and accept their weaknesses. We support each child in developing self-esteem, independence, and independent action.
• We want to teach children mutual understanding and respect for the uniqueness of human beings.
• We are committed to preserving creation and act accordingly.
• In our facility, we value environmental awareness, sustainability, diversity, and closeness to nature. Our sensitive approach should serve as a model for respectful treatment of the environment.

Employee

Our Team

Eight specialist and support staff, as well as temporary interns and trainees, work at St. Maria Kindergarten – with expertise, passion, and experience. To ensure your child receives the best possible care and support and has a wonderful time at kindergarten.

Our staff are specialists and have various educational focuses: language, Number Land, nature, music, creative work, Montessori, integration, inclusion, and child protection. We attach great importance to staying up-to-date with the latest educational developments and regularly undertake further training.

Sophia Weilguni actively supports us in the kitchen as a qualified culinary ambassador.

Additional Offerings

Preschool work and preparation for school

We promote this daily:

• Basic skills such as self-confidence and social skills
• A diverse concept to promote learning, perseverance, and concentration
• Würzburg Language Program Numberland Children with special needs in German attend the preparatory course once a week
• Learning responsibility: Mentoring new children from older kindergarten children

Portfolio

Throughout the entire kindergarten period, we collect each child's work in their own thick portfolio folder. The children are involved in the documentation process: Each child decides for themselves which of their works belong in the portfolio.

In this way, the child's developmental steps are documented: from the first drawing to the final preschool worksheet. It also contains photos and memories of many "magical moments."

The portfolio folder is not only a lasting memory for the child, but also documents each child's individual skills and developmental progress. The child can reflect on themselves, the teaching staff can understand and clearly document their individual learning path, and everyday kindergarten life becomes more transparent for the parents.

KIKOM Parent App

We communicate quickly and directly with parents – and parents communicate with us – via the KIKOM app:

• Feedback, e.g., during the settling-in period
• Sick notes
• Menu
• News
• Photos and other media
• Parties, excursions, and other activities
• Current and upcoming appointments, closing days
• Developments affecting the entire kindergarten

Cooperations

Our kindergarten is not an island, but a place of movement and an important part of the community. We maintain good contact...

• with the daycare network and the other daycare centers in the network
• with the other local daycare centers
• with the parents' council and support association
• with the Oskar Maria Graf Elementary School, the after-school care center, and the lunchtime care center
• with the parish
• with the municipality of Berg and the Starnberg District Office
• with the Youth Welfare Office and the Health Department
• with the family counseling center
• with the Starnberg Early Intervention Center
• with specialist services (speech therapy, occupational therapy, etc.)
• with local businesses and the community library
• with local clubs and the Starnberg Music School
• and much more.

Teamwork with parents

Since October 2023, the "Friends of St. Maria Kindergarten" support association has been supporting us financially and morally for the direct benefit of all kindergarten children. Projects and purchases that would otherwise not be possible are thus made possible. Thank you very much!

The association sees itself as a platform for parents, grandparents, relatives, friends, businesses, and sponsors who care about the well-being of children and want to actively and easily support the kindergarten.

Join us – for the enjoyment of your children and all the children in our kindergarten!

Specifics

The Year

Our educational offerings are tailored to the children's needs and are based on the annual cycle. We organize them a little differently each year.

Visits to public institutions (police station, library, observatory) and excursions to the surrounding area are part of the program. Once a year, we take the bus to a more distant destination, such as the Poing Wildlife Park or the children's theater in Munich. We also enjoy walking or taking public transportation to destinations in our beautiful surroundings.