Introduction/specifics

Our Spezials

At the Kita am Goetheplatz, we work and play primarily with natural materials. Due to the high pollutant load and the haptic insignificance, plastic toys are largely avoided. This means, for example, that toys, furniture and supply materials are almost exclusively made of wood, metal, fabric, etc.

The rooms are bright and friendly and divided into different zones for better orientation (e.g. morning circle carpet, table circles, running and playing areas). The amount of furniture and toys is deliberately reduced to a puristic level so that the children have adequate space and learn to occupy themselves with a particular game or material over a longer period of time. This material is first experienced and examined. Quite automatically, the children then combine this toy or material with other materials, incorporate them into role-playing games, and explore in a wide variety of directions. They can only refer to what is available (material, toys, other children). This results in versatile connections. The fewer materials and toys available, the more creative they can become. A healthy appreciation for material values also develops (cf. values education). When games and toys are available in a manageable number, children pay more attention to what they have. They know, wantonly destroyed toys are not replaced, there is only a limited number available. At certain intervals, toys can be exchanged for others at the home camp.

The children also have to deal with each other and with each other, since there are intentionally not enough toys available for parallel individual play by all the children. As a result, the children learn incidentally to play together, play earlier with other children and, with the support of the educators, learn to resolve conflicts, share toys, exchange them and, if necessary, defend them. In this way, they develop social-emotional skills more quickly.

An overstimulation of the children is deliberately avoided, which makes them more receptive and receptive to the manageable stimuli of their current play. The special effect of this strategy was already visible a few weeks after the opening of the facility.

Another special feature is that the stairwell and group rooms are designed to be fundamentally low in stimuli. This means that the room walls, which are painted in light primary colors, are only decorated for existing traditional celebrations, whereby the principle here is also; "Less is more". This principle also applies to notices, room decorations, window pictures, cork walls, etc. Group work will be displayed individually and to a manageable extent in the checkrooms of each group.

Important organizational information, which applies to the entire facility, can be found by parents in the entrance area (notifiable illnesses, information from the food provider, menu plan...). In addition, there is an illustrated menu at children's height, where the children display weekly photos of their lunch, an overview of all the people working in the facility and a stand with information material. On the first floor, the groups also regularly present individual projects on a screen for all parents to see. Information boards are located in front of each group area where the group's weekly schedule and important group-specific information is posted. On the 1st first floor there is another information area. Here, general information on various topics is made available. They include, for example, answers to various educational questions, the display of newspaper articles, legal changes and their evaluation (e.g. staffing ratios) or other general information.

Rooms

Spatial equipment

The day care centre at Goetheplatz was designed as a three-storey building with rooms in two wings. A crèche group is located on the ground floor of each wing. On the left wing, next to group 1, a pram room was created which is accessible from the outside and, like the entrance door, can only be opened by parents by entering a pin code.  On the 1st floor there are two more groups. On the right side a family group (group 3) and on the left a kindergarten group (group 4). On the second and third floor there are three kindergarten groups. On the first floor on the right side is group 5, on the left side group 6 and above that on the third floor is group 7. Opposite group 7 is the sports and multifunctional room. In addition to various small rooms for work materials etc., there is a therapy and creative room on the first floor next to group 6 and the management office next to group 5.

All group rooms for the crèche and day nursery can be reached via their own cloakroom. Furthermore, each group has a separate sanitary area. A separate bedroom is attached to each of the crèche groups and the family group. In the group rooms of the day care area, there is a sliding wall that allows the rooms to be completely divided into two rooms. A separate staff room is available for meetings. All rooms are connected via a staircase with a lift. Parallel to this, there is an escape staircase with access to all group rooms.

Outdoor Facilities

The Outdoor area

The outdoor area is divided into a daycare area and a kindergarten area, which can be opened to each other as needed. Both areas have large lawns, trees, a large sandbox with a sunshade awning, an asphalt roadway and a nest swing, which has been bedded in gravel in both outdoor areas. Storage huts for bobby cars, running bikes, sand play equipment, etc. are located in each area. The outdoor area of the crèche group also has a second hut, in which several group cars are available for excursions of the crèche children.

In the crèche area, bouncing animals can be used as well as a half-height wooden house with climbing facilities and a slide.

In the daycare area, there is also a large wooden ship with a slide, several swings and a ground trampoline.

Both areas thus offer a variety of opportunities for construction, motor development and exploration. In order to satisfy the kindergarten children's urge to move, the outdoor area has already been expanded, so that there are now several raised beds, fruit trees and space for playing soccer in this area.

Daily Schedule

Food

The Meals

In our facility, all meals, i.e. breakfast, lunch and vespers are provided by a caterer (Sachsenschmaus). So you as parents do not have to bring any food with you. We serve water and tea as beverages.

In order to ensure a sufficient supply of fresh fruit and vegetables, you as parents are asked to bring these along for the group at longer intervals in consultation with the educators.

You will learn more about this during the admission interview, to which you are cordially invited!

Basics

Welcome to the Kita am Goetheplatz!

Our facility not only cares for children from one year old until they start school, but also for children with special needs. The admission of children with special needs opens up the possibility of inclusion in a group of children without having to forego individual support.

The conceptual emphasis at the Kindergarten am Goetheplatz is on regular, repetitive practice and rehearsal, as well as consistency in time and content. Our children are cared for in constant group groups with fixed reference persons. In this way, our teachers are always the same contact person for parents and children.  We pay special attention to the teaching of values and norms that are necessary for a well-functioning social life. Our main focus is on respectful and polite interaction with each other, consideration and helpfulness.

A constant daily routine is of great importance to us. This consists of a daily morning circle, lots of exercise in the fresh air and weekly language support morning circles. Since 2017, we have participated in the federal language project "Because language is the gateway to the world" and are constantly expanding the knowledge and skills of our teachers in this area, so that our children can be supported even better.

Furthermore, cross-group elements are also used. For the realization of successful cross-group work, it is necessary to support and encourage the children in their ability to make appropriate decisions.

The special feature of the day care center is the promotion and integration of handicapped children as well as the possibility of participation of all children in all contents. In order for this to succeed, the daily and uniform education, care and support are necessary. This is characterized by the constant differentiation of the individually necessary approach. It is not only applied in the crèche groups, but also in the kindergarten groups and especially in the family group.

The Kita am Goetheplatz offers a limited number of places for children with special needs (integration). Integration can be realized (within the limits of available places) in all groups, in the crèche and in the daycare center. A special feature of the facility is that the individual support, the individual skills and additional qualifications of the staff are available to all children in the facility.

We look forward to welcoming you to our facility for a tour!

Additional Offerings

Promoting language development in everyday kindergarten life

Language development is a cross-cutting issue that is found in all areas of life and learning. This means that language development must be a continuous part of all areas of daily life. In our nursery, language development is therefore promoted in a natural way, integrated into everyday life. For this purpose, actions of the daily routine (e.g. changing clothes, meals and care situations) are verbally accompanied by the teachers. The teachers continuously exercise their role as language role models by consciously taking care to speak in complete sentence constructions and at an appropriate pace, but also to introduce the children to different grammatical constructs and a multifaceted vocabulary through versatile language. With their own linguistic activity and the language-stimulating design of the rooms, they motivate the children to try out their own language. Numerous opportunities for speech are created, not only in the context of dialogical picture and book observations. The resulting development is carefully accompanied and valued through sensitive reactions, the use of corrective feedback, a cultivated listening culture and the cultivation of rules of conversation. This enables children to experience how they can convey their own thoughts, feelings and needs in words and use language as a tool.

n addition to the language support integrated into everyday life, language morning circles are offered once a week. The focus here is on the different areas of language development: The expressive and receptive language skills as well as the dialogical and myofunctional abilities are practised in a playful way.

To support the group educators, the function of the language specialist from the federal language programme "SprachKitas" continues. The responsible teacher is available to all groups in a consultative capacity and contributes newly thought-out approaches to language support. Together with the group teachers, she reflects on strategies and develops further support approaches according to need.

In order to counteract language problems, we work together with a speech therapist. This makes it possible to provide speech therapy support for individual children in the context of special support units within the day care centre, which optimises the cooperation of all those involved.

Through the daily omnipresence of language, the children are enabled to use language competently as an instrument.

Teamwork with parents

The cooperation with our parents is very important to us

Parents not only have the natural right but also the primary duty to care for and bring up their children (cf. Art. 6 II 1 GG).

Parents are supported by the educators in the fulfilment of their educational mandate. This refers to the exchange of information between parents and educators. Parents should participate in their children's daily lives to a certain extent.

In addition to daily schedules on the wall of the respective group areas and a pin board with the most important messages, regular parent meetings take place. Here, parents and educators meet and exchange ideas together. They talk about the child's developmental status, jointly determine new procedures and advise each other.

In addition, there are general parents' evenings. For example, upcoming activities, excursions and new projects are discussed. Parents are also informed, for example, about changes in the group, the teachers or the institution itself. Two family celebrations are an established part of the parents' work in the kindergarten year. The Christmas market and the "Zuckertütenfest" (festival for the children's cones) offer an informal opportunity for open exchange and cooperative collaboration.

In addition, the parents' council supports the institution in shaping the day-to-day life of the kindergarten as an advisory body of the Kita am Goetheplatz.

News

Project Barefoot Path at the Outdoor Area

Children discover our world and want to TOUCH it. In order to expand the range of sensory experiences in the outdoor area of our kindergarten, we are in the process of creating a barefoot path for our children in cooperation with the parents. On this path they will be able to feel different surfaces and structures, train their balance and strengthen their body awareness. 

For this purpose, various utensils found and collected in nature, such as stones, pine cones, wood and much more, will be placed in the path and bordered on the sides with fragrant and tasty herbs.  
Hardworking hands and collectors are still needed - so we are very happy about your support! 

The person responsible for this area is our Mrs. Jasmine Menzel, who is very happy about your interest and questions.

Projects

Project School Preparation

We understand the essential task of our school preparation to be the training of concentration and attention as well as the building up of appropriate prior knowledge in preparation for everyday school life. The Saxon educational plan is a binding orientation for us.

In principle, school preparation should be practised in a way that is integrated into everyday life. In addition, differentiated learning games are carried out in the daycare groups, whereby activities such as holding a pencil, colouring on a boundary line and all the requirements for pupils in the first grade are practised and thus learned in a playful manner. At the same time, demands are made on concentration and attention as well as on prior knowledge in the daily kindergarten routine (especially also in the morning circles) according to the respective age.  In this way, all children in the group can be involved in these activities, regardless of their age and their individual learning and ability level. With fun and joy in learning, different senses are used to work on and link different topics.

However, the preschoolers should also be given the opportunity to experience special preschool tasks and excursions. Therefore, on Wednesdays, as part of the inter-group activities, there are activities especially for the preschoolers to make the upcoming transition to school visible and to prepare them for their new role as future school children.