Introduction/specifics

“It's just great that YOU are here – come, let us praise God the Lord.”
Chorus from the song by Daniel Kallauch.
The team at the Protestant Kindergarten in Knittlingen has worked out in detail how the basic attitude of its employees is linked to Christian values and thus forms a binding basis for our interpersonal relationships.

•    “YOU” are unique! 
Every child and their family is welcome here! 
Christian values guide us in our work. We accept every person as Jesus accepted them. 
•    “YOU” are valuable! 
Every child is allowed to experience being a child and develop their personality here. Every child can experience a sense of security here, enabling them to develop trust in themselves and the community. 
•    “YOU” and “I” – Only together can we succeed! 
Cooperation with parents is very important to us. Parents as education experts in the home environment and we as education experts in kindergarten – together we create a trusting and respectful partnership for the benefit of the child.
•    It's great that “YOU” are here! 
We see ourselves as an important part of our Protestant church community and as a place where Christian faith can be experienced in many different ways.

•    “YOU” and faith! 
We celebrate festivals and holidays in the church year with the children and maintain everyday Christian rituals such as saying grace and singing Christian songs. Children learn selected Bible stories with us. They are allowed to ask their own questions about God and the world and search for answers together with us. We give children the space and time to develop their own image of God. 
•    “YOU - ME - US” - God's world is colorful! 
People from different social, cultural, and religious backgrounds come together in our daycare centers. We see diversity as an enrichment in our everyday interactions. We ensure that everyone treats each other with respect. 
•    “YOU”...We take responsibility! 
Our daycare center is a safe place for parents and children. We respect and protect the personal boundaries of each child. We acknowledge their feelings and encourage them to name them. We are mindful and responsible in our approach to closeness and distance. 
We take responsibility for protecting children from inappropriate behavior and abuse, from physical, psychological, and sexual violence.

•    “YOU”...let's talk openly! 
We are aware that where people meet and interact with each other, there is not only the opportunity for encounters and growth, but also the risk of hurt and mistakes. It is important to us to be open about this. This applies to our interactions with and among the children, among the staff, and with and among the parents.

Daily Schedule

Kindergarten (Ages 3–6)

The partial opening concept not only provides children with new learning environments and greater self-determination, but also ensures that more children benefit from the diverse skills and talents of the educational staff.

Children arrive in their base groups until 8:45 a.m. After the welcome, they independently choose their play area on the respective floors (groups are open). During this time, structured and targeted activities take place. For the morning circle, the children gather again in their base groups and then go outside to the garden. After garden time, another base group phase follows before the children continue to move freely between groups until they are picked up.

Day-care children receive a warm, shared lunch. After washing and brushing their teeth, the children calm down while listening to a story. Each child decides daily whether they want to sleep or simply relax during story time. Children may lie down in the cuddle corner, in their own bed, or sit with the educator.

After the rest period, all children come together again for free play.

Lunch for our daycare center is provided by the organic catering service “Hausgemacht” from Sulzfeld. Further information can be found at:
http://www.hausgemacht-catering.de/

Nursery / Crèche (Ages 1–3)

A clearly structured daily routine provides the children with orientation and security.

A typical day in the nursery looks like this:

• 07:00 – 09:00: Arrival, welcome, and free play

• 09:00 – 09:30: Tidying up and morning circle

• 09:30 – 10:00: Shared breakfast and getting dressed for the garden

• 10:00 – 11:00: Garden time, walk, or time in the gym/playroom

• 11:00 – 11:30: Snack with raw vegetables

• 11:30 – 11:45: Diaper changing and getting undressed

• 11:45 – 13:00: Sleeping or resting time

• 13:00 – 13:30: Pick-up time

Wenn du möchtest, kann ich den Text auch vereinfachen, kürzen, oder sprachlich mehr an Eltern/Bewerber/Website anpassen.

Basics

Two of our group rooms in the over-3 area (Ü3) are located on the same floor and are connected by an enrichment room. These two groups work within a partially open concept while maintaining fixed group membership for the children. In this way, we combine the advantages of the core group principle (stable caregivers and a sense of belonging to a specific room) with the benefits of open work (children’s self-determination).

One room places a strong focus on building and construction, while the other offers a wide range of materials for role play. During free-play time, which is very important to us, children decide for themselves where, with whom, and for how long they want to play. This allows them to move flexibly between closeness and distance, activity and relaxation, as well as freedom and structure.

Cooperations

Current Cooperations:

School – Kindergarten

The cooperation teacher visits us at regular intervals and gets to know the future first-grade pupils through prepared activities.

Sports Club – Kindergarten

Once a month, we visit the Richard Wolf Hall. There, we are welcomed by Ms. Mössner-Hahn, a children’s gymnastics instructor at TSV Knittlingen. Together with her, we take part in a children’s gymnastics session.

Library – Kindergarten

Our preschoolers (“Maxis”) visit the library of the Protestant parish at the Pfleghof every four weeks. There, the children learn in a very practical way about the procedures involved in borrowing books.

News

The following projects are a fixed part of our annual cycle:

Kindergarten Church Services

Several times a year, we visit the Leonhardtskirche with the children. There, we take part in a child-appropriate church service with songs and stories related to themes of the church year.

Field, Forest and Meadow Days

At regular intervals, we explore the nature of the surrounding area with all children—such as field paths, meadow landscapes, and the Schillings Forest.

Forest Week for Preschool Children

Once a year, our preschoolers (“Maxis”) take part in a forest week in the Schillings Forest, usually in spring or autumn. During this week, the children walk to the nearby forest early in the morning, where they play, explore, and experience nature with all their senses.

Prevention Program “Echte Schätze” (“Real Treasures”)

The ECHTE SCHÄTZE! prevention program is specifically designed for early childhood education centers, enabling educators and parents to begin prevention work and strengthen children’s self-esteem at an early stage. The German Child Protection Foundation Hänsel + Gretel implements this project in cooperation with the PETZE Institute Kiel for the prevention of sexual abuse of kindergarten children in Germany.

With the “Strong Children Box” (STARKE KINDER KISTE!), children are playfully and joyfully introduced to discovering their own bodies, learning about personal boundaries and feelings, and becoming confident in expressing themselves.

As part of the ECHTE SCHÄTZE! prevention program, early childhood education centers work with their children (from the age of 4) and convey the six prevention principles up to the time they start school.

The Six Prevention Principles

1. My feelings are valid!

2. I can distinguish between pleasant and unpleasant touch!

3. I know the difference between good and bad secrets!

4. I ask for help when I cannot manage something on my own!

5. My body belongs to me!

6. I am allowed to say NO! I am not to blame if something happens to me!

Additional projects develop through working with the children, as well as through observation and reflection. At the same time, our thematic work is oriented toward the church year and the annual cycle.