Introduction/specifics

Welcome,

We’re delighted that you’re interested in our “Zauberwald” daycare center. Below, we’d like to tell you more about us:

At our “Zauberwald,” there’s room for 60 children aged 12 to 36 months to play, run around, paint, build, and experiment. Our priority is providing individualized care for all our children, with a focus on participation, language development, physical activity, and fostering independence and resilience in children under three years of age.

Our 5 groups each accommodate 12 children.

The Fireflies, Grasshoppers, Butterflies, Dragonflies, and Ladybugs groups each care for up to 10 full-day children and a corresponding number of half-day children.

Location and Description

The Rosenstock Daycare Center is located in a low-traffic area in the Rosenstock 3 development in Lampertheim.

Our catchment area is the city of Lampertheim and its neighborhoods.

The daycare center has been in operation since summer 2012 and was built using passive house construction standards.

Adjacent to the daycare center are a spacious public playground, the Protestant daycare center, and the “Haus Dominikus” senior living facility.

Our hours of operation:

Monday through Friday: 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Our days off:

Easter: approx. 1 week,

Summer: 3 weeks,

Christmas: approx. 1 week,

Long weekend: 2 days

Planning days: 4 days

+ occasional days off (company outing, local festival)

Rooms

Our daycare center features 5 spacious group rooms, each with an adjoining nap area and restroom.

The group rooms are designed to fully accommodate the children’s love of movement, curiosity, desire to explore, need for cuddles, and necessary rest periods. They are richly stimulating and encourage each child’s individual learning processes.

To accommodate the children’s love of movement and experimentation, we also offer a movement room, a large, bright hallway, and our outdoor play area.

For parents, we’ve set up a small parent’s corner with a smart TV in the entrance area of the hallway, which invites you to linger. Our educational philosophy and safety guidelines are displayed here. The smart TV shows current photos or videos from the groups on a weekly rotation.

Outdoor Facilities

Our large outdoor area invites the children to run, romp around, or ride toy vehicles on the lawn, in the sandbox, and in the other play areas.

The nest swing invites them to linger, and the hill invites them to climb up and then zoom down the slide.

In the sandbox with its built-in water play area, children can splash, play in the mud, dig, and build.

In front of each group room are small patios that are perfect for drawing with sidewalk chalk, admiring the planters with root windows, and having picnics.

There are several playgrounds and fields in the immediate vicinity that we visit often.

Daily Schedule

Our Daily Schedule

7:00 a.m. – 7:45 a.m.     Early morning group in one of the group rooms

7:45 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.     Free play, arrival of all children, individual activities

8:30 a.m.                       Group breakfast time

9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.   Activities and free play, time in the garden, morning circle

11:15 a.m.                      Lunch

12:00 p.m. – 12:15 p.m. Pick-up time for part-time children

12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.    Naptime, rest, and relaxation

2:00 PM – 4:00 PM         Free play and structured activities

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM         Afternoon care group in one of the group rooms, the movement room, or the garden.

In the afternoon, the children are served a light snack. The afternoon activities and free play are also tailored to the individual needs of the children.

Our Focus Areas

Educational partnership with parents and families

Observation and developmental documentation

Promoting independence and resilience to help children develop self-confidence and a sense of security

Active daycare

Language development

Free play / games / social interaction

Field trips and nature experiences

Nutrition, including a sugar-free morning

Toilet training / nurturing diaper-changing experiences

Food

A balanced diet is very important for every child’s physical, cognitive, and emotional development. Children need a wide variety of nutrients so that their bodies can develop healthily. Children under the age of 3 are very curious about food and are quick to embrace a wide range of taste experiences. Therefore, it is of great importance that eating is perceived, experienced, and enjoyed by both children and early childhood educators as a pleasure involving all the senses. Meals are organized so that children have as many opportunities as possible to eat independently and experiment with their food—whether with their fingers, a fork, a knife, or a spoon.

To help children learn to recognize their own feelings and their body’s signals, the empathetic behavior of the staff during mealtimes is of great importance. Eating serves not only as a means of nourishment but also contributes to building relationships within the community and with caregivers.

A shared breakfast and lunch, as well as a small afternoon snack for children in the full-day program, are an integral part of our daily routine. Drinks are available in the form of still water, mineral water, and unsweetened teas.

We work closely with our partner dentist and the youth dental care program. For breakfast, we therefore ensure a sugar-free morning. Every week, there is plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Our lunch is delivered hot every day. Schrolls Catering is responsible for this.

In consultation with our caterer, we try to accommodate all special needs, such as food intolerances and allergies.

Basics

The educational approach at the daycare center lays the foundation for the holistic development of children ages one to three. During this sensitive stage of life, children are supported in a safe environment tailored to foster attachment, security, and the individual needs of each child. Our educational work is guided by a child-centered approach, which assumes that every child is an active participant in shaping their own development. Key areas of focus include language development, body awareness, fostering independence, and building resilience.

Language Development

The early years of life are crucial for language acquisition. At the daycare center, language development is specifically supported through a language-rich environment. Educators incorporate language support into daily activities by naming actions, engaging in conversations, and encouraging children to listen, understand, and repeat what they hear. Rhymes, songs, finger plays, and picture books are just as much a part of our language-rich daily routine as our METACOM cards, which further support communication and expand vocabulary.

Body Awareness

In early childhood, the perception of one’s own body and the joy of movement are closely linked to identity development. We create safe spaces where children can experience and learn to control their bodies through crawling, climbing, balancing, and free play. This not only promotes gross and fine motor skills but also strengthens body awareness. We support the children with sensitivity, provide opportunities for movement, and ensure an environment that invites discovery and experimentation without overwhelming them or intervening unnecessarily.

Independence

A central goal of early childhood education is to foster independence. Children should learn to make their own decisions, take on responsibility for age-appropriate tasks, and actively help shape their daily lives. This begins with everyday activities such as eating, getting dressed, or tidying up on their own. We give children the time, space, and trust they need to test and further develop their abilities. In doing so, they are not lectured but rather mindfully guided. This allows them to experience a sense of self-efficacy and develop healthy self-confidence.

Resilience

Resilience—that is, psychological resilience—forms an important foundation for healthy emotional development. At the daycare center, it is strengthened through stable attachments, reliable routines, and sensitive care. Children need secure caregivers who offer them guidance and protection and instill the courage to try new things and take on challenges. A positive culture of learning from mistakes, respectful support for their emotions, and encouragement to solve problems independently strengthen self-confidence and lay an important foundation for long-term mental health.

Conclusion

Pedagogy in daycare is far more than just childcare. It is educational work from the very beginning and creates the conditions for healthy development. The promotion of language, body awareness, independence, and resilience is achieved through the interplay of nurturing relationships, targeted educational activities, and a child-friendly environment. The focus is always on the individual child and their unique needs, interests, and potential.

Our Focus Areas:

Educational Partnership with Parents and Families

Observation and Developmental Documentation

Fostering independence and resilience to help children develop self-confidence and a sense of security

Rituals and Security

Active Daycare

Language Development

Free Play / Games / Social Interaction

Field Trips and Experiences in Nature

Nutrition, including a sugar-free morning

Toilet Training / Trust-Building Diaper-Changing Situations

Employee

The Kikri Zauberwald team currently consists of:

14 educators

one early childhood educator

one social educator

one childcare worker

two kitchen staff members

the director

The team is supported by:

trainees

student interns from various types of schools

Qualification

Our staff members have additional qualifications in areas such as early childhood education (U3), relaxation, language development, developmental support, inclusion, health promotion, physical activity promotion, family counseling, supported communication, Marte Meo, dental health, and more.

Additional Offerings

The collaboration between the daycare center and the early intervention center and the parenting counseling center in Lampertheim is an important part of early childhood development. Through close communication, we work together with these two institutions to observe and support the child’s development. If any concerns arise or if the child has special needs, we coordinate individual development goals and implement targeted measures. Regular meetings and close collaboration with parents ensure that the child receives the best possible support.
 

Quality Assurance

Our goal is the continuous improvement of our educational work. To ensure this, our daycare center employs trained, qualified staff.

The hallmarks of our work are:

• our educational philosophy and safety plan, developed as a team
• based on the “Berlin Settling-In Model”
• a partnership with parents in education and child-rearing
• implementation of the Hessian Education and Child-Rearing Plan
• we are a training facility

Ensuring this quality involves ongoing evaluation of the educational concept and safety plan, team meetings, case supervision, continuing education and professional development, participation in working groups, conferences, and directors’ meetings, collaboration with the parents’ council, parent surveys, and reflection on our educational practices through mutual discussion.

Cooperations

There is a cooperative relationship between the following institutions and the municipal child care facilities:

• Counseling Center for Parents, Children, and Adolescents in Lampertheim, Blücherstraße 26, Tel.: 06206-910411; services are also provided through BIK at the individual facilities
• Bergstraße District Youth Welfare Office, Graben 15, 64646 Heppenheim, Tel.: 06252-155746
• Specialized Counseling (Ms. Breunig), Gräffstraße 5, 64646 Heppenheim, Tel.: 06252-155043
• Lampertheim Early Intervention Center, Saarstraße 56, Tel.: 06206-944512
• Bergstraße District Health Department, Gräffstraße 5, 64646 Heppenheim, Tel.: 06252-154208
• Bergstraße District Veterinary Office, Odenwaldstr. 5, 64646 Heppenheim, Tel.: 06252-155969
• Youth Dental Care Working Group, Liesengasse 3-5, 64625 Bensheim, Tel.: 06251-588041
• Elisabeth Selbert School, Lampertheim, Carl-Lepper-Straße 1, Tel.: 06206-94090
• Cooperation Agreement with Pediatricians
• Sponsoring Dentist
• Childcare Exchange

Teamwork with parents

An atmosphere of trust is essential for successful collaboration with parents. Many parents find it difficult to leave their child in our care, especially at such a young age.

That’s why we aim to provide as much information as possible about our work through a flyer, our information booklet, our educational philosophy, our safety plan, parent information sessions, regular tours, the Kikom app, Little Bird, and our Smart TV.

We can’t do this without parents, because parents are their child’s most important caregivers and know them best. Regular parent-teacher conferences, discussions about special events during the day, joint celebrations, afternoons, and field trips are all part of our work with parents and are, of course, integral to our educational philosophy.

To facilitate effective communication and collaboration, we rely on the support of parents. We encourage participation in the Parent Advisory Board, assistance with celebrations and other activities, and open communication when issues arise. Parents have opportunities to get involved, including serving as parent representatives. The Parent Advisory Board and the City Parent Advisory Board are re-elected by parents each year.

Specifics

We are a certified “Bewegte Kita” (Active Daycare), use the Marte Meo method and supported communication, and have been awarded the “Rundum Mundgesund” (All-Around Oral Health) seal of approval.