Introduction/specifics

Welcome to St. Nikolaus Catholic Kindergarten!

At our two-group daycare center in Neulußheim, we care for, educate, and support children aged 1 year to school age. In our nursery group with a total of 10 places and our kindergarten group with a total of 25 places, our qualified teachers lovingly and individually accompany your child on their journey.

Our rooms are designed so that children feel comfortable, can try things out, and can retreat. Our outdoor area invites children to climb, move, and discover.

A trusting relationship between parents and our team is essential to us, as this is the only way we can provide your child with the best possible support.

Rooms

Our facility has a range of rooms designed to meet the needs of children at different stages of development. All rooms have been designed to be child-friendly, stimulating, and safe in order to create an environment that promotes development and in which children can feel comfortable. 

The cloakroom and hallway area is the first point of contact for children and their families in the daily routine. Here, each child has their own clearly identifiable space where personal belongings can be neatly stored. The area helps children to develop independence and at the same time creates a pleasant, calm atmosphere for arrivals and departures. 

The group room for our nursery children offers a safe and clearly structured environment in which the youngest children can move around safely and gain their first experiences of playing together. A raised platform provides additional opportunities for play and movement, which are always supervised by our educational staff. In the bedroom, our nursery children find a safe haven where they can rest during quiet times. Through sensitive guidance, we create a place of security that meets the needs of the child. 

The group room for our kindergarten children is spacious and offers a wide range of educational and play activities. In addition to areas for creative design, building and construction, role-playing, and quiet activities, a variety of materials are available, which are regularly adapted and expanded. A special highlight is the raised platform. This offers additional space for retreat, role-play, and imaginative encounters. 

Our gym and exercise room is a central part of our educational work. It offers children a wide range of opportunities to strengthen their motor skills and live out their natural urge to move. The room is spacious and flexible in use, making it suitable for both free movement and guided exercise activities.

Outdoor Facilities

The outdoor area offers children a space for movement and adventure, inviting them to explore, try new things, and play together every day. The design promotes holistic development, strengthens motor skills, and opens up a wide range of sensory experiences. 

Shady trees create natural retreats, ensure a pleasant climate, and at the same time offer space for quiet observation and experiences of nature. 

Overall, our outdoor area provides a safe and natural environment in which children can satisfy their urge to move, strengthen their social skills, and gain valuable experiences through free play. 

Food

A balanced, needs-based, and healthy diet is an essential building block for children's development, health, and performance. That is why we place great importance on offering a varied and nutritious range of food at our facility. When shopping, we make sure to select seasonal fruit and vegetables, which are freshly prepared for the children every day.    

At the kindergarten, we offer a rich and varied breakfast every day, giving the children an energy-packed start to the day. Lunch is freshly prepared in our kitchen. In the afternoon, the children also receive a small snack, so that they are well looked after throughout the entire day and do not need to bring food from home. Water and unsweetened tea are available to the children at all times. 

It is particularly important to us to encourage children's independence during mealtimes. By serving themselves, they develop an awareness of their own feelings of hunger and satiety. They choose the food and portion sizes themselves and practice using cutlery safely while eating.

Even our youngest children in the nursery receive freshly prepared meals that are appropriate for their age and stage of development.

Basics

Our educational mission is based on the Christian view of humanity. We see our work as complementing the family and building on the individual situations of each child. On this basis, we accompany children in their holistic development and encourage them in their independence, creativity, and social skills. Christian values such as charity, respect, and mindfulness shape our everyday lives. Through prayers, rituals and the celebration of the church year, we boring faith closer to the children.

In order to fulfill our legal mandate, we also work according to the principles of the “Orientation Plan for Education and Upbringing in Baden-Württemberg Daycare Facilities” and support children in becoming independent, responsible and socially competent. 

The individual strengths, needs and interests of the children, as well as a participatory approach, form the basis of our educational work. It is important to us, to create an open, appreciative and inclusive environment for children, where everyone is welcome—regardless of their background or religion.

In a protected environment, children can build bonds with our educational staff and other children. It is important that children visit the kindergarten regularly and on time and that parents adhere to drop-off and pick-up times. The trust that develops gives children the confidence to try out new experiences, skills, and boundaries.

Cooperations

We cooperate with the two local elementary schools to prepare children for school:

• Lußhardt Elementary School
• Markus Elementary School

We also cooperate with:

• Bauer Bakery
• Hofmann Fruit Farm
• Community Library
   

Teamwork with school

As soon as they enter kindergarten, the children in our facility are prepared for their upcoming school years. Every child goes through a development and learning process that begins in the family and is supplemented and continued in the daycare center. Since every child is unique, it is important to respond to the different characters, developmental stages, characteristics, and interests of the children. 

Cooperation process:
 Teachers come to our daycare center every six weeks, alternating between one lesson each, which is divided into different work units.
 The cooperation is carried out alternately by a teacher from Markus Elementary School and a teacher from Lußhardt Elementary School.
 During this cooperation, the preschool children are also observed in a targeted manner. After each “lesson,” there is a discussion about the individual children. The children's strengths and weaknesses are explained and broken down in detail. This makes any potential support needs apparent.
 In addition, legal guardians also have the opportunity to contact the cooperation teachers. 

 Preschool children also have the opportunity to visit Markus Elementary School and Lußhardt Elementary School. This allows them to familiarize themselves with the respective buildings and their rooms.

 A short lesson takes place in the school rooms.

In addition to the 6-week cooperation with the local elementary schools, our facility has its own “preschool” for preschoolers with a qualified teacher.
 

Teamwork with parents

Trusting and appreciative cooperation with parents forms the basis of our educational work. We see ourselves as educational partners who accompany and support the child's development together with the families. Open communication, regular exchange, and mutual transparency are particularly important to us.

We create space for dialogue and active participation through informal conversations, development meetings, parents' evenings, and joint activities. Participation in parents' evenings, parent activities, and involvement in the parents' council strengthen cooperation and promote exchange between parents and the kindergarten.

The active participation of parents in public events, parties, and celebrations is also an important part of our educational partnership. Your ideas, help, and support contribute significantly to the success of these events and make many activities possible in the first place. 

The main goal is to enter into a trusting educational partnership that focuses on the well-being of the child.  

Description and Stations

Our Catholic kindergarten St. Nikolaus is quietly nestled in a residential area. In the immediate vicinity, you will find the Bauer bakery and the municipal library. The main entrance is easily accessible via the driveway that leads directly to our building.