Introduction/specifics

We are a Catholic kindergarten and belong to the Meersburg pastoral care unit.

Pedagogical concept

Movement is a basic prerequisite for a wide range of development areas!

Children want to explore the world - and that includes movement.
Movement is the motor of development and learning, which is why we have placed our pedagogical focus on nutrition and movement.
Since June 2022, we have been certified as a "kindergarten with a focus on sport and movement education" by the Radolfzell Motor Skills Center.

Another component of our work is religious education.
We want to enable the children to have basic experiences of faith. They learn about various customs and festivals in the church's annual cycle. For us, all people are equal, regardless of which nation or religion they belong to. Through this conscious experience of diversity, the children develop tolerance and acceptance towards fellow human beings of all cultures and social backgrounds.

Rooms

Our rooms:

• the entrance area and the hallway 
• the bathroom with children's toilets and changing area 
• two early childhood groups, each with an adjoining bedroom 
• educational rooms in the kindergarten area: 
  - Adventureland (role play area, regular games and building and construction area)
  - the studio and the workroom 
  - the snack room for open breakfast 
  - the exercise room
  - the library 
  - the research cave
  - the spacious outdoor area
  - the management office 
  - the kitchen

Outdoor Facilities

Our spacious outdoor area has lots of play equipment for the children - a slide, two swings, a bird's nest swing, a seesaw, a large sandpit, a road course and much more.

Being out in nature offers the children many opportunities to learn and experience.

Daily Schedule

Early childhood groups

7.30 to 9.00 a.m.:            Drop-off time, arrival in the groups and free play
9.00 to 9.30 a.m.:            Morning circle and breakfast together
9.30 to 11.15 am:             Free play/projects, educational activities, gym, garden
11.15 to 11.45 a.m.:         Lunch together
11.45 a.m. to 1.45 p.m.:  Nap
1.45 to 2.00 p.m:             Pick-up time

Kindergarten

7.30 to 9.00 a.m.:                Drop-off time and free play in the various education rooms
7.30 to 9.30 a.m.:                Open breakfast
9.30 a.m.:                            Morning circle
9.45/10.00 to 10.30 a.m.:    Free play/projects, educational activities
10.30 to 11.30 a.m.:            Garden time
11.30 am to 12.15 pm:        Lunch together (1st group)
12.15 to 13.00 pm:              Lunch together (2nd group)
12.45 to 13.00 pm:              Pick-up time
12.15/13.00 to 13.45 pm:    Rest time
13:45 to 14.00 pm:              Pick-up time

Food

In our facility ...
...children learn to eat with pleasure.
... there are communal mealtimes.
... children sense when they are full.
... families give their children a healthy snack.
... children are allowed to drink at any time and drinks are freely accessible.
... children are regularly allowed to cook and bake for themselves.
... the children plant fruit and vegetables together with the educational staff in their own raised
    bed.
... they regularly have a healthy, home-made breakfast.

Breakfast

Families provide their children with a healthy and substantial breakfast.
Participation in the school fruit program (purchase of apples from the region) and participation in the school milk program (purchase of dairy products).

Lunch

Lunch is provided by a regional caterer, K5 Catering und Feinkost from Salem-Neufrach.

Basics

Our educational work is based on the "situation-oriented approach". This focuses on the individual child's educational and developmental processes.

Child development is an individual process and every child has the right to be perceived and understood in their individuality and uniqueness. A holistic education and upbringing is important to us. We focus on the needs and personal interests of the children entrusted to us.

In the early childhood area, we work with our two groups on a cross-group basis.
In the kindergarten area, we work according to the open concept.
Open work expands the opportunities for play. We have designed our rooms as educational spaces. As each room has its own function, the children have the greatest possible opportunities to play according to their inclinations and wishes and to experience their environment.

Educational and parenting partnership
We see our facility as complementary to the family. We see the educational partnership between the families and the educational staff as an indispensable prerequisite for our work. With the parents on board as experts for their own child, we work together to ensure the child's well-being.

Cooperations

Cooperation with TSV Mühlhofen 1908 e.V.

Exercise is very important to us in everyday daycare. TSV Mühlhofen 1908 e.V. comes to our facility once a week and carries out various exercise activities with children aged 2 to 6. 
This gives the children the opportunity to take part in the sports club's exercise program in their familiar surroundings and gives the families a low-threshold first contact with TSV Mühlhofen.

Cooperation with the music school: SBS (Sing - Move - Speak)

Sing - Move - Speak - SBS for short - is a music education program for the holistic development of children. 
Above all, it is also an efficient and demonstrably successful way of sustainably supporting pre-school children who have special language development needs.

Cooperation with the Lichtenbergschule Uhldingen-Mühlhofen 

At the beginning of the last year of kindergarten, regular visits are made by the cooperation teacher from Lichtenberg School. During these visits, various educational activities are used to assess the current level of development of the future school starters.
In addition, the children can visit the Lichtenberg School in their last year of kindergarten. They get to know the building and experience a lesson.