Introduction/specifics

Welcome to the “Haus der kleinen Strolche”

Our daycare center is located on the outskirts of Wittenberge. The Friedensteich pond is located in the immediate vicinity, surrounded by a small forest.

We offer space for 130 children aged 0-7 years. The children are looked after in two nursery groups and six kindergarten groups by educators (state-certified teaching professionals). Our groups are largely composed of children of the same age.

The natural surroundings invite us to go on walks and excursions in the forest, to the Friedensteich pond, and to the nearby gardens. Our children love to run up and down the hills in the woods, collect branches, sticks, and pine cones for their games, observe animals, and listen to the sounds of nature. It is important to us to teach them how to treat nature with care from an early age. They learn not to destroy plants wantonly, to treat all living creatures with respect, and not to leave any rubbish behind in the forest.

Rooms

Our rooms are bright and attractively designed. The functional corners stimulate the children's imagination and motivate them to discover and try things out for themselves. Shelves, toy boxes, and material boxes are labeled with pictures so that the children can quickly find their way around. To counteract sensory overload, we offer a limited selection of games and materials and exchange them according to the children's interests and learning progress.

Outdoor Facilities

The outdoor area covers 6000 square meters and thus offers plenty of space for playing, discovering, romping around, and trying things out. Various climbing facilities, a slide, sandboxes, seesaws, swings, and a ground-level trampoline encourage children's natural urge to move. A construction trailer and various playhouses offer places to retreat. The play area for the youngest children is structurally separated so that they can play safely while still participating in the activities of the older children.

Food

We place great importance on providing children with a healthy and varied diet. Fruit and vegetables are served raw every day. We mainly use regional and seasonal produce.

All meals (breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack) are freshly prepared every day in our in-house kitchen. We naturally take allergies, food intolerances, and religious requirements into account. The children's wishes are taken into account when planning the menus.

Water and tea are available to the children throughout the day.

Children's restaurant:

In the children's restaurant, we offer children aged 3 to 7 a flexible, self-service breakfast from 7:00 to 8:45 a.m. An educational specialist is on hand to assist them if necessary and is available as a contact person. Lunch is eaten in groups.

The nursery children eat their meals in their familiar surroundings.

Basics

Our educational approach reflects the values of the Workers' Welfare Association. We live a democratic ethos with the children, in which solidarity, tolerance, equality, and justice are taken into account. Our educational activities are geared towards the interests, needs, and requirements of the children. We see the entire daily routine as an educational process in which play plays the main role. In addition, there are activities and projects that address topics of current interest to the children. These are carried out both within groups and open to all.

Participation in the library project and various taster days at elementary schools is an integral part of everyday life at the daycare center for preschool children.

Settling in:

Settling in at the nursery is based on the “Berlin settling-in model” and takes three weeks. An individual and flexible schedule is discussed with the accompanying person, focusing on the child and their needs.

In the elementary area, we follow the “Düsseldorf settling-in model.” Here, too, the focus is on the child. The time frame is usually no longer than 1-2 weeks and is individually tailored in consultation with the parents and depending on the child's behavior.

Festivals and celebrations:

Festivals and celebrations have a firm place in our lives and are cultivated as traditions. These include, for example:

Carnival
Children's Day
Summer Festival
Farewell to the new students
Lantern parade

Teamwork with parents

Open and trusting cooperation with families is very important to us. We have a daycare committee that is involved in all important decisions and also determines the closing times for the coming year. We always appreciate the support of parents at parties and projects. For example, we owe the renovation of our construction trailer to a parent initiative.

Other forms of cooperation include:

Short daily conversations (so-called doorstep chats)
Parent-teacher conferences
Development meetings
Advice and support for individual needs
Our families receive information via the “Stay Informed App,” which we have been using successfully for years as a reliable means of communication.