Introduction/specifics

• In this open, structured spatial concept, the children have access to the entire building, with its thoughtfully designed activity rooms and learning centers. With free access to all rooms, the children can explore their topics and interests in a focused manner. The children are provided with an environment that meets their needs for guidance, security, physical activity, and community. Through partnerships with various institutions—in particular the Schaffnerstraße Children’s and Family Center—and by involving parents or family members in daily life, we open our facility to the outside community.

• We offer care for children ages 1 – 6 in Module 6, which accommodates 30 children.  Our hours of operation are Monday through Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.                         

Living and Learning with Enthusiasm—for Today and Tomorrow”

Rooms

Reading, Writing, Media, and Poetry Workshop

In our reading, media, and writing workshop, we invite children to discover language, stories, images, and writing through play. As they look at picture books, listen to stories being read aloud, and tell their own stories, they are given space for their own thoughts, questions, and imagination. Together, we explore poems, rhymes, and language games; listen to the sound and rhythm of language; and create our own verses. We explore various media together and use them creatively. Using a camera, the children capture their own discoveries, look at their pictures together, and use them as inspiration for storytelling or to create their own picture stories. Using a variety of materials, the children can try their hand at their first drawings and letters, leaving their mark—without any pressure to perform. We support them according to their interests and developmental stage and incorporate their family languages. The goal is to spark a joy for language and expression, as well as to enable self-directed learning and collaborative creation.

Role-Play Room

In the role-play room, children can explore and recreate their world through play. They develop imagination, creativity, and self-confidence—whether at the play store, in the doctor’s office, in the play kitchen, with puppet shows, shadow plays, or acting out scenes. Children can take on different roles and characters, act out everyday situations, invent their own stories, and put on little performances. In the process, they learn to express their feelings and thoughts, empathize with others, and work together to bring their ideas to life. Children experience everyday routines in a playful way, and at the same time, their language, social, and emotional skills, as well as their independence and sense of community, are strengthened.

Building/Construction Room

The construction room offers children a wide range of opportunities to develop their creativity, imagination, and spatial awareness. By independently planning, building, and constructing with various materials, children develop their fine motor skills, problem-solving abilities, and foundational understanding of mathematics and science. In addition, children strengthen their independence, perseverance, and social skills by working together to develop ideas, find solutions, and design their structures.

Science and Ecology

In this area, children are encouraged to explore their environment with all their senses. They observe natural phenomena and, through their own experimentation, begin to understand basic scientific concepts. They develop an awareness of the diversity and value of nature and learn to use natural resources thoughtfully, as well as to take responsibility for their environment.

Art Studio

In our art studio, aesthetic education is much more than just painting pictures or learning about colors and shapes—above all, it means discovering the world with all the senses. Through creative design, children gain new experiences, develop their own ideas and insights, and can express their perceptions in a variety of ways. We view creativity as a creative skill that we value and nurture on an individual basis.

pace for Movement

"Through movement, the child enters into a dialogue with its environment; movement connects its inner world with its outer world. The world reveals itself to the child through movement. Step by step, the child takes possession of it. With the help of physical and sensory experiences, the child forms concepts; through interaction, it learns about and comes to understand cause-and-effect relationships. Thus, the kinesthetic senses—the sense of balance, the sense of touch, sight, and hearing—provide the child with many impressions of its environment and of itself in relation to it. Grasping is always also a form of understanding; taking hold is a form of comprehending. Even before a child can express itself through language, it already acquires knowledge of spatial relationships, and it gains this knowledge through experiences involving perception and movement, in which these connections become apparent.” Prof. Dr. Renate Zimmer

Movement is fun and promotes health. Whether climbing, running, jumping, dancing, or doing yoga: diverse forms of movement stimulate imagination and creativity. They appeal to children of all ages, allowing them to fully express their natural joy of movement and to convey their thoughts and feelings.

A variety of physical activities supports healthy posture and good body awareness. It improves coordination, concentration, and perception; strengthens self-esteem; and simultaneously promotes motor skills, social interaction, and emotional balance.

Even young children explore their surroundings through movement. They crawl, run, climb, jump, balance, or move rhythmically to music—spontaneously, curiously, and joyfully.

Climbing, running, yoga, jumping, balancing, and dancing cater to children’s natural urge to move. Moving together fosters social connections and can strengthen them.

The Garden as a Space for Learning and Experience

The outdoor area offers a unique range of learning opportunities that are not possible indoors. Sensory experiences: Children can explore natural materials such as wood, stones, water, sand, and plants with all their senses. This sensory diversity promotes perception and both fine and gross motor skills

Experiencing Nature: Direct contact with nature enables children to independently discover and understand environmental processes (e.g., plant growth, weather phenomena). A well-designed garden supports children’s holistic development.

Independent Activity: Children can explore their environment on their own, which strengthens their sense of self-efficacy and problem-solving skills.

Projects and Daily Life: The garden serves as a space for hands-on activities such as gardening, sowing, and harvesting (e.g., radishes or herbs), which fosters an understanding of food production and sustainability.

Modern spatial designs aim for a seamless connection between the group room and the garden. Through large windows or open doors, materials and activities can move back and forth depending on weather conditions and educational needs.

The use of natural materials (wood, plants) characterizes both the indoor and outdoor areas and creates a unified, calm aesthetic that invites children to linger.

The Daycare Center—a Safe Place to Belong and Grow

The U3 Room is the “nest” for the youngest children in our center.

Our nursery is a safe and stimulating educational and living environment for children under three years of age. In a loving, supportive atmosphere, we provide attentive care for each child, focusing on their individual needs, interests, and unique pace of development. Recurring rituals, consistent caregivers, and a child-friendly room design provide a sense of security and lay the foundation for children to increasingly explore their environment independently.

Our educational approach builds on the diverse experiences and forms of expression of our youngest children. Through free play, physical activities, singing and storytelling together, creative projects, and exploring materials and nature, the children gain important experiences that support their physical, linguistic, emotional, social, and cognitive development. In the process, their cues and interests are noticed, addressed, and used as a starting point for individual learning processes.

The nursery works closely with the section for three- to six-year-olds in the same building. Through shared interactions, cross-group activities, familiar spaces and materials, and collaboration among the educational staff, the children experience the facility as a cohesive living and learning environment. Older and younger children can interact with one another, learn from each other, and form their first relationships, without losing sight of the needs of their respective age groups.

The transition from the nursery to the section for three- to six-year-olds is handled gently and in a participatory manner. The children gradually become familiar with their future spaces, caregivers, and daily routines, allowing them to prepare for the change at their own pace. A trusting partnership with families, along with ongoing coordination within the educational team, ensures that this important developmental step provides a sense of security and enables a smooth transition into the new group.

Daily Schedule

Daily Structure

In our open-concept approach, children have many opportunities to explore the spaces on their own and to immerse themselves in their interests and topics. During free play, the children decide where, with whom, and for how long they want to play.

Recurring elements, such as morning circles or play circles, group activities, or shared meals, provide children with the necessary structure to help shape their day independently.

Daily Schedule

Arrival at the Daycare Center: Joint welcome for nursery and preschool children

Learning Spaces: The children then go to the various learning and activity rooms. They decide for themselves where, with whom, and for how long they want to play. This allows the children to choose a room or an activity based on their interests.

=>Morning circle and activity time are often spent in the garden or on walks.

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet: A small breakfast buffet and drinks are set out in the kitchen, and the children can help themselves.

Morning circle: The children gather for morning circle. They discuss the day’s plans, learn about upcoming activities, and celebrate birthdays.

Lunch time: The children are divided into smaller groups and eat lunch together in these groups.

Rest: Rest and Sleep Time Children who are tired lie down to rest or sleep. A staff member stays with them and reads or sings to them.

Children who aren’t sleeping or resting either join in story time, participate in a short yoga session, go on an imaginary journey, or listen to a story on CD.

Activities: Continuation of morning activities, free play, walks, field trips

Food

We offer breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack in a flexible setting. This gives the children the opportunity to listen to their own needs and decide for themselves when the right time is for a break. At the same time, they experience mealtime as a pleasant, communal activity with friends.

Children can have breakfast on their own schedule between 7:00 and 9:00 a.m.

Lunch is provided fresh daily by a catering service.

For the nursery children, lunch begins at 11:15 a.m. Afterward, the daycare children go to lunch in rotating groups of their own choosing.

We offer a small afternoon snack. This is also provided by the caterer. It is usually a fruit or vegetable snack.

Basics

Educational Concept:

The foundations of educational work in the city’s child care facilities are:

•    The infans Action Plan for Early Childhood Education

•    The revised Orientation Plan for daycare centers and family day care in Baden-Württemberg

“The child is the architect of his or her own development.”

Quote from Maria Montessori—educational reformer

The City of Ulm incorporates this fundamental educational philosophy into its daycare centers and, using the infans Action Concept for Early Childhood Education, places the children’s individual educational processes at the center of its approach.

Key Elements of the Concept:

The early childhood educators observe and reflect on what is important to each individual child and what topics are currently on the child’s mind. These observations are documented in the child’s portfolio. Based on this, the educators develop individualized challenges for each child in accordance with the child’s educational interests and learning topics. In this way, the child is supported in his or her learning process.

The daycare center’s team develops educational goals and integrates them into their pedagogical practice. In this way, cultural concerns, as well as the priorities of the operating organization, parents, and the staff, are conveyed to the children.

The observations and educational goals form the foundation of the pedagogical work.

Detailed information can be found at www.infans.de.

Based on the infans action plan for early childhood education, the orientation plan is implemented at a high professional level. Within the open-structured spatial concept, the children have access to the entire facility, including all of its stimulatingly designed functional rooms and learning areas. Open access to all rooms allows children to explore their topics and interests in a focused manner.

This provides the children with an optimal learning environment in which they can experience a sense of community and develop a joy of learning.

Although the educational principles are the same across all facilities, each facility has its own unique profile.

Quality Assurance

Quality Assurance

The continuous improvement of our educational work is a top priority for us. Weekly team meetings provide a space for professional exchange, reflection on educational practices, and collaborative development. Existing processes are continuously reviewed and adapted to meet the needs of the children and families.

In addition, our staff regularly participate in continuing education and professional development as part of the city’s training program.

Teamwork with school

Collaboration with the School

An important part of our work is our close collaboration with “Name of the Elementary School.” The transition from preschool to elementary school is a special step for every child. Together with the school, we want to carefully support this transition and help the children get off to a good start in this new phase of their lives.

A liaison teacher is an integral part of this collaboration. The following activities take place as part of this partnership:

•    Supporting the transition from daycare to elementary school

•    Exchanging information and providing guidance with the daycare center

•    Conducting classroom observations and activities at the daycare center

•    School visits for preschoolers

Teamwork with parents

Collaboration with Parents

Collaborating with families is very important to us. We view supporting the children as a shared responsibility—and therefore maintain an open and regular dialogue with parents. Casual conversations throughout the day, as well as regular developmental meetings, give parents ongoing insight into their child’s development.

Once a year, we hold a parents’ evening to discuss current topics and share information about the center. In addition, we invite families to actively help shape life at the daycare—whether through celebrations or special events such as Storytime Day.

The Parent Advisory Board plays a vital role as a link between parents and the center. During regular meetings, we discuss concerns, requests, and organizational matters together.

Specifics

Our educational focus areas are:

Literacy

The term “literacy” comes from English and refers to reading and writing skills.

One way we put this into practice, for example, is by having children tell their own stories and recite their own poems. The children dictate to the adults what they want to have written down. Through this, they experience how their thoughts are captured in writing—that is, how spoken language is transformed into written language. They learn that a story has a specific structure and discover that it can also be changed. They are encouraged by the staff to tell their stories and include more detailed descriptions so they can express the content more precisely using different phrasing. The children can also illustrate their stories themselves. Through this entire process, the children see themselves as authors and feel valued for their work.

Creative Design

Creative design in our studio workshop is not only about broadening perception, but also about gaining new experiences, ideas, and insights into the world’s connections and meanings—embedded in the child’s individual world of experience and linked to their own emotionally driven expression. When communicating with other children and adults about their creative ideas and creations, children engage in deeper reflection on the world and its phenomena, experiencing themselves as active co-creators of that world. We view a child’s creativity as a creative competence and support it. That is why we always hold an in-house exhibition of pictures and artworks that the children have painted, designed, or created themselves.

In Ulm, Around Ulm, and Nearby
Field trips and expeditions are an integral part of our educational work. They enable the children to consciously explore their surroundings.
Through direct observation and shared experiences, the children expand their knowledge. At the same time, they improve their sense of direction and develop a personal connection to their environment.
Through outdoor learning, the children experience nature and the environment firsthand. They learn why it’s important to use resources responsibly and how they themselves can act in an environmentally conscious way.
The children practice moving attentively and safely in traffic. They learn important traffic signs and rules and gain practical experience with public transportation, such as the streetcar.

Shared journeys foster consideration, a willingness to help, and respectful interaction with others at bus stops, on trams and trains, and at the places we visit.
•    Exploring Ulm and the surrounding area:
Getting to know public buildings and practicing considerate behavior in the city center. Discovering the city’s landmarks, comparing architectural styles and sizes. Getting to know half-timbered houses, narrow alleys, bridges, and the River Blau while searching for traces of the city’s history.
Discovering nature: The children discover the diversity of plants and animals, explore different habitats, and observe seasonal changes with all their senses.
Promoting physical activity: By playing on uneven terrain, they strengthen their balance, endurance, and physical coordination.
Taking on responsibility: The children learn to treat plants and animals with respect, not to leave trash behind, and to protect natural habitats.
•    Museum visits:
Discover various topics and acquire new knowledge through play.
•    Children’s library at the Ulm City Library:
Get to know books, language, and media, and practice treating borrowed items with care and consideration for others.

Diversity

The focus is on dialogue and an effort to find ways to support the natural exchange between different cultures. The lives of all children and their parents or families are at the center of our educational work. Every child should have the opportunity to feel at home in our spaces and through our programs. Children experience respect, recognition, and appreciation for their language and culture at the daycare center, enabling them to develop a positive sense of identity.

We also participate in the following programs and projects:

Adventure Reading

This Ulm-based initiative is a network of city and neighborhood libraries,

the ZEBRA citizen agency, the ROSTFREI group, and daycare centers. Volunteer readers read aloud at the daycare centers. The focus is on the children’s enthusiasm, with the goal of sparking a love of reading, storytelling, and speaking. In the entranceway, there is a book-swap shelf that invites children to borrow or exchange books.

Federal Program “Language Daycare Centers: Because Language Is the Key to the World”

Language Education and Support Integrated into Everyday Life for All Children

Inclusive Education: Diversity and Differences as an Enrichment in Everyday Daycare Life

Collaboration with Families in the Form of a Trust-Based Partnership in Education and Upbringing

The goal of the “Sprach-Kitas” program is to improve and further develop language education and support integrated into daily life in daycare centers. Language is the key to good educational opportunities and to more equitable access to education and participation for all children. Early language education and support for all children make an important contribution to this. Children learn language in stimulating situations within their everyday lives and experiences. Language education integrated into daily life is tailored to the children’s individual skills and interests and supports their natural language development. The “Sprach Kitas” focus in particular on the following key areas:

Further details in the SPRACHFIT project, which will launch in the 2026/27 daycare year

Description and Stations

Our facility is located near the courthouse and is easily accessible via tram line 1.

The best times to reach us by phone are from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Otherwise, please send us an email.