Introduction/specifics

Our daycare center is located in the center of Ermingen, right next to the elementary school and the gym. Ermingen is a small town on the outskirts of Ulm.

Our daycare center, which offers extended hours, cares for 55 children ranging in age from 1 year old until they start school. Of these, 10 spots are for children ages 1–3 in Module 1, 2 spots are for 2-year-olds in Module 2, and 43 spots are for children ages 3 and up in Module 2.

Thanks to its rural location—with many fields, meadows, and wooded areas on the outskirts of town, as well as a pond in the immediate vicinity—the setting offers a wealth of opportunities for children to engage meaningfully with nature. The spacious and well-established garden also provides children with a place for physical activity, independent play, and experiencing nature. Thanks to the convenient connection via the nearby bus stop, we also have the ideal starting point for excursions to the city of Ulm, which allows us to enable the children to take advantage of the city’s cultural diversity and make it a tangible experience for them.

We are also participating in the “Special Education Teachers in Ulm City Daycare Centers” project and have a special education teacher as an integral part of our team.

We also apply our knowledge from the EMIL and SELIMA concepts—developed by the ZNL in Ulm—to promote executive functions and self-regulation in our daily kindergarten and daycare routines.

Our care hours:

Module 1: Daily from 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Module 2: Monday through Thursday: 7:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.

               Fridays:                          7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Rooms

Da die Raumgestaltung einen wesentlichen Einfluss auf die Bildungsprozesse der Kinder hat werden diese den unterschiedlichen Bedürfnissen aller Kinder stetig angepasst. Dazu werden sie regelmäßig reflektiert und hinterfragt, um sie den aktuellen Themen, Interessen und Bedürfnissen der Kinder anzupassen. So sollten alle Kinder die Möglichkeit finden sich ihrer Entwicklung und Kompetenz entsprechend, ganzheitlich mit ihren aktuellen Interessen und Themen befassen zu können. Die Materialien und Räumlichkeiten sind für alle Kinder so oft wie möglich frei zugänglich. Die Grundstrukturen ermöglichen einen Anreiz für alle Sinne und Entwicklungsbereiche.

Unsere Bildungsbereiche und Funktionsräume im Kindergarten:

Eßbereich, Mal-Kreativraum, Forscherbereich, Literacy Bereich, Musik Bereich, Bewegungsraum, Bau-und Konstruktionsraum, Werkraum, Mathebereich, Rollenspiel und Außenspielbereich. Der Krippe:

Angelehnt an das Emmi Pikler Raumkonzept zur freien Bewegungsentwicklung der Kinder, sind unsere Krippenräume so gestaltet, dass jüngere Kinder die Möglichkeiten ihres Körpers in ihrem eigenen Tempo entdecken und selbst weiterentwickeln können. Durch Beobachtungen der pädagogischen Fachkräfte wird für alle Entwicklungsschritte der Kinder der Raum entsprechend mit Material und Möbeln angepasst. So werden die Kinder angeregt den nächsten Entwicklungsschritt zu gehen. Zum Beispiel wird Platz geschafft zum Krabbeln oder es werden kleine Möbel bereitgestellt, an denen sie sich selbst hochziehen können. Die Kinder lernen mit allen Sinnen, durch und mit ihrem Körper. Das Raum- und wechselnde Materialangebot bietet altersgerechte Anreize eigene Bildungsprozesse in Gang zu setzen. Diese umfassen alle Bildungsbereiche die auch im Kindergarten zu finden sind. Diese werden dem Entwicklungsstand der Kinder angepasst und als Bildungsinseln angeboten. Die Krippe hat einen großen Raum, einen kleineren Nebenraum sowie einen Sanitärraum.

Der große Raum wird als Basis Station genutzt und hat eine für die Kinder eigenständig nutzbare zweite Ebene, eine festintegrierte Bücherwand, einen Essbereich und viel Fläche die nach den aktuellen Bedürfnissen, Interessen und Themen der Kinder gestaltet wird. Es entstehen Bildungsinseln wie ein Baubereich mit Konstruktions- und Schüttmaterial, ein Rollenspielbereich als auch ein Mal- und Kleisterbereich. Fest installiert ist eine Malwand und ein großer Spiegel. Der Nebenraum ist als Schlafraum eingerichtet . Im Sanitärraum befindet sich ein langes Waschbecken, an dem die Kinder mit Wasser spielen können. Dort befindet sich auch eine kleine Toilette und ein Wickelplatz für die Pflege.

Die Krippe hat einen vom Kindergarten abgetrennten Außenbereich. Dort befinden sich ein Sandkasten mit Wasserrinne, Rasenbereich, eine Nestschaukel sowie Kletter- und Rutschgeräte, die die Kinder eigenständig nutzen können.

Food

At our daycare center, the children bring their meals from home.  Depending on how long they are at the center, they have the opportunity to eat one or two meals. Plates, glasses, and utensils are provided in the dining area. The children can set their own places at the table and clean up afterward.

Unsweetened tea and mineral water are freely available to the children throughout the day.

The children are free to choose when to have breakfast. They are reminded to go eat breakfast by a signal (a rattle and the verbal prompt “Don’t forget to eat!”).

The children can also eat in the covered area of the garden. Tables and benches, as well as plates, glasses, and drinks, are provided there.

We also cook or bake together with the children. The goal is for the children to gain experience with a wide variety of foods, preparation methods, and the use of kitchen appliances. We emphasize variety and involve the children in the selection process. Once a month, there is a breakfast buffet for the children. Parents take turns bringing fruit, vegetables, bread, and spreads.

The daycare center has a dining area for the children. Depending on when they arrive, the children can have breakfast. Drinks are also available at children’s height throughout the day. At 11 a.m., everyone eats breakfast together. When the weather is nice, this can take place at the tables in the garden. We make sure the children develop consistent mealtime routines. For example, they have a first meal right after arriving and then a second meal together at 11 a.m., so they can develop a regular eating pattern and learn to recognize when they’re hungry.

Basics

The foundations of educational work in the city’s childcare centres are:

•    The ‘infans’ action plan for early years education

•    The revised framework for childcare centres and home-based childcare in Baden-Württemberg

“The child is the architect of their own development.”

Quote from Maria Montessori – educational reformer

The City of Ulm incorporates this fundamental educational philosophy into its childcare centres and, through the ‘infans’ action plan for early childhood education, places the children’s individual educational processes at the centre of its approach.

Core elements of the concept:

The educational staff observe and reflect on what is important to each individual child and which topics are currently engaging the child. These observations are documented in the child’s portfolio. Based on this, the staff develop individual challenges for each child in line with their educational interests and learning themes. In this way, the child is supported in their learning process.

Educational objectives are drawn up by the childcare centre’s team and incorporated into the educational practice. In this way, cultural considerations, the priorities of the provider, the parents and the staff are also conveyed to the children.

These observations and educational objectives form the basis of our educational work.

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

Based on the ‘infans’ early years education framework, the curriculum is implemented to a high professional standard. Within the open-plan layout, the children have access to the entire building with all its stimulatingly designed activity rooms and learning areas. Thanks to open access to all rooms, the children can explore their topics and interests in a targeted manner.

The children are thus offered an optimal learning environment in which they can experience a sense of community and develop a love of learning.

Although the educational principles are the same across all centres, each centre has its own distinct profile.

Quality Assurance

The ongoing development of our educational work is a key priority for us. Weekly team meetings provide an opportunity for professional discussion, reflection on educational practice and joint development. Existing processes are continuously reviewed and adapted to meet the needs of the children and their families.

In addition, our staff regularly take part in further training and professional development as part of the local authority’s training programme.

Teamwork with school

An important part of our work is our close collaboration with Ermingen Primary School. The transition from nursery to primary school is a special step for every child. Together with the school, we aim to support this transition carefully and ensure the children get off to a good start in this new phase of their lives.

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

•    Supporting the transition from nursery to primary school

•    Exchanging information and providing advice with the nursery

•    Conducting classroom visits and running activities at the nursery

•    School visits for pre-school children

Teamwork with parents

Working closely with families is very important to us. We see supporting the children as a shared responsibility – and therefore maintain an open and regular dialogue with parents. Casual chats in the course of everyday life, as well as regular development meetings, give parents an ongoing insight into their child’s development.

Once a year, we hold a parents’ evening to discuss current issues and provide information about the nursery. In addition, we invite families to play an active part in shaping life at the nursery – whether at parties or during special events such as Storytelling Day.

The Parents’ Council plays a vital role as a link between parents and the nursery. Concerns, requests and organisational matters are discussed together at regular meetings.

Specifics

As an educational centre for children aged 3 to 10, we work particularly closely with the primary school. Joint learning and educational programmes enable the children to have a wide range of interactions with the school and its pupils whilst they are still at nursery. In this way, we ensure a smooth transition and lay a solid foundation for a continuous educational journey from nursery through to primary school.