Introduction/specifics

Introduction to our daycare center

We are a two-group daycare center with space for up to 37 children aged 1–6.

As a small facility, a familiar and intimate atmosphere is particularly important to us. Everyone knows everyone here—children, parents, and educational staff. This close-knit community creates a sense of security, safety, and trust, forming an important foundation for healthy development and individual learning.

What makes us special

Mondays are “outdoor days”. Every Monday, we spend our regular nature and adventure day outside the daycare center. The children are on the move:

• in Hochstädten
• at various playgrounds
• in meadows and fields
• in the forest

They discover their environment with all their senses, strengthen their motor skills, and experience community in nature. Exploring, observing, and moving outdoors is an integral part of our everyday educational activities.

Weekly religious education project

Once a week, we hold a religious education project. In an age-appropriate and playful way, the children learn Christian values such as charity, community, gratitude, and mindfulness.

Rituals, stories, songs, and creative activities accompany this time and give the children orientation and stability throughout the year.

Cooperation & Excursions

Depending on the topic and interests of the children, we visit different institutions and places, for example:

• the volunteer fire department
• other daycare centers
• Auerbach Castle
• senior citizens
• the church community

These excursions broaden the children's horizons, promote social skills, and make learning lively and tangible.

Project-based work

We work in a project-based manner and address topics that arise from the children's interests and life situations.

• Thematic projects based on the children's interests
• Participation: Children are allowed to have a say
• Situation-based approach
• Learning opportunities in small and large groups

This enables us to provide holistic learning with the head, heart, and hands.

Rituals & structure

Fixed rituals in the daily and weekly routine give the children security and orientation.

• Joint celebrations throughout the year
• Birthday rituals
• Graduation rituals for our preschool children

Structure and recurring routines strengthen the sense of community and emotional well-being.

Preschool work

In the last year of kindergarten, we prepare the children specifically for the transition to school.

• Special preschool offerings
• Cooperation with the elementary school
• Promotion of concentration, independence, and social skills

Our goal is to accompany each child individually and enable them to have a secure, strengthened start to this new phase of their lives.

Rooms

Nursery area (children under 3)

Our nursery has its own group room and a bedroom where the children can find peace and security. The children's cloakroom is located directly in the entrance area, next to the children's bathroom with a changing table.

The open bistro area offers space for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. Here, the children can eat together and get ready for the day ahead.

A multipurpose room can be used in a variety of ways:

• Physical activities with wall bars, slide, vaulting horses, mats, and plastic building blocks
• Rest or relaxation time
• Devotions and small religious activities
• Dance or music projects

This allows the children to move around, be creative, or relax according to their needs.

Daycare area (ages 3 and up)

The staircase leads to the upper level of the daycare center. There you will find:

• Daycare group cloakroom
• Group room for a variety of educational activities
• Children's bathroom

The group rooms are bright, friendly, and flexibly designed. Here, the children can:

• Paint, do crafts, and work with materials
• Build and construct
• Engage in role-playing games and stories
• Play movement games
• Small projects and activities

The rooms promote creativity, movement, social learning, and relaxation—depending on the children's needs.

Outdoor Facilities

Our outdoor area offers plenty of space for playing, exploring, and exercising. Children can play in the sand, use the water pump, let off steam on the climbing frame with slide, or discover the little playhouse, which is especially for our under-3s.

There is also a climbing path that leads up to a small hill. At the top is a small platform that is ideal for resting, reading books, or having small picnics.

In this way, we combine exercise, nature experiences, relaxation, and shared experiences in a varied outdoor area that supports children in their motor, social, and creative development.

Daily Schedule

Our daily routine

Our daycare center opens at 7:30 a.m. The children are greeted individually and can then move straight on to free play.

From 8:00 a.m. to around 10:15 a.m., the children have the opportunity to eat breakfast. Breakfast is prepared and supervised by a teacher.

At around 9:00 a.m., a short morning circle takes place in the respective core groups. This provides an opportunity for singing together, discussions, religious reflections, and planning the day.

The rest of the morning is devoted to free play, both in the group rooms and outdoors. In addition, there are targeted educational activities and projects, such as painting and crafts, or special projects such as school children's meetings.

The first pick-up time begins at 12:00 p.m.

At 12:30 p.m., the children eat lunch in two groups.

This is followed by nap time for the nursery children. The kindergarten children have a rest period until around 2:00 p.m.

After that, it is time for free play indoors or outdoors again.

At 3:15 p.m., the afternoon children receive a snack.

Pick-up times in the afternoon are either between approximately 1:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. or – after the snack – between 3:45 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

On Fridays, our facility is open until 2:00 p.m.

Food

Our lunch is freshly prepared every day by the Protestant daycare center Steinweg and delivered to us by food suppliers. The menu is varied and tailored to the healthy nutrition needs of children.

Breakfast is served as a buffet with high-quality organic products, so that the children can choose for themselves and actively put together their own meal.

In the afternoon, we offer the children a small snack to give them energy for the last few hours of the day at daycare.

In this way, we promote healthy eating, independence, and enjoyment at mealtimes.

Basics

At our Protestant daycare center, everyday life is lived to the fullest. Everything that is important for child development can be found in everyday situations at the daycare center. Everyday life offers the best opportunities for education and development. Every child and their family is welcome here. We keep a close eye on all the children and accompany, encourage, and support them every day. Every child is allowed to learn and play according to their own development and pace. A good relationship with parents is important to us.

A good start is important: helping children settle in is very important to us. We adapt to the pace and well-being of each child. To do this, we need the support of parents. This requires time from you as parents, but especially from your child. Only when children settle in well at our daycare center can they build trust and feel comfortable.

The daycare center is a place of education for the children. It is important to us that they are allowed to have a say in decisions, rules, and boundaries that affect them (participation).

Playing is always a learning process. We support children by offering them different learning environments and learning stimuli. It is important that they experience success and are able to achieve the goals they set for themselves. This strengthens their self-confidence. Free play is also important for children. It allows them to develop, try things out, experiment, learn, and discover. This is the only way they can learn about their abilities, strengths, and limitations.

Religious education is also an important part of our work. Through Bible stories, songs, and conversations, the children learn about God. Together with the children, we experience the church year and its festivals. Our pastors also support us in this. Through everyday encounters and celebrations, the children experience the differences, but also the similarities in thinking, faith, and life. Tolerance and acceptance of all religions and cultures are part of everyday life at our daycare center.

If you would like more details and further information about our Protestant daycare center, you can find our concept on our website: bergkirche-auerbach.ekhn.de

Employee

Our team consists of ten employees. It includes educational specialists, a working student, a daycare assistant, and a housekeeper and cleaner. We are also supported by a caretaker and an external cleaning company. In addition, we are assisted by a volunteer every two weeks.

Quality Assurance

As a Protestant institution, we attach great importance to quality development and quality assurance. Our team regularly participates in joint team training at least once a year. In addition, every employee has the opportunity to attend individual training and further education courses. In regular team meetings, we reflect on our educational work, further develop our processes, and record them in writing.

Cooperations

Bei Bedarf arbeiten wir mit verschiedenen Institutionen zusammen. Dazu gehören z.B. Frühförderstelle, Erziehungsberatungsstelle, Jugendamt, Zentrum Bildung, Grundschulen in Auerbach, Kitas in Auerbach, Ergotherapeuten oder Logopäden.

Teamwork with school

We work closely with the Schlossberg School and the Schiller School in Auerbach. Through regular consultations and continuous communication, we support the children in their transition from daycare to elementary school and make this process as smooth and prepared as possible.

Teamwork with parents

Educational partnership with parents

A trusting and appreciative educational partnership with parents is an important foundation of our pedagogical work. As a daycare center, we see ourselves as supportive and accompanying partners to families.

After the settling-in period – usually after about six to eight weeks – an initial settling-in meeting takes place. In this meeting, we reflect together on the settling-in phase and report on the child's first weeks, experiences, and activities at our facility. Especially in the early stages, we maintain close and continuous communication with parents.

Once a year, around the child's birthday, we hold a development meeting with the respective teacher. During this meeting, we discuss the child's stage of development, strengths, interests, and possible support needs.

At the end of the kindergarten period – before the transition to school – a final meeting takes place.

If you have any concerns, questions, criticism, or suggestions, we would be happy to discuss them with you in person. Open and respectful communication is very important to us. We are happy to make time for scheduled appointments or to clarify minor issues in an informal conversation.

Upon request, we will of course also provide you with our detailed familiarization concept.

Specifics

Our particular strengths

• Pure nature right on our doorstep – daily adventures in the forest, meadows, and fields
• Monday is outdoor day – exercise, discovery, and experiences in the fresh air
• Family atmosphere – small groups, great trust, close bonds with children and parents
• Cross-age learning – learning from each other, growing together
• Inclusion and diversity – every child is welcome, individually supported and encouraged
• Religious education – experiencing values such as community, gratitude, and charity in a playful way
• Project- and child-interest-oriented – children actively shape their everyday lives
• Preschool work with heart – targeted support for a confident start to school
• Diverse excursions and collaborations – fire department, castle, senior citizens, and church community

Projects

Our daycare center works according to a situation-oriented approach. The interests and lives of the children are at the heart of our educational work. Everyday observations give rise to projects and educational opportunities that enable holistic learning and strengthen the children's independence.

An integral part of our daily routine is our weekly outing on Mondays, when the children actively experience nature and the environment. In addition, religious education takes place once a week. We hold devotions in our daycare center or in the Bergkirche church. Christian values such as respect, charity, and community accompany our daily interactions.

For our preschoolers, we offer a targeted schoolchildren's project once a week. This includes excursions, such as visits to the police, the fire department, or other local institutions, as well as group activities and small projects on various topics. These activities promote concentration, language, basic mathematical understanding, social behavior, and independence, for example. The aim is to prepare the children for the transition to school in a playful and holistic way.

Throughout the year, we celebrate festivals such as Carnival, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and our summer party together. In addition, special projects such as a first aid project and fire safety education take place annually.

Through collaboration with partner daycare centers, children broaden their horizons and gain valuable social experience.

Our daycare center is a place of security, learning, and community—a space where children can grow, discover, and develop.

Overview

We welcome children aged 1 to 6 to our daycare center.

We generally give priority to children from the Hochstadt area, but we are also open to families from across the city. Siblings are given priority so that families can be cared for without complications.

We take a flexible and individual approach to admissions to make it as easy as possible for all families to join us. If you are interested in a place, please contact us—we will work together to find a solution.

Description and Stations

Coming from Auerbach, take Mühltalstraße towards Hochstädten.
In Hochstädten, take the last right onto Felsbergstraße.
Our daycare center is located directly on this street. Parking is available in the immediate vicinity.