Work Based on the Situational Approach

The situational approach aims to foster children’s independence, social skills, and sense of responsibility. The program is based on everyday experiences and topics from the children’s lives, which are explored and addressed together. Learning takes place in real-life situations, such as when participants plan, make decisions, or design processes together. Specifically, this could mean, for example, that every day one group of children goes shopping for the ingredients for breakfast or lunch together with a teacher, and another group of children then prepares the meal, also together with a teacher. The central guiding principles are children’s participation, equality, openness to different life experiences, and the integration and inclusion of all children.

Reggio Approach

The Reggio approach is understood less as a fixed model and more as an educational philosophy. The focus is on the children’s curiosity, creativity, and initiative. Adults guide the learning process without dictating it. Children work on projects, explore their own questions, and investigate their environment in their own unique ways. Observing and documenting these learning processes plays a central role and helps children reflect on their experiences.

Montessori Education

The guiding principle of Montessori education is: “Help me to do it myself.” The goal is to help children become more independent and give them the space to learn on their own. The central element is independent work: The children choose for themselves what they want to do, how long they want to work on it, and whether they want to learn on their own or together. Specially developed materials support this process and promote concentration, self-motivation, and self-discipline.

Waldorf Education

Waldorf education places great emphasis on artistic, craft-based, and rhythmic elements in children’s daily lives. Natural materials and free play foster imagination and creativity. A clearly structured daily—and often weekly—routine provides the children with a sense of direction and security. Regular activities include free play, storytelling, and artistic creation, among others. In many institutions, eurythmy—a movement-based form of expression—is also part of the educational program.

Fröbel’s educational philosophy

Fröbel’s educational philosophy places free play at the center of early childhood education. Children should be allowed to explore their environment on their own and develop based on their own inner drive. The role of early childhood educators is to create an appropriate environment for this. Typical examples are the so-called Fröbel toys—simple materials such as balls, cubes, or cylinders that encourage experimentation. The goal is to build self-confidence, curiosity, and a love of independent learning.

Multilingual Child Care Centers

Multilingual daycare centers provide children with early and intensive exposure to a second language. This is particularly effective when the language is used consistently for several hours a day in everyday situations. It is important that the educators have a strong command of the respective language; ideally, they should be native speakers. As early as around age two, children can distinguish between different languages and acquire them simultaneously.

Inclusive Child Care Centers – Inclusion

Inclusive facilities provide care for children with and without disabilities together. This can take place in special inclusive preschools or through individual integration into regular daycare centers. The groups are usually smaller, and additional staff members provide individualized support to the children. Inclusive programs promote social skills and mutual understanding among all children.
Today’s approach to inclusion goes even further: The goal is to enable all children, regardless of disabilities, to receive care close to home and to participate on an equal footing. It is not the child who adapts to existing structures; rather, the environment is designed to accommodate diversity.

Forest Education / Nature & Forest Preschools

Nature and forest kindergartens focus on experiencing nature. The children spend most of the day outdoors, exploring the forest with all their senses and engaging in creative activities using natural materials. A construction trailer or a permanent shelter usually serves as a meeting place and a place of refuge. Despite their focus on nature-based education, these institutions meet all the requirements for a well-rounded education and prepare children for their future educational paths. Children are often admitted starting at about two to three years of age, once they can walk steadily.