Every nursery or kindergarten has a particular atmosphere – its own “microclimate”. The most important thing for us is that your child feels at ease, which is why we integrate many activities into our everyday routine so that the children learn to see them as part of normal life. However much we like the idea of offering something special, the most important thing is that the children should learn to deal with everyday duties and activities as a matter of course.

The facilities in our houses are cozy and welcoming – and also extremely clean. The children learn in a playful way about the importance of cleanliness. Personal hygiene such as brushing teeth or washing hands is not optional and forms part of the daily routine. Kids need to enjoy an activity to be persuaded to do it again and again.

We think this is more than just a passing fashion – it is something we should all accept as a vital necessity. An awareness of issues related to energy, recycling, climate change or diet is important. Every child needs to know about them if they are to develop a feeling of responsibility at a later stage. We start in a playful way and gradually create an awareness that should last right into adulthood.

Children have as many different talents and capabilities as adults do. We encourage them to experiment with creative activities such as painting or craftwork, music or physical movement. And we encourage any specific talents that the kids display. This enables them to have fun and develop a sense of pride in their achievements.

The main language at “Die Sternchen” is German, but children also learn to appreciate people speaking other languages. Our nursery and kindergarten operate bilingually (English/German), with a native speaker of each language in each of the groups.

We keep a diary for every child for the entirety of their time at “Die Sternchen”. This creates lifelong memories of those special experiences and activities, with many photos and descriptions of the stages the child has gone through. These are assessed using special evaluation sheets, and the diary entries are individually handwritten.