Sustainability
We have received a UNESCO Award for Education for Sustainable development.
As the major social challenge for our times, sustainability of course also plays an important role in the daily work with our children.
Early childhood is an especially sensitive and formative phase of development. The values and convictions which children acquire in this phase have a decisive influence on how they conduct themselves in relation to other people and the environment in their later lives. For these reasons the protected sphere of childhood requires a child-oriented link to the world of experience, so the children can be helped to acquire the right attitudes and values.
For this purpose UNESCO dedicated the world decade of 2005-2014 to "Sustainable learning - education for sustainable development", and expressly included day nurseries in the scope of the programme.
BIO KIDS
In our everyday operations the idea of sustainability is applied in many areas: for example, within their groups our “bio kids“ avoid waste and practice how to separate waste correctly. During our regular trips to the forest and nature exploration days they discover – with a magnifying glass and lots of curiosity – insects, leaves, trees and all the other exciting things they encounter on their excursions.
Each of our day nurseries has a garden in which the children can – with loving care – sow, plant and harvest crops and then eat what they grow.
LONG-TERM PROJECTS
Our children put the idea of sustainability into everyday practice in a range of projects such as the rainwater collecting station, a small pond with fish, frogs and plants which the children themselves helped to create.
A special role is played here by the 'bee meadow', where in the course of the seasons the children make a wide range of observations and help to ensure that the meadow is preserved intact for the bees. Experts such as beekeepers and farmers contribute their own specialist knowledge.
UPCYLING
The re-use of materials for handicrafts in the groups is another very special project. For this purpose we have established a materials cupboard, our „Marvin 2.0“, in which re-usable objects are collected and made available for creative use within the groups.
