FAQ

• Why choose Villa Kinderwelt?

  Villa Kinderwelt is the right choice for parents who…

  • Want their children to enjoy their childhood at the fullest, while acquiring all the necessary skills to succeed in ‘big school’ and beyond
  • Believe that children should be allowed just ‘to be kids’, in a safe and supportive environment 
  • Believe in the value of science and appreciate teaching-approaches that are backed up by extensive educational research

• Does my child need to speak German and English?

  No prior knowledge of the German or English language is required. Children with all levels of language abilities  are welcomed, supported and challenged at Villa Kinderwelt.

• How fast will my child be fluent in German?

  The amount of time a child needs to become fluent in a foreign language differs hugely. Some students are able to have a casual conversation after attending the Kindergarten for a few months while others needed 2 or 3 years to reach the same level. 
  
  Language learning depends on many factors, including the languages spoken at home, the child’s favorite friends, talent and parental support. We do not pressure children, if German is not relevant for their family.  We do however offer extensive language learning support for children who need it (for instance to get accepted into the German school).

• What is the age of your students?

  Our Kindergarten is providing a safe, supportive and enabling environment for children aged 3 to 6. Under special circumstances children may get the permission to start at the age of 2 or to remain at Villa Kinderwelt until the age of 7 (subject to meeting the current legal regulations & the child’s individual situation)
  
  After graduating from Villa Kinderwelt our students usually proceed to join Grade 2 in the British- or Grade 1 in the IB-, American- and German- school systems.

• Is Villa KInderwelt a Montessori school? Or are you following the Emilia Regio approach?

  Our Philosophy is strongly influenced by the work of Dr. Maria Montessori and the experiences made in Emilia Regio. We agree with both approaches and see children as capable, curious and complex individuals. We put great emphasis on self-directed learning and holistic development in well prepared environments. Both approaches form our understanding regarding the role of the adults in the classroom: The teacher should not try to ‘fill’ the child with skills, but rather sparkle his/her intrinsic desire to learn. In our classrooms you will hardly ever find the teacher lecturing in front of a group.
  
  Instead, we carefully observe, either from the background or during play, conversations and activities with the children. Observation allows us to evaluate a child’s state of development and helps to identify areas that might need special attention. We then address the individual learning needs, mainly through a constant adaptation of the learning environments. In practice this means preparing a wide array of appropriate engagement options for the child to choose from (both materials and activities).

  Research in the pedagogics, psychology and medicine is constantly evolving and so does our practice. Therefore, we do not want to limit our possibilities by committing to one specific approach only. We build on scientific findings as well as on our own experience and constantly adapt our practice to suit the needs of the children we care for in the best possible way.

• Will my child struggle to be admitted and to be successful at a British/American/ IB school?

  We put great effort into ensuring a smooth transition to ‘big’ school. We eagerly seek out for feedback from our former students and their new teachers and use this information for constantly adapting out curriculum. Both parents and primary school teachers confirm that students coming from Villa Kinderwelt are well prepared and thrive in primary school. 
  
  Families coming from countries with a very different educational approach sometimes wonder, how the children will learn enough, if ‘they are allowed to play all day’. These parents are usually the ones who are most amazed and positively surprised by the end of Kindergarten time. Academic success happens not ‘despite’ having fun, but precisely because of it. Free play in a well structured and supportive environment is the most efficient way to build a solid foundation for all later learning.

• Do you take in children with special needs?

  We strongly believe in the power of diverse and inclusive communities. This includes teaching children with developmental delays or disabilities alongside peers without impairments. Generally, we do accept every child, if we feel able to fulfill his or her educational needs without compromising on the education of our other students.
  
  The decision is made on a case-by-case basis, and is dependent upon many factors such as the specific support needed and the parental commitment towards working in partnership with the kindergarten. 

• Who are the families choosing Vila Kinderwelt?

  We are a diverse community of families from all around the world, including Australia, Brazil, Korea and numerous European countries.  Around 1/3 of our students are native German speakers. The social and cultural backgrounds of the parents are different and so are their expectations towards the ‘ideal education’. Despite these variations, there is one thing all of our families have in common: They preferer a supportive and loving environment over drill, pressure and fright.
  
  The parents of our students highly appreciate that the children are ‘allowed to be kids’ and ‘to enjoy their childhood’ while acquiring the necessary skills for personal and academic success in life. 

• How does a typical day at Villa Kinderwelt look like?

  How does a typical day at Villa Kinderwelt look like?

  Time	Activity	This includes
  7.00 – 8.00am	Arrival /Free Play	The children arrive and engage in their activity of choice such as engaging with educational materials, pretend play, outdoor time, construction, arts & crafts, board games, reading, dancing or just having a conversation with the teacher.
  8.00- 9.00am	Breakfast	The children can have their breakfast within this time frame. In addition to their own breakfast, a snack of fresh fruit/vegetable is offered every day.
  9.00-9.30am	Circle Time	This is the time to connect to each other, to talk about the day ahead and to discuss current topics. While doing so, we sing lots of songs, move and play games.
  9.30- 11.45	Individual Activities	Free play and teacher led outdoor and indoor activities including lots of movement, literacy, numeracy, music, arts.
  11.30- 12.00	Story Time	Beside lots of individual opportunities to enjoy books, we read and discuss at least one story together every day.
  12.00-12.30	Lunch	All children enjoy a healthy hot lunch together.
  12.30- 1.15	Rest/ Individual Activities	While the younger kids are offered the opportunity to nap, the older ones engage in calm activities such as drawing, reading or engaging with the various educational materials.
  1.15- 1.30pm	Pick up Time
  1.30- 3.30	After School Care	For children who attend the after-school care, the day continues with various engaging activities of their choice. Beside free play and individual learning the children also can choose to engage in cooking, sports, crafts and language learning support.