Small Kidz - Groups

Groups

Baby group (2 baby groups from 0-12 months)

In this group, which is especially designed for babies, we take care of babies who are at least 2 months old. Your baby can eat, sleep, crawl, snoozle, cuddle and grow up in peaceful atmosphere at his/her own rhythm. As soon as your child is able to walk and eat along with our Apetito hot meals, he/she will make a transition to the vertical group, where your child can develop further in a more challenging environment.

Vertical group (3 vertical groups from 1-4 years)

In the vertical group your child learns how to deal with older children; i.e. seeing eating is eating, seeing acting is acting. Your child will now also learn playing together. From the age of 2.5 your child may be ready for the next step; the toddler group. Here children up to 4 years old play and develop into a toddler.

The biggest advantages in a vertical group are that children learn from each other and learn to take each other into account because of the many different ages. Here is also where intense friendships develop because they are together in the same group for several years. The group contains age groups, 1-2 years, 2-3 years and 3-4 years. These children sleep at different times of the day, therefore the pedagogical staff can work in small sub-groups and offer specific activities at different times.

Toddler group (from 2-4 years)

Toddlers want to explore the world. In this group you will find both quiet and challenging playing corners. Here is where they learn and grow by choosing their own interests, fitted to the different development areas. Your toddler can build, play, read, craft, etc. to their heart's content in a specially equipped corner without taking the little ones into account (who need to sleep or having a bottle).

By doing activities with children in small groups and observing the children, we will discover how to bring the children to next development level. In this way we can closely observe a child and actually see the child. Being in small groups also means bringing children together who can challenge and stimulate each other in their own development.

Fun

We want children to feel welcome and just have a good time at Small Kidz. That is why we offer plenty of targeted activities including yoga lessons, dance, trips to the library or petting zoo, fun play / reading corners, snoozling, climbing & scrambling, artistic training, cozy 'table moments' or just playing outside with interactive guidance where we always keep in mind the child’s individual perception.

Small Kidz' Hygiene

At Small Kidz we value hygiene. Small Kidz Daycare cooperated as part of the 'Simply Hands Clean' project by Erasmus University (in 2011-2012).

Our groups were provided with the necessary systems for the employees and signposts for the children: such as alcohol-handgel dispensers, extra (children's) soap dispensers and stickers to visualize the right hand washing proces for children. Parents were also asked to cooperate and had to keep lists of possible syndromes of diseases of their child. The results of this research / project were published in the newsletter ‘Heel Gewoon Handen Schoon’ oktober 2012.

Therefore as in extension of this project we have been continuing these (extra) hygiene measures unchanged ever since. The Health and Safety Policy Plan is the basis for safeguarding our hygiene regulations.

Small Kidz' Safety

Safety is also very important to us:
- Access to the day care center for parents by means of the finger scan.
- The Four Eyes Principle is embedded in our policy. (click on the Pedagogical Policy on the left to read it).
Literal transparency is also reflected in the many windows that also ensure healthy social control.
"We are still one of the smaller day care centers and we want to keep it that way, which means we have an open attitude and are very accessible."

To learn English

It is often said of learning a foreign language that you cannot start early enough. The very young child's ears are wide open to the sounds of another language. Benny's Playground uses this opportunity by introducing toddlers to English in a playful way.

Benny's Playground is an English-language activity program for toddlers that is fully in line with the experiences of young children. The program is built around snack time. Together with Benny, the hand puppet, the children sing and play in English. Benny of course eats and drinks a snack! More information can be found at: www.earlybirdie.nl

Artistic education (activities time)

In addition to the various play corners in the group, Small Kidz also has one own mini-studio where. The children go
at least once a week (from about 1.9 years) to the studio to be creative and their expression. The purpose of art education is to educate children
to become acquainted with different techniques and materials. In addition, because children of this age are still so open to art, the
creativity stimulated and optimally utilized.

The circle

We start with this every morning at the preschool & the vertical groups

Toddler and toddler gym and yoga

In the Toddler and toddler gym, you will be introduced to different forms of movement in a playful way. From scrambling and climbing to rolling and (deep) jumping. Each gym class therefore varies in content. The aim is to promote motor and physical development through strength and hand-eye coordination. In addition, mental development is discussed, such as pushing boundaries and cooperation. After the introduction of the different movement forms, room is made for repetition. This is to stimulate the feeling of recognition and self-confidence in children. To keep it challenging for both toddlers and preschoolers, situations are offered that suit each child (at their own level) and they are encouraged to take it one step further.

Yoga classes are also offered for children from 2 years old. These lessons are a regular part of the day program within Small Kidz. The yoga classes are dominated by varying themes. This is reflected in clothing or attributes used in yoga classes.

Nowadays children receive a lot of external stimuli. As a result, children often cannot find a moment of relaxation. The goal of yoga is to make children, through playful exercises, exercise and relax so that they become more balanced. In addition, yoga has a positive effect on the body. Children who follow yoga can concentrate better and are more aware of their body, with the result that their self-confidence increases.