Schillerpark Daycare Center

The daycare center is located in the Mitte district, in the Wedding neighborhood, at Bristolstr. 19, 13349 Berlin. The rooms are on the mezzanine level of a residential building that is part of a residential complex. A spacious courtyard with lawns, playgrounds, and walking paths is part of the residential complex and, according to the lease agreement, may be used by the daycare center without restriction.

Our weekday hours are from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. We do not close for the summer; instead, we offer a summer emergency service during the three weeks of summer vacation, from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., for parents who can provide proof of employment.

This emergency childcare service is provided at our RoKoKids daycare center at Ofener Str. 4-5. Closures due to staff training or long weekends will be announced in advance, and emergency childcare will be arranged. The daycare center is closed during the Christmas break.

Learning in preschool is exhausting. That's why every child should have at least two consecutive weeks of vacation during the preschool year.

History

The registered association Kinder, Erziehung, Karriere (Ki. E. Ka. e. V.) operates the daycare center. The Schillerpark Daycare Center is the third daycare center operated by the association. According to its bylaws, the association’s purpose is to provide childcare services tailored to families’ needs. The goal is to support families in harmoniously balancing child-rearing and their professional lives.

rooms

The children have access to two group rooms measuring approximately 20 m² and approximately 32 m², as well as an adjoining room measuring approximately 6.5 m² and a loggia measuring approximately 6.5 m². The rooms are divided into different areas to accommodate each stage of development. The daycare center’s educational mission also includes the integration of children of non-German origin.

The larger group room can be separated by a folding door, and another folding door can be opened to the smaller group room. This allows either all the group rooms to be connected or three smaller rooms to be separated. There is also a coatroom, a children’s bathroom, a staff restroom, and a kitchen. The adjoining room is used both as a staff room and as an additional space for educational activities.

group size

Up to 20 children receive educational care in a mixed-age, open, and inclusive group and are supported in ways appropriate to their developmental needs.

Principles of Educational Work

Every child is unique and requires an individualized approach.
Only by treating the child with love and respect
allows you to get to know and understand the child.
The work with the child is goal-oriented and structured.
We measure our success by the child's development and the parents' satisfaction.

Role modeling and the promotion of democratic behavior.
Transparent Daycare: Always Open to Parents.
Enjoyment of working with people.
Living According to the Five Pillars of the Kneipp Method.

Bilingual education

Our daycare center uses German and Italian as languages of interaction. Educational materials such as books, games, CDs, etc., are available to the children in both languages. Programs and activities, morning circles, and projects are conducted in the language of the teacher leading them. The second language is an additional offering, just like any other skill the staff may have, such as physical education or music activities.

Age-appropriate development of the native language is a fundamental prerequisite and is not hindered by the acquisition of a second language. Under no circumstances do we pressure the children to speak the second language. We aim to spark an interest in the language and in communication through playful activities. Introducing Italian culture—such as food, festivals, and history—gives the second language the vibrancy needed to truly bring it to life.

Parents are addressed in both languages (Italian parents in Italian, everyone else in German).

The daycare center hosts Italian projects and workshops.

The educational and instructional program is supported by an administrative body and is intended to enrich the Italian language education offerings for German-speaking children as well, in order to facilitate and support their enrollment in bilingual elementary schools in Berlin.

February–May 2024: Project title “Il mago delle onde” (The Magician of the Waves)

This is an in-depth study of the life and discoveries of the Italian Guglielmo Marconi, the father of radio and the figure who made communication as we know it today possible. The workshop begins with a preparatory listening segment that involves reading specific children’s texts about Guglielmo Marconi’s inventions and is conducted in parallel with a creative activity in which children can express their skills and acquire new ones.

October 2024–February 2025: Project title "Cibo, città, sostenibilità" (Food, City, Sustainability)

This year, our pilot project was dedicated to sustainable nutrition and consisted of alternating classroom instruction and cooking workshops. In the cooking workshop, the children learned about the importance of healthy eating and cooked recipes using regional and seasonal 0-km products. The concept of sustainability and the importance of reducing water and energy consumption were also explained to the children. This project was conducted in Italian to enable the development of specialized vocabulary.

December 2025–April 2026: Project title "Cibo, benessere e sostenibilità" (Food, Well-being, and Sustainability)

Next year, we will focus on Italian cuisine with an emphasis on sustainability and well-being. We view cooking as a cultural heritage that fosters community, tradition, and mindful enjoyment. As a bilingual German-Italian daycare center with children from diverse cultural backgrounds, we will use this theme specifically to promote cultural openness while playfully expanding the children’s Italian vocabulary in everyday life. The diversity of regional dishes represents a vibrant, ever-evolving culinary identity that centers on exchange, diversity, and shared experiences.

health promotion

We are members of the Kneipp Association and are working toward certification as a recognized Kneipp daycare center.

Nutrition

We place a high priority on healthy nutrition for the children at our facility. At our daycare center, we prepare fresh and varied meals every day. The breakfast (8:30 a.m.), lunch (11:30 a.m.), and afternoon snack (2:30 p.m.) menus vary daily and are designed to be diverse. Fresh organic fruits and vegetables are available to the children daily at 10:00 a.m. and during the afternoon snack, and we encourage the children to drink plenty of fluids. At our daycare center, we offer organic products and natural, low-sugar foods whenever possible. A balanced diet means more than just filling up. Nutrition plays a crucial role in our children’s emotional and mental development. It is an essential prerequisite for successful learning.