Kindervilla Osnabrück

The KINDERVILLA is a parent initiative that was established in 2008 and continues to be run by parents to this day. Osnabrück Student Services cooperates closely with this parent initiative, e.g. by providing space for the day nursery at Katharinenstraße 6.

Educational focus

Inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach, the KINDERVILLA uses a concept known as “open-ended learning”. This concept is based on two convictions:

1. A child’s education is not primarily the task of nursery teachers, but is a group effort involving both parents and education specialists. This is why the parents are responsible for the KINDERVILLA.

2. Rather than focusing on weaknesses and how to improve them, children’s strengths serve as the basis for future development.

In practice, this means that the children choose among eight key areas each day. This wide range of activities, the various functional areas and the lively exchange between groups enable the kids to try out something new every day, developing their strengths and interests.

Services we offer

Kids between the ages of four months and school age are cared for at the KINDERVILLA, divided into the following groups:

Crèche group (between the ages of around four months and three years)
Two multi-age groups (from around two to six years old)

Specialised staff and food

A Team of education specialists, led by Karina Guss, accompanies the kids as they try out the different key areas offered at the KINDERVILLA.

All meals (breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks) are created and prepared fresh by an experienced cook. We place great emphasis on a balanced diet that’s ideal for children, using mainly seasonal and regional products. Special dietary needs can be accommodated.

The team of the Kindervilla OS Day Nursery

Cooperation with parents

Supporting, rearing and educating children is a holistic task, for which parents are primarily responsible. The KINDERVILLA team seeks to support parents in their endeavours to raise their children, rather than to take this responsibility from them. This is why the Kindervilla continues to be run by parents themselves to this day. The team of education specialists and the parents cooperate closely and meet regularly to share information.

Admissions

All applications will be accepted, provided that sufficient places are available. If it isn’t possible to admit all children, places will be allocated based on the following criteria as stipulated by law.

Children with a brother or sister currently attending the nursery will be given priority;
Children of university members are given preferential treatment, with children of students taking priority over children of university staff;
Single parents are given preferential treatment.

The Placement Committee (comprising parents and the head of the day nursery) will decide on admissions. The committee reserves the right to deviate from these criteria in exceptional cases.