Kindergarten

In August 2014 Bob L and Bob D started German kindergarten.

We were fortunate to find a lovely one, which was not too big and had a nice family feel to it. 

We felt there were many benefits to putting them into a local KITA (which is what the early years' kindergarten's are called here. It translates as Crèche). The first benefit being the exposure to a second language - we have talked to many people who teach languages and researched online, and are convinced that introducing the boys to a second language will set them up for the future. Even though we will probably end up back in the UK for their schooling, giving them exposure to a second language now should make all languages easier to pick up in the future. Research indicates that learning a second language develops connections in the brain, which are otherwise lost over time if not used.  So if you use these language skills early on it makes it easier to learn and develop this skill. The same can be said for anything we learn later in life, I started skiing in my 20s and I have found it incredibly hard to master, whereas my husband skied from an early age and it comes naturally. The boys have found German remarkably easy to pick up.  Within a few months the teachers no longer speak to them in English - I find this amazing. The interesting thing we have found is that the boys quickly learnt to separate the two languages; speaking English at home and German in kindergarten.  

Further to the language aspect, we were really pleased with the set up at the kindergarten. Along with the usual arts, crafts and activities that you would expect from any nursery, the boys enjoy the following:

* Massages - every Monday someone from the local hospital attends the KITA to do arm and leg massages to stimulate growth.

* Forest school - on Thursdays the boys group go out in the KITA wagons (which the boys think are just like riding a choo choo!) and go to forest school to search for leaves, birds etc.  The boys love this. 

* Gym Class - every Wednesday the boys go to the local gymnasium where they are taught to jump, skip, roll....

In addition to all of this they are exposed to a different culture - some things are broadly similar to Britain (Christmas party had a visit from Santa Claus, for example); however, some things differ:  in November they will celebrate the Lanternenfest (think bonfire, home-made lanterns and German songs) and they have the Karnevalparty to look forward to in February.  These new traditions have been just as much fun for my husband and me, as it has been for the boys.

In August the boys graduate from there KITA and move on, with their friends, to the larger kindergarten nearby. This kindergarten is more like a preschool.