EXPERTS

In the day nursery group where I was on placement this year, I carried out a project as part of my course work, on the topic of “grasping water with all senses”, with four children aged two.
My goal was to get the children to deal more intensively with the element of water. It was important to me that the children's actions would take centre stage. They were to be able to act independently and experience this way that one's own actions produce an effect.
First the children had the opportunity to occupy themselves with water without any time pressure (sink and tap). Then I prepared a large tub with different materials for the next units (for example sponges, materials to pour into and out of etc.)
In good weather the units took place in the garden.
I could notice how appealing and exciting the element of water was to the children. It was difficult to conclude the project, as ever new opportunities to play presented themselves.
I also realised how important it is not to give any concrete instructions and to be available instead as a companion and a source of inspiration.

We had planted potatoes in our little kindergarten garden. Now it was time to harvest. Digging them up was like a treasure hunt to the children. Every single potato turned into a coveted treasure! Each one was marvelled at and acclaimed. When we had gathered all of them, we counted them together. 1...2...3... - 88! We had exactly 88! One child goggled a lot and asked: "What? You can just find potatoes in the ground? You don't actually need to buy them?" Then the children were keen to sort the potatoes by size and to examine their different shapes. Some were sooo tiny that you really had to look very closely to be able to actually recognize them as a potato.

Now that the days are getting shorter and the trees are starting to change colour, we always enjoy doing some small projects on the season with our children. The children are supposed to collect all things possible outside that they feel are connected with the theme of autumn... coloured leaves, beechnuts, chestnuts, berries (while you need to take care that the children don't come back with anything poisonous or dangerous – if there isn't any opportunity to take the children outside, you can also take things with you yourself).

Hello, my name's Maike and I've recently completed training as a nursery nurse (finally!).
Many children are brought to our place by their parents in the morning by bike as long as the weather allows. Many of them have one of those bike trailers attached to their bike. Therefore I sometimes ask myself if these things really are safe. The parents can't see their children while biking, after all, and then the seats are so low – what if a car overlooks them? Neither do I know if these trailers are well sprung. I really do get worried about some of them, hoping that nothing happens to them on the way to kindergarten...
Does anyone have any experience with this or has this sort of thing ever been mentioned at your kindergarten?

All children in age group 5-6 years are participation in action »reading badge« (parents are reading to the children at home, and children present the content of the stories on different way in the kindergarten). A boy wanted to tell other children the folk story shepherd. He invited all children to sit on carpet. He was telling the story on very interesting way (he has rich vocabulary, and is good speaker). During storytelling children were listening carefully, however in one moment he stopped and asked:«Children do you know what does mean merciful?«. All children answered:«No!«, He said:«OK I will explain. Merciful means that you are merciful. Do you understand now?«. The children were looking astonished. Then I helped him with explanation (in two sentences), and boy has continued with storytelling.