Pure nature for the SIEGENIA Kids

First forest week with loads of experiences all around climate protection

Five whole days of kindergarten without power, running water and a roof over their head: As part of the first ever forest week the children of the SIEGENIA-Kids managed CJD [Christliches Jugenddorfwerk Deutschlands] day care centre spent their time together completely under the open sky. From May 12th to the 16th they experienced their entire daily routines in and with nature in a wooded area at Wilnsdorf. "The forest week pursues the goal of training the children's senses and encouraging both their confidence in their own skills and a conscious approach to nature", Sabrina Stein, of SIEGENIA-Kids company day care centre management, describes. "Under a glorious sun we had ideal conditions for these purposes too."

The nature experience stimulated in a playful way

During the forest week SIEGENIA-Kids cultivated a basic understanding of sustainable interaction with nature and the environment in a playful way. To this end the day care centre developed a varied programme to motivate the children's enjoyment of nature. The day care centre was assisted by the children's parents who brought their kids to the wooded area daily – by carpool, to ensure climate protection.

At the half way point of the days in the forest there was a pick n mix of nature experiences, small explorer tasks and free play. "It was also important for us to give the children space where they could develop their own ideas", Sabrina Stein reports. "The well-rounded configuration of the forest week, to which Gelfa Süß of our day care centre team has been intensely committed, resulted in many insights with respect to the environment and to climate. These can now have some influence in the everyday dealings of the children." The usual daily routine of the day care centre didn't come off badly in the process: Thanks to the cooperation with the Dielfen Black Sheep [Schwarze Schafen] FC there was physical training during the course of the forest week too. The mobile music school and the meals taken in common were also moved to the forest.

Introduction to climate protection as "Climate Day Care Centre [Klima Kita]" children

The forest week is the kick-off for the "Climate Day Care Centre" certification sought by the day care centre. Raising the children's early awareness of subjects like sustainability and climate protection is the focus of the certification for the SIEGENIA-Kids managed CJD day care centre. The aim is to created an appreciation of the consequences of one's own actions. The day care centre has already successfully completed some initial projects, e.g. on refuse separation and on healthy eating. A raised bed project and the encouragement of the use of public means of transportation are also important steps along this path. With the certification SIEGENIA-Kids continues to expand the variety of its initiatives. Just in the past year the day care centre received the "Stiftung Kinder forschen" recertification for extensive commitment to the encouragement of MINT education.