Day care concept

KIKRI ETH Zentrum (KIKRI) provides day care for children from 4 months of age until they start kindergarten, in mixed-age groups composed of 10-11 children. KIKRI offers only a full week day care option. Choosing care only for individual days of the week is not possible. All children participate in activities at KIKRI on all weekday mornings, including lunch. Optionally, afternoon care can be selected on individual days. KIKRI offers a total of 46 places for morning/lunch and 23 places for afternoon care.

This concept ensures continuity in the day care groups and gives the children a sense of stability, security, and comfort. A change of groups within the day care center—a change that many children experience as stressful—is not necessary with the mixed-age groups. We believe that contact with other children that are younger, older, and of the same age is beneficial to children and provides them with diverse stimulation across developmental stages. The experiences of children in the mixed-age groups resemble those of children with siblings in a large family. Older children can naturally regress in playing with younger children, without losing face. Mixed-age groups broaden the spectrum of social interactions; they require more care and consideration than interactions with peers of the same age.

Hours

Monday-Friday from 07.00 bis 18.30h.

Pick-up and drop-off times:
Morning: 07.00 – 09.00h
Midday: 13.30 – 14.00h
Evening: 17.00 – 18.30h

Summer break and holidays: see calendar

A typical day

Daily rituals give the children a sense of stability and comfort. In addition to fixed times, for example, for meals and naps, we offer space for directed and free play, for being creative, for movement, excursions, projects and much more. A typical day at KIKRI looks as follows:

7.00 – 9.00h
The children are being dropped off. Exchange of information with parents. Free play in the groups.

9.00h
Welcome ritual in the groups, followed by morning snack (“Znüni”).

9.30h
Program in larger or smaller groups:
• Free play in the house or garden.
• Directed activities
• Projects
• Excursions (zoo, museums, parks, etc.)
• Physical education (in ETH gym)
• Individual care (changing diapers, washing, etc.)

11.30h
Lunch – the food is prepared from fresh ingredients by our own chef.

12.00h
Brushing teeth, washing, etc. Nap or quiet time, depending on individual needs.

13.30 – 14.00h
Pick-up of children who only attend in the morning/lunch. Exchange of information with parents.

14.00h
Afternoon program for children who stay at KIKRI for the full day.
• Free play in house or garden
• Excursions
• Directed activities
• Projects
• Individual care (changing diapers, washing, etc.)

15.30h
Afternoon snack (“Zvieri”) – the snack is prepared together with the children.

16.00h
Free play

From 17.00h
Pick-up time. Exchange of information with parents.

18.30h
End of daycare. KIKRI closes.

House and garden

The KIKRI house is located in Zurich’s Kreis 6 on a quiet street. The design of the rooms fosters a communal feeling. The office and kitchen lie at the heart of the building. The rooms of the individual groups provide the necessary autonomy, and yet they are closely connected to the central spaces.

The house provides a stimulating living environment. The space encourages meetings of the children among each other and offer places for independent play and movement. Cozy and quiet places to retreat are available within the group rooms.

The children can make use of the house with its large roof terrace and of the garden with its sandbox, different play structures, water features, mud corner, and flower beds for planting. Each group occupies a floor of the house, with a large room flooded with daylight and a bath appropriate for children. The large group rooms can be partitioned into three smaller rooms as needed. Additionally, two movement rooms are available for the children in the house.

The design of the rooms is especially important to us. They are cozy and homey, and the furniture conforms to the activities and interests of infants, toddlers, and older children.

Movement and excursions

Movement is a central expressive element of children. It is a sign of their vitality: Children run and jump, climb, swing, and balance—wherever there is an opportunity.

We support and nurture this natural desire to move and offer the children space for it. In the house, children can move freely and as they please in movement rooms. The garden with its climbing landscape, slide, swing, court yard and much more offers diverse places for experiences and movement.

Once a week a room in the ETH gym is available for the children for a gym class.

We go outside with the children at least once a day when the weather allows it. Other outdoor activities such as excursions into the forest, to playgrounds, to a farm, to the lake, or to the zoo are integrated into the KIKRI program.

Nutrition

Eating and drinking are more than just food intake. Meals should be fun, should stimulate the sense, and should promote good health. We offer highest-quality food and drinks as an essential service to our children and families. We assume that eating habits developed during childhood often persist throughout life. At KIKRI, a fresh, good, and balanced diet (snacks and lunches) is very important. Lunch is provided by KIKRI and is prepared freshly by our own chef. Whenever possible we use regional products that are in season.