Frequently Asked Questions

At kindergarten ‘t Knuffeltje in Delft, the babies are taken care of in a separate baby group where they get all the love and attention and all the support to take first steps.

We find it very important to keep the babies in a calm, safe and familiar environment, where they have enough space to discover and all the attention of the baby star. Combined with their own familiar eating and sleep schedule and a loving and respectful, your baby feels safe and secure with us quickly. Through the separate baby group, the little ones get full attention from their regular leader.

Every child needs security and emotional safety. Therefore, there are no more than 2 fixed faces attached to the baby group of Van ‘t Knuffeltje.

e are a big advocate for your baby and you to get familiar with the day to day routines of day-care. Going to a nursery is incredibly fun, but the first days are also a time of a new environment and faces. Trail sessions gives a good start so that everyone can quickly get in a new rhythm. In principle, we plan 2 trail sessions in consultation with parents. The child may come from 10:00 to 12:00 and the 2nd time from 10:00 to 13:00. In addition to the fixed trail sessions blocks, there is always room for a more personal schedule. We like to make arrangements with parents that are best for you and your baby.

A day on the cuddle looks like this.

07.30 – 09.00 hours Bringing the children.
09:00 – 09:30 The children can play free.
9:30 – 10:00 Time for a snack: fruit, drink, soup stalk, cookie etc.
10:00 – 11:30 The babies go to bed.
The older children participate in an activity. For example read, craft or a game. We work with themes (for example, spring, vacation, body, music, etc.).
In good weather we go out with the children, walk or walk to the children’s farm.
11.30 – 12.30 Lunch l
12:30 – 13:00 The children of the morning group can be retrieved by the parents.
The younger children go to bed.
The older children can play freely.
13.00 – 13.30 The children of the afternoon group can be brought.
13.30 – 15.30 The elderly children will choose from the following activities, in consultation with the management:
• play free
• group activity (eg reading, writing, etc.)
• play outside, walk, children’s farm
15:30 – 16:00 Time for a snack: yogurt, rice waffle with siege or cracker.
16:00 – 16:30 Free play.
16.30 – 18.30 The parents can pick up the children.

In addition to the mentioned global daily activities, we have daily recurring rituals such as songs singing before and after eating, participating in project activities and going outside.

All children at the nursery ‘t Knuffeltje are sensitively responsive to the children. When a baby cries, he / she immediately gets the attention of his leader. The baby girls at kindergarten ‘t Knuffeltje are selected based on a competency scan. It requires a number of core qualities to be a good baby teacher, such as patience, loving character, maternal instinct and organizational ability. We think it’s very important that our babies get a good start. Here, a peaceful environment of own group and a familiar face of own leader is crucial.

Your child’s own rhythm and personal attention are crucial during the first year of the baby. In the first year of the child we follow the baby’s group of ‘t Knuffeltje your child’s own rhythm in terms of food, play and sleep. If special dietary nutrition is necessary then we discuss how to organize it.
All children are unique and develop at their own pace. Therefore, it is very important in the first months that your child can develop well in his own rhythm. This is possible because we have a separate baby group where there is enough room for personal attention.

In principle, you do not have to bring anything. At the nursery ‘t Knuffeltje in Delft are diapers and food included. If special dietary nutrition is necessary then we discuss how to organize it.

The cuddle leaders can only administer medications after explicit consent and instruction from the parents. If required and in doubt when your child’s seems sick the staff will always contact the parents.

There is no day at day-care centre ‘t Knuffeltje without our educational vision. To stimulate the children in their development, we organize many additional activities such as children’s toys, music lessons, creative workshops, taekwondo. We find that working together with all children is a good idea to address specific issues and projects. Together we are dancing, singing, and take action to learn something. The highlight is the presentation we organize together with the children each year (links to previous years).

The 3 plus group gets special attention when it comes to emerging literacy and numeracy so our 4 year olds can be well prepared for primary school.
Once a year, the children of the day-care and the after school care prepare a major musical event. This is our biggest project of the year, where children occupy themselves with passion and passion. We encourage the children to take a next step.

Day-care ‘t Knuffeltje has been a concept in Delft for more than 20 years. With an inspiring vision of educational education and a solid group of permanent leaders, who work for many years within our day-care centre. Every day, with passion and continuity, quality care is provided to Delft babies, children’s dreams and toddlers.

The quality of care depends highly on the individual leaders and the team they form. The team of ‘t Knuffeltje is highly experienced and has worked together for years to contribute positively to the upbringing of children. The team is highly trained and with their experience and educational background, the Educational staff are able to stimulate children with patience, peace and love to play, learn and learn to play under the motto: learning by playing.

We have very good experiences with bringing together children of the same age. Especially for the youngest, it is important that they can take first steps in their own daytime rides.

At kindergarten ‘t Knuffeltje in Delft, the children go out daily. Thanks to nearby Delftse Hout and the children’s farm, they can enjoy nature every day. Even the youngest members participate in this adventure. Watching the rabbits and kids or ponies is returning item within our day program.

At day-care centre ‘t Knuffeltje we spend a lot of attention on stimulating language development of children. Reading books is taking place every day and we regard this as a basis for language development. This makes the child acquainted with language, broadens his vocabulary and learns to make connections. Children regularly visit the library, under the guidance of a pedagogical assistant, to find books that match the current theme. Thus, books and all the ritual about it are fully integrated into our life within ‘t Knuffeltje. The 3 plus group gets special attention when it comes to emerging literacy and numeracy so that our 4 year olds can be well prepared for primary school.

In addition to daily activities like children’s play and dance workshops, music lessons are offered every week at the nursery ‘t Knuffeltje, awarded by a recognized music teacher. Music makes an inseparable part of our pedagogical vision, supporting all activities with a song or a dance. Classical music is also brought to an early stage, and children are challenged during musical workshops to work on their own creative musical instruments. This way we regularly get our piano out so children can discover the sounds themselves. Once a year, the team prepares a major musical event together with all the children.

Day-care centre  ‘t Knuffeltje has a separate spacious baby group. This makes it possible for our youngest to move freely and go undisturbed. To stimulate the movement, we regularly put the babies on a mattress or on special soft exercise mats. By putting toys or soft items in the vicinity, we leave them to try and take the toy. If the child can sit properly alone, motion games on the lap are very fun to do. In the security of their own group under the loving attention of trusted leader, the youngest are encouraged to take first steps.

There is always room for making your own choices in the daycare program of ‘t Knuffeltje. In fact, we would like to encourage this. During free play, the child makes his own choices. These can be about toys that the child wants to play with but also about friends with whom the child wants to play or the way. These moments are very important for developing own interests, preferences and the establishment of friendly relationships between children.

We think it’s fun at  ‘t Knuffeltje to see that children within the groups get to know each other, first to play side by side and  later together and create genuine friendships. With a view to social development, the children get all the space on the cuddle. In the horizontal groups, social interaction takes place in a natural and spontaneous way as children of about the same age have similar interests and find themselves in a fast connection. Sometimes the role of the educational employee must be limited to be a spectator or, if necessary, mediator so that children are not disturbed in their game.

At day-care centre ‘t Knuffeltje we monitor the development of every child. We do this by means of observations and capturing it in the child tracking system we work with. In this way, the pedagogical staff have a good idea of ​​whether the child needs additional support or more challenge. With customized activities and 1 in 1 sessions between the child and the educational employee who takes on a coach’s role at the same time, the child gets the attention it needs. We would also like to involve parents in the care of childcare. We inform, stimulate and think about the solutions.

In addition to daily activities such as baby and dance workshops, music lessons are offered every week by a recognized music teacher. Classical music is also made available early. Once a year, the team prepares a major musical event together with all the children. Children make daily walks to the nearby children’s farm and the Delft Wood.

If your child is part of the day-care centre ‘t Knuffeltje then he or she has his own permanent teacher and she is also the point of contact for you as a parent. The regular leader will tell you how your child is and whether there are any details.

We take the time for transfer both at the beginning and end of the day. The details at daytime are also written in the daily newspaper that goes home. In this book, parents can also write messages for the teacher. Once a week, the teacher writes a newsletter describing the educational activities she has done with her children in the last week.

At day-car centre ‘t Knuffeltje we follow the development of every child. We do this by means of observations and capturing it in the child tracking system we work with. In this way, the pedagogical staff have a good idea of ​​whether the child needs additional support or more challenge. We would also like to involve parents in the care of childcare. We inform, stimulate and think about the solutions.

The details at daytime are also written in the daily newspaper that goes home. In this book, parents can also write messages for the teacher. Once a week, the teacher writes a newsletter describing the educational activities she has done with her children in the last week.

To discuss the development of the child in response to a completed observation list, 10-minute conversations with parents are held. Parents are always welcome to schedule a personal conversation next to the regular moments.

Day-care centre ‘t Knuffeltje has ample opening hours. We are open from 07:30 to 18:30. If the opening hours don’t meet your personal needs, please let us know. We would like to discuss your personal situation and come together for a suitable solution.

‘t Knuffeltje offers flexible contracts.  We will discuss the contract that meets your needs together. Together we investigate your personal needs in combination with the childcare allowance and always provide the best solution for your wallet. Sometimes a full contract is useful but sometimes a flexible contract is also better. Make an appointment with us to see what’s best for you and your child.

Day-care ‘t Knuffeltje also offers babysitting services from January 2, 2018. Toddler care is the new name for the playroom and it is no longer separated from normal childcare. Toddler care provides toddlers a structured program in fixed groups aimed at playing, meeting, developing and transitioning to elementary school. The toddler care is a facility for children of 2 years and 3 months to 4 years.

The municipality of Delft offers financial support for parents who want to allow their child to get in touch with other children and get used to a more school environment and not entitled to childcare allowance. This will in most cases mean that neither the parents (or single parent) are employed or follow a study.

The subsidy is valid for up to 10.5 hours a week, where the shelter is spread over 2 days.

Day-care ‘t Knuffeltje has good experiences in accommodating children of approximately the same age in the spacious and cosy decorated horizontal groups. It is then possible that the babies have a separate group where they can freely move and discover. The dreams and toddlers can play deliciously with their peers. The spaces are large and classified in a number of interest areas. For example, children can play together, but there is also enough room for getting started individually.

From the vision of the pedagogic Emilia, we also have an open-door policy at set times in addition to the horizontal layout. Thus, in the morning, afternoon and end of the day, the children can see beyond their own group and meet other children and educational staff.

Horizontal layout includes the following advantages:
• Babies get a quiet start in a separate group.
• Children have more peers to play with.
• There are often fewer children in a group than in a vertical group.
• Educational staff have specific knowledge of the development of children in a certain age category.
• There are more age-oriented activities and materials.
• There is less chance of physical and mental overweight of older children.
• Children can better relate to their own age group.