MONTESSORI KINDERGARTEN & Playgroup MEILEN

DE

«Help me to do it myself!»

MONTESSORI KINDERGARTEN
& Spielgruppe
MEILEN

This central guiding principle of Montessori pedagogy shapes our daily actions. Excessive help patronizes children and restricts their independence. In Montessori institutions, things are different: Each child’s individual potential is nurtured with high-quality didactic materials, tailored to their own rhythm. This involves all the senses, musical expression, gross and fine motor skills, as well as cognitive precursor competencies for school: vocabulary expansion and the development of number and quantity concepts.
Highly qualified and competent educators lovingly support children aged 3 to 6 in small groups - either half-day or full-day programs.
Learning begins with language. In German-speaking Swiss schools, instruction is in German. To prepare children in the best possible way, we consciously use both High German and Swiss German.

EN

Early Childhood Education

Present Education

Enroll your child

Focus on self-reliance

Social competence

Long lessons overchallenge children's ability to concentrate. That is why songs, verses, and learning contents are only taught in short sequences. In line with our guiding principle, “Help me to do it myself!”, children are supported in their self-determined actions.

Feeling helpless when interacting with others leads to discouragement and can prevent learners from concentrating on the learning contents.
Learning begins with language. On the one hand, this serves to acquire basic mathematical skills, on the other hand, it also serves to teach children social skills as early as possible.
“The limits of one's own freedom are the limits of the freedom of others.”
Based on this guideline, we show them how to resolve and avoid conflicts.

Self-control

Teaching materials with self-control are preferred. They contribute to minimizing the paternalisation by the teachers.

Individual support

'Help me to do it myself!' is one of the key principles of Maria Montessori's pedagogy. And: In line with their own rhythm, we promote children's perceptual abilities individually, using high-quality teaching materials. This, along with the following factors, clearly distinguishes us from other playgroups and public kindergartens:

Small groups

To ensure holistic support and reduce competitive pressure among the children, the groups are small and mixed-age. We focus on the children's strengths not on their weaknesses.

Diversity of materials

A big variety of materials guarantee to achieve the learning goals are constantly available. This allows children to learn at their own pace. Depending on the lesson theme, materials are exchanged or supplemented.

Own learning pace

Our playground and kindergarten allow unlimited learning at one's own pace, in contrast to the conventional, time-limited workshop teaching, which is no longer contemporary.

We accompany and support the children in finding their own learning rhythm.

Individual support

School hours

Monday, Tuesday and Thursday
8.30 a.m. - 3.45 p.m.

Additional care on Tuesday and Thursday from
3.45 p.m. - 5.00 p.m.

Morning

Self-directed play and work with materials in the prepared environment according to Maria Montessori.

Forest day

Once a week we eat in the forest and spend the afternoon there.

Sports day

One afternoon per week, we go to the nearby sports hall in Feldmeilen

About us

Register your child

Esther Luginbühl

Certified Montessori Kindergarten Teacher

Clarita Kunz

MA Special Needs of Education, Owner/School Director

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Feedback

«Learning with joy and on your own initiative»

Today's elementary school system is based on the principle that a child is an empty book that needs to be filled with knowledge. The older the child is, the more homework and exams they have to do. Are we children happy? No. We are stressed, we are afraid of the grades. Those who can't take the stress stay at the bottom of the league table. Others who are underchallenged pass the time by painting tables. We know how to hide a cheat in a water bottle or copy an essay from the internet. In Montessori kindergarten, I taught myself how to write when I felt like it. At elementary school, everything was prescribed. That spoiled my joy of learning. If children were at least given the freedom to decide for themselves in what order and at what pace they could learn, elementary school could also be a place of joy.

Leana Daetwyler, high school student

«Our children now go out into life with self-confidence, great independence and personal responsibility.»

As a family with three children, we consider ourselves extremely fortunate that our children were able to attend the Montessori kindergarten in Feldmeilen. We have the feeling, now that our eldest daughter has just started grammar school, that invaluable foundations have been laid there, on an intellectual, personal and social level in equal measure. With a lot of time and leisure, patience and the greatest motivation and competence of the staff, each child was picked up exactly where they were and fully recognized and supported. Without pressure, but with a lot of calm and passion. Each child was seen as an important member of the group and recognized in all its colourful personality, which now enables the children to go out into life with self-confidence, great independence and personal responsibility. The wide range of learning materials was fully available at all times, which motivated self-determined learning. Curiosity was aroused and experiences of discovery were experienced. A closeness to nature and responsibility for it were exemplified and highly valued. The children also learned a great deal on a social level. Respect, helpfulness, appreciation, acceptance and peaceful interaction with one another were discussed every day. Mathematical and language skills were encouraged at an early age and the children were given a lot of confidence. Small groups and the high level of expertise of the teachers enabled optimal and individual support. The children were able to learn in their own individual way and discover early on what was good for them and where their inclinations and talents lay. This harmonious environment gave us satisfied, happy, curious, enthusiastic and reflective children who are aware of their own resources and are now well equipped to go through life. As parents, we also felt completely supported. It was a wonderful and unforgettable time!

Parents S. and E. Frey with Liv, Leo and Ida

«Children receive holistic support»

Even before they start kindergarten, it is clear that children are at very different stages of development. Only individual support can do justice to this fact. Kindergarten children should receive holistic support as early as possible. Ideal support covers all areas of perception, motor skills, coordination, social skills and the foundations for learning at school. In the "prepared environment", all the games and learning tasks needed to achieve school learning goals are available at all times. As we know, every child learns differently, according to their own rhythm. Many children are gifted at school. They and slow learners must be allowed to work at their own pace. This helps them to learn faster and more sustainably. In the more than 15 years that I have been working here, several children have been able to start school earlier. I like the fact that the children are allowed to play and work independently. This creates a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.

Esther Luginbühl, head teacher

«Very good mix of play and learning»

Our child and we as parents felt very comfortable at the Montessori Kindergarten in Meilen. There is a very good mix of play and learning. The atmosphere is friendly and calm. We also appreciated special moments, such as when the children were allowed to watch chicks hatch from eggs that had been incubated at the kindergarten.

Ingrid Heller, Otto's mother

«Focus is on the current stage of development and personal interest»

Our child enjoyed attending the Montessori nursery school with the individual care and varied indoor and outdoor programme. The loving care enabled him to settle in quickly and enjoy his time at nursery. It is great for a child when the focus is always on the current stage of development and personal interests. We have particularly fond memories of the weekly afternoons in the forest in (almost) all weathers, the opportunities for physical exercise, the changing topics in class and the playful approach to letters and numbers.

Alois Müller, father

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Monthly contribution

Examples:

2 half days per week Fr. 580.-
2 full days per week Fr. 950.-
3 full days per week Fr. 1250.-

On forest day, parents provide their children with a meal to grill at the fire pit.
All other meals are included in the price.

Directions

Public Transport: 3 minutes walk from Meilen railway/bus station with direct train connections S6, S7 and S20 - maximum 15 minutes - from Küsnacht, Erlenbach, Herrliberg, Üetikon am See, Männedorf, Stäfa or to Zürich Stadelhofen

Private Transport: Parking/drop-off spots right next to school (see address below)

register your child

Contact us

We will tell you more about the kindergarten and answer your questions

Monday, Tuesday and Thursday
8.30 a.m. - 3.45 p.m.

Additional care on Tuesday and Thursday from
3.45 p.m. - 5.00 p.m.

Stelzenstrasse 57
8706 Meilen

Designed by Kolesnikov

+41 44 915 39 94