Children in Daycare - danish conditions

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by Kim Hougaard

From age 0-1 the parents normally takes care of the baby at their own home. The mother gets paid from the state (28 weeks) when she is on sabbath with her baby, the father gets payment for only 2 weeks. Often the mother and her child gets together in mother´s groups of 5 where they discuss the daily problems, joyfull moments and the child development.

After the sabbath the baby is taken to daycare when the parents are at work - approximately 7-8 hours a day. In danish daycare for children aged 1-3 a single woman normally takes care of 4-5 children in her own home. During the day the children are playing inside with different toys and outside in the garden. Food and fruits are included in the daycare payment. After lunch it is nap-time for the children and the caretaker gets a break. During the seasons, different themes about weather, animals, music eg. are presented for the children. In spring-time the theme is growing of the plants. Together the group follow the processes of planting, watering and watching the plant growing. A very fascinating process for the small children.

At age 3 the child are taken to kindergarden and is now together with more than 40-60 other children every day divided into 2-3 divisions. In kindergarden the child is expected to be together with the group playing in the house, play outside or to participate in small trips outside the kindergarden. The trips could typically be visiting the zoo, picnic in the forrest or skating in a skating rink in the winthertime.

Most kindergarden also offers gymtime and musiclessons once a week. Neither food or fruits are included in the payment, and in most kindergarden children have to bring a lunchpack themselves.

In the springtime the oldest children, who are getting ready for preschool, often join together for a sleepover in the kindergarden. This is a fun evening with candy and a cartoon movie and a very good way for the children to end the last year in the kindergarden.

Learn more about children in Denmark http://www.smaahjerter.dk

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