Pre-school playgroup

A playgroup provides preschoolers the opportunity to play in a group of about 4 to 12 children. Thus, social and language skills can be encouraged at an early stage. The offer is usually understood as a socio - cultural entertainment, and not as a form of support.

Differentiation from daycare

The encounter intervals are considerably shorter as opposed to daycare: In most cases, the groups meet once or twice a week for two to four hours. The SSLV recommends a maximum of three weekly visits of one to three hours, and that for children from three to five years.

Lunch is usually not part of the activities offered. This also makes the game group from offering daycare is different. However, there are increasingly more recently so-called forest playgroups and nature play groups, which usually reside exclusively in the open, often include the preparation of a simple meal at lunchtime with care and include intervals of up to five hours.

Occurrence

Play groups have within the German-speaking area in Switzerland is by far the most important. This is due to the late enrollment (kindergarten / school). Also, the game group concept in the Anglo- Saxon world is important ( Playgroups ).

In Switzerland, play groups are not subject to authorization as opposed to daycare, as long as they do not exceed one weeks time activity of approximately 15 to 20 hours and as long as no more than about ten children attend. The exact legal conditions are different cantonal and municipal.

Within Switzerland, the most is the regulation in the Fribourg canton, which also has a relatively high density game group (166 playgroups, of Feb. 2006). Play groups are subject to the communities and must offer to 50 minutes at least ten lessons. In the official terminology of the bilingual canton of the French translation écoles maternelles is used instead of the otherwise more common calque groupes de jeu, suggesting conceptual differences, especially école maternelle is also the translation of the word kindergarten.

Functions

The playgroup movement defines its activity in general with the concept of socio-cultural animation and sets itself apart from the support function of daycare.

In rural areas, play groups often take despite the different se conception the social function of a daycare, if such is not feasible due to the small numbers of children. The demarcation between playgroups and nurseries due to the terms of the socio - cultural animation and support function into perspective just here to a more quantitative than qualitative difference, especially since, for example, perceive daycare in general, a socio - cultural function.

In the transition zone of forest and nature play groups with relatively long activity intervals and the inclusion of an occupied outdoor meal is often created automatically also a kita -like care situation that permits employment of both parents and thus is in the context of the compatibility of family and career.

In Basel-Stadt, efforts are underway to use playgroups in the linguistic integration of children with a migrant background. This project is in consultation from June to October 08 is designated with sufficient knowledge of German to kindergarten and seeks the mandatory assignment of children to playgroups, if insufficient knowledge of the German language are available.

Networking

In German-speaking Switzerland, the play groups on a number of regional specialists and contact point ( FCS) are interrelated. These units have a cross-linking function and professionalization true. A similar function has been increasing since 1991, the interest group (IG ) playgroups true. The third trade association of the Swiss playgroup leaders Federation ( SSLV ) promotes playgroup beings.