What families ask us

It's a nurturing space for children aged 1 to 4, within the world of non-formal education, in our case under the umbrella of the XELL (Xarxa d'Educació Lliure, the Catalan free-education network), whose manifesto we share when it comes to respectful education, and through which we connect with other similar projects.

We accompany children from 1 to 4 years old, the stage when attachment and calm matter most.

I currently work with a full-time support teacher. Being two people helps us in many ways: sharing out the space during free play, sharing out the tasks so that one of us can always be with the children, and so on. It also means we can welcome up to 10 children, always keeping a ratio of 1 adult to 5.

We are both trained in Waldorf pedagogy for the early-years stage and hold degrees in early-childhood education.

We welcome up to 10 children and always keep a maximum ratio of 1 adult to 5. We're a small, stable team, so each child has familiar carers who don't change.

We're in Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona), in a house with a garden and the woods right next door, where we head out every day.

We're open Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 15:30. A place includes home-cooked meals (seasonal breakfast and lunch), daily time outdoors, materials and play with natural materials, a daily catch-up with the family, stable care, and settling in at each child's own pace.

Free play and movement, daily time outdoors surrounded by nature, home-cooked seasonal meals, rest time, and moments of live songs and stories.

No. What we do is offer a living environment in which children have the calm to play freely, in a setting that suits them and is good for them, surrounded by adults doing meaningful work. We believe what they need at this stage is time and space. We take great care that the spaces hold objects and toys matching what children want to explore at this stage, always in natural materials.

The stretch from after breakfast until the finger games before lunch is given over entirely to free play, in which they can develop long, complete games, whether in the yard, the garden or the woods. That comes to roughly an hour and a half. They also have shorter stretches of free play before breakfast and after the nap.

Nature is part of our surroundings. The space is in direct contact with nature: we have several small gardens, the woods right next door with a gate leading straight into them, and natural materials in the garden itself. Once a week we go into the woods, and another day to the garden at home and the vegetable patch. We also make sure the children can play every day with water, sand, sticks, leaves... and whatever else the season offers! When it rains we go out to play in our rain gear (whenever they want to).

Yes, we work with a cook who prepares a menu for each season using local, seasonal food, following the choice of grains for each day of the week suggested by Rudolf Steiner, and making sure the meal is balanced and nourishing. There is animal or plant protein every day. If you're interested, do get in touch and we'll tell you more about this with no obligation (see the menu, ask about the price, and so on).

Day-to-day life is in Catalan, in an environment rich in songs, stories and everyday language.

At the moment we have our family cat (Balin), who drops in now and then. Plus all the butterflies, ants, snails, grasshoppers and so on that keep us company throughout spring and summer.

Settling in happens respectfully and at each child's pace, with the family alongside, so the step into our house is a safe, calm and happy transition.

We believe every emotion that arises in a person is valid and deserves to be expressed and accompanied. We don't want them to go away, but to be expressed freely, with the certainty that they will be met with respect at all times.

Yes, the adults (mothers, fathers and carers) meet every two months to talk and reflect on subjects of shared interest, to do inner work around parenting, to connect with one another, to build a village, and so on.

Yes, we propose at least one per year, and we're happy to hold as many as needed within the meeting times we have available. It matters that families and carers look at the child together, so we can both come to know them and find the most consistent way to meet their needs.

If one of the two of us is ill, wherever possible we'll find someone to cover (we regularly work with two people who help us out). If both of us are ill, or if we can't open for reasons of illness or unavoidable obligations, and this goes beyond 4 days, the proportional part of the days not worked will be deducted.

In the same way, if a child is ill, unwell, or has any kind of contagious illness, they won't be able to come.

Yes, we hold accident and public liability insurance.

If you're interested in the project, do get in touch on 633 539 159 (Montserrat). We'll send you more details with no obligation and we'd be delighted to answer any questions you have.

The best thing is to come and see the house. Write to us and we'll arrange a calm visit, with no obligation.