Peuteropvang Samen Spelen Blauwe School

Peuteropvang Samen Spelen Blauwe School is located in the annexe of primary school Wyck – the Blue School – at Sint Maartenslaan 52 in the heart of Maastricht. We are part of childcare organisation Samen Spelen B.V. and, since 25 February 2022, have been offering small-scale, professional care to a maximum of 16 toddlers aged 2.5 to 4 years. Our group is made up of children from the Maastricht asylum seekers’ centre; they play and learn together in one horizontal peer group under the guidance of experienced pedagogical staff. We follow the Early Childhood Education programme ‘Speelplezier’, fully aligned with toddlers’ developmental needs. Through play, children practise language, motor skills, social interaction and independence. The rooms are purposefully arranged with development materials and different play corners: a home corner, construction corner, reading corner and art studio. This allows children to choose whether to play alone or together, quietly look at a book or get creative. Outside we have a safe playground where the toddlers play regularly; when the weather is nice a small paddling pool is set up. Our day starts at 8.30 a.m. and ends at 12.30 p.m. During this 16-hour week we offer a consistent daily rhythm with shared moments for eating, drinking and rest. We serve healthy bread meals, fruit and snacks, taking dietary requirements, allergies and cultural backgrounds into account. Nappy changing and toilet training are part of the guidance. Communication with parents takes place during brief drop-off and pick-up moments and digitally via our child-tracking system, which, with permission, is forwarded to primary school. Safety, emotional security and respect are central. Our pedagogical staff follow the four basic goals of Marianne Riksen-Walraven: providing emotional security, stimulating personal and social competences and passing on values and norms. Together we create a warm place where every child feels seen and valued and takes the first steps towards primary school with pleasure.