Petit Chapeau

Welcome to Petit Chapeau, our cosy baby group located in the annexe of Chapeau day-care centre at Netstraat 1a in Enspijk. We provide a warm, homely setting for the very youngest children from 0 to 2 years. The baby group feels like a snug living room and has its own garden that can be reached directly from the room. In this green discovery garden you will find an outdoor kitchen, sandpit, play house and a crawl-through tunnel. A large shade sail ensures the children can always play safely in the shade. The garden borders on the animal meadow, making outdoor play even more exciting! At Petit Chapeau the focus is on sensory development. Babies explore the world by smelling, looking, listening, tasting and feeling. We therefore offer activities centred on experiencing, discovering and exploring. Think of peek-a-boo games, mirror play, feeling shaving foam, tasting a piece of banana or building (and then knocking over) a little tower. Every day we sing songs and read books aloud; this is not only fun but also stimulates language and motor development. We follow a fixed daily rhythm that offers calm and regularity. There is plenty of room to move freely and to sleep outside: we have three outdoor cribs that we use every day. For each child there is one trusted carer during the initial period who takes care of feeding, sleeping and general care, so a close bond can develop. Before a child starts with us, we invite parents for an introductory meeting on site. During this meeting we get to know each other well and parents get a clear picture of our approach. Afterwards we plan two settling-in sessions so the child can slowly get used to the carers, the space and the daily rhythm. Around 18–24 months we discuss with parents whether a move to the toddler group or the vertical Living group in the main building is appropriate. This step is always taken in consultation and is preceded by several settling-in visits.