Dear Families,
We’re so happy that you’d like to become part of our community.
Below, we’d like to briefly introduce EKT Guckloch e.V. and explain what being part of a parent-initiative daycare (Eltern-Initiativ-Kita) means for you.
Our Kita
Our Kita was founded in 2003 as a non-profit association by dedicated parents in the Bötzowviertel neighborhood.
Kita Guckloch officially opened in September 2004.
The commitment and initiative of our families ensure not only the structure of our organization, but also the maintenance and equipment of our space.
Our educators are our most important partners — our relationship is based on trust and appreciation.
The Kita is located on the ground floor of a multi-family house. We have a spacious cloakroom, a large kitchen for cooking and baking, a bathroom, a small office corner, a versatile playroom with a large playhouse, building area, reading corner, and book nook, a movement room with a stage and climbing elements, and an art studio filled with creative materials.
For outdoor play and discovery, we also make use of the many local playgrounds and the nearby Volkspark Friedrichshain.
By signing the childcare contract, the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) automatically become members of our association, accepting the rights and responsibilities outlined in our bylaws.
Our Educators
Our dedicated pedagogical team consists of six qualified educators (plus one trainee, a volunteer in the social year, interns, and substitute staff) who care for 30 children with full-day vouchers — including children with special integration needs — from the age of one year until they start school.
The children are divided into two mixed-age groups:
In the Cloud Group, three educators care for the 1–3 year olds.
In the Sun Group, another three educators look after the 3–6 year olds.
Opening Hours
Our Kita is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm.
We have a three-week summer break (during the last three weeks of the Berlin summer holidays).
Families receive a list of all closing days at the beginning of each Kita year.
What Is an EKT?
Parent-initiative Kitas are small, self-managed daycare centers run by families and educators.
This structure gives families a strong voice in the life and development of the association — but it also comes with shared responsibility and voluntary engagement.
This involvement includes board work, administrative tasks (through appointed roles), cleaning (annual Kita cleaning day), maintenance and repair work (room caretakers / repair teams), and more.
The time and effort families invest fosters a strong sense of connection to “their” Kita and promotes close cooperation with the educators.
Active participation by all families is not only encouraged but essential to the functioning of our EKT.
Families are expected to uphold agreed responsibilities, attend information and member meetings, and help organize festivals and celebrations (such as the summer party or lantern walk) together with the pedagogical team.
Families are also encouraged to bring in their own ideas, suggestions, or special skills — these are discussed with the educators and, where possible, integrated into daily Kita life.
During the annual general meeting, families can influence the development of the Kita directly or indirectly through the election of the board members.
Roles and Responsibilities
To distribute the workload fairly, each family takes on a specific role (“Amt”).
The variety of roles allows families to choose one that matches their interests and skills.
The board consists of three members:
- 1st and 2nd Chairperson
- Treasurer
Elections take place at the start of each year during a general meeting.
By joining the association, every family agrees to take on at least one role during their child’s Kita years and to be open to serving on the board.
- Examples of other roles include:
- Room caretakers
- Small repairs team
- Contact for Kita portal
- Garden bed maintenance
- Website management
- Event organization
- Waiting list coordination, etc.
Family Duty Days
Family duty is an important part of the collaboration between educators and families.
Occasional duty shifts allow parents to experience their child’s group in daily life and strengthen the sense of community.
Family duty takes place every Wednesday from 3:30 to 5:00 pm.
During this time, the educators hold their weekly team meeting in the adjoining room.
The children are accompanied by the scheduled families, together with our trainee educators, FSJ volunteers, or interns.
Families are scheduled in pairs and can swap dates if needed.
It is the shared responsibility of all families to ensure that duty days run smoothly so the team meetings can take place without interruption.
Laundry Duty
All Kita laundry is done by families.
Each family takes on laundry duty for one week at a time.
Educators hand out the laundry daily for pickup.
If a family cannot take their assigned week, they can arrange a swap with another family.
