Bilingual daycare centre on campus
An international day care centre called Unikids has opened its doors on Tilburg University campus. There is room for 32 children, they are divided into two groups: the Frogs and the Crocs.
The new Unikids centre will take care of children between 0 and 4 years old during the day. There is a group for 0-2 year olds, and a group for 2 to 4 year olds. According to supervisor Sabine van Elteren, Unikids is nearly full this first quarter – with kids from all over the world. “We now have children from the Netherlands, Portugal, Germany and Aruba.”
What makes it special is that Unikids is bilingual. Both Dutch children and expat’s children of students and staff at Tilburg University are welcome. The main language spoken is Dutch, but the teachers speak English as well, even to Dutch children. “During our fruit break in the morning one of the child care workers speaks Dutch and one English. We also sing songs in English and we read books in English, for example ‘Miffy’ or ‘Nijntje‘ (in Dutch), says Van Elteren.
Children who speak another foreign language, will be spoken to in English or Dutch, but if they only stay briefly in the Netherlands, they can just keep on using their own language, Van Elteren says. “When they play with a toy ice cream, children are talking about ‘gelati’ or ‘icecream’, they simply play with each other in their own language.
The day schedule is still typically Dutch. For example, children are required to play outside, whether it rains or not. And in the afternoon a bread meal is served. “Whether we can offer warm meals at noon, what people are used to in some countries, is something we are going to look at.” [LS/transl. YV]
