Healthy Kindergarten - Measures & Projects

Healthy kindergarten

The health of children is influenced by many different factors - including family circumstances, but also what they experience outside of the family. The kindergarten, for example, is a place that can make a significant contribution to shaping (health) behavior. Girls and boys sometimes spend a large part of their time there - and can learn more about their bodies, their health and a healthy life, among other things.

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• Kindergarten in Austria

Health promoting measures

Dealing with these issues as early as possible and in an age-appropriate manner can generally influence health behavior and ultimately help to avoid any later health problems - such as obesity, diabetes or poor posture etc. The kindergarten offers a number of starting points for growing up healthily. In many kindergartens, employees work to the best of their ability to convey the topic of "healthy living" - for example by preparing healthy meals, creating sufficient opportunities for exercise and various other measures (such as relaxation exercises, cooperation with doctors, sports clubs, etc.), but also through appropriate books and games.

Many kindergartens try to offer a healthy environment for children and to enable a child-friendly, healthy upbringing or to support the parents in this. The cross-state educational framework plan gives educators instructions on how children should be given the best possible support. Kindergartens in Austria fall within the competence of the federal states - with sometimes different regulations. It is best to inquire at the kindergarten of your choice to what extent and in what form health-related knowledge and behavior is imparted or practiced.

Health for everyone?

In the best case, “healthy measures” take into account everyone who is often in kindergarten - especially the children and staff in kindergartens, but also parents and grandparents, siblings, etc. and are based on the local conditions. Because the requirements are often different from kindergarten to kindergarten. Ideally, not only are individual measures taken, but they can be linked, targeted, planned and systematically implemented. The subject of “health” is given attention everywhere, and health can therefore be an integral part of kindergarten culture.

A multitude of different internal and external factors influence the healthy growth in kindergarten. In addition to the commitment of the kindergarten staff, the commitment of parents and guardians play a key role in the implementation of a healthy kindergarten. But also the legal basis, the financing of the measures, the spatial / structural conditions, group size, group composition, working conditions, the environment of the kindergarten and, last but not least, the living and working situations of the families as well as much more contribute to the "healthy coexistence". Social and cultural backgrounds as well as gender differences should also be taken into account.

Healthy children

The healthy physical, mental and social development of children is the goal of a healthy kindergarten. This is supported, for example, by promoting the development of motor skills, social behavior and much more. Topics and fields of action in connection with health and prevention in kindergarten are, for example, physical activity promotion and nutrition education. You can find information on projects under Advice & Help. You can find the educational network with seminars on health promotion on the website of the Healthy Austria Fund.

For more information, see:

• Exercise in kindergarten,
• Security through movement
• Healthy nutrition in kindergarten.
• What children learn in kindergarten.

Kindergarten in Austria

In Austria, parents and legal guardians can choose between public and private kindergartens and company kindergartens. The operator organization of the kindergarten can be different, e.g. federal, state, municipality, but also private persons, religious communities or associations etc. In Austria, the federal states are responsible for regulating the framework conditions for kindergartens and institutional childcare facilities.

Different operators

Therefore, parents sometimes encounter different conditions. It is best to inquire with the responsible municipality / the municipal authorities or the operator or directly with the respective kindergarten.

In addition to the kindergarten there are also other childcare options. You can find information on this on the following websites:

• oesterreich.gv.at
• Federal Chancellery.

Compulsory kindergarten year

In the last year before starting school, there is a compulsory half-day attendance at kindergarten that is free of charge (compulsory kindergarten year, free kindergarten year).

You can find information about this and how to register on the website of your federal state. You can find this under Kindergarten: Advice & Help.

You can find information on the mandatory kindergarten year on the website of the Ministry of Family Affairs and from your federal state.

You can also find forms on childcare at oesterreich.gv.at or on the websites of the federal states.

You can also find information about kindergarten at www.eltern-bildung.at.