Giocomotiva
Melabimbi

Nursery and Pre-school Opening Hours

Open Monday to Friday, from 8.00 am to 6.30 pm.

• Before school: 07.30 – 08.00
• Admission: 08.00 – 09.30
• First screening: 2.00 pm
• Second departure: 3.30 pm
• Third departure: 4.30 pm
• After-school club 1: 4.30 pm – 6.30 pm

You can choose a part-time schedule. The minimum requirement is 17.5 hours per week. The service will only be provided once the minimum number of children has been reached.

Settling into nursery

Settling into nursery is the time when every child and every family begins to get to know the nursery and build their confidence in the environment, the people there and the new daily routine.

It is an important step, which requires time and attention. We support them every step of the way, with our educators on hand, with the care and flexibility that every family deserves.

The model we use is called Participatory Settling-in, as children and parents are very actively involved and take part in the nursery’s full daily routine right from the start.

How it works

• The first few days take place with the presence of a parent or a caregiver. The programme involves three days at the centre, and on the following days the children usually say goodbye to their parents for a few hours.
• There are no rigid rules; if the children are willing, they’ll be attending full-time within a few days. Conversely, the transition takes longer, depending on how the child responds.
• The nursery teachers welcome the children and guide them throughout their time here with experience and sensitivity.

Italian–English bilingualism

At Giocomotiva Melabimbi, Italian and English are part of the daily routine of the children at the crèche and nursery school.

The English language is woven into interactions, moments of care, play, reading, songs and project-based activities. Children thus encounter it naturally and consistently, within real-life and meaningful situations.

Educators, teachers and English teachers work together to create an environment in which both languages serve as tools for communication, discovery and building relationships. English is not taught as a separate subject, but as part of everyday school life.

Outdoor Education

The centre is situated within the Veio Park and features a large, well-equipped garden. Here, children can run about, play, observe plants and animals, look after the grounds and discover how nature changes throughout the year.

We take both our project-based activities and free play outdoors, weather permitting. The garden thus becomes a daily setting for exploration, social interaction and wellbeing.

Over time, we have reduced the use of plastic and favoured wood and natural materials. These choices also help children to develop a more mindful relationship with the environment.

The rooms

We organise the spaces in the crèche and nursery school to provide children with opportunities for independence, social interaction, exploration and reassurance.

At the nursery, the children are organised into age-based groups that interact with one another very frequently, and there are play areas and spaces for physical activity, hands-on exploration and sensory experiences. The nursery staff and children also use art studios and workshop-style settings to observe, form hypotheses, build and invent.

The sections cater to children’s need for stability; the aim of the educational programme is to encourage interaction between children of all ages, thereby fostering social development.

In nursery school, children are introduced to a variety of materials, forms of expression and perspectives. In the art studio, they can paint, work with clay and other materials, use light tables and bring their ideas to life together with their peers.

Together with families

Throughout the year, we organise opportunities for families to come together so that we can spend time together, exchange views, share experiences and support the children on their journey.

• Open Doors to Those Who Knock – informal get-togethers for parents
• Themed evenings – talks with experts on topics of common interest
• Meetings with families – presentation and evaluation of the educational programme, and meetings to address any needs that arise
• Christmas and New Year celebrations – moments of shared joy
• Family picnics in May – a day outdoors together: children, parents and nursery staff

We involve parents in their children’s learning: dialogue with parents is available at any time of the year, on an individual basis, should the family require it or wish to discuss matters in greater depth.

In February and June, individual meetings are organised to review the child’s development; these provide valuable opportunities for educators and parents to exchange views.

Meetings with families from the nursery and pre-school promote an understanding of the projects currently underway and help parents to understand aspects of their children’s social development.