Why international families choose childcare from CompaNanny
When you move to the Netherlands, you want your child to feel at home quickly. It helps when your child connects with peers and learns to communicate naturally and playfully.
CompaNanny is here to support you with that. Whether you choose a Dutch-speaking or bilingual group, your child gets the space to grow at their own pace.
You can choose bilingual childcare
Many expat families choose a bilingual group at CompaNanny. Children hear and speak both English and Dutch, which helps them communicate more easily with other children.
This is what characterises CompaNanny’s bilingual groups:
- There is always one Dutch-speaking and one English-speaking Pedagogical Employee present.
- At least 50% of the day is spent speaking Dutch, and at least 30% is spent speaking English. During the remaining time, the employees respond to what children need most. Sometimes a little extra Dutch, sometimes more English.
- There is a strong focus on cultures, countries, and languages, so every child feels seen.
Choosing a bilingual group is not mandatory for expat families. Your child is just as welcome in a Dutch-speaking group!
Your child’s language development is actively supported
Once in the Netherlands, the language barrier can be challenging. Your child hears a new language everywhere, which can make interaction a bit harder at first. Fortunately, CompaNanny places great emphasis on language development, in both the Dutch-speaking and bilingual groups.
For babies
Babies learn mainly by watching, listening, and feeling. Pedagogical Employees describe what they see and do (“I’m going to change your diaper now”) and respond to babbling. This helps babies get familiar with sounds and words, which form the foundation of language understanding.
For toddlers
Activities in the toddler groups encourage language use. CompaNanny’s Pedagogical Employees read books with the children, sing songs, and talk about relatable themes such as family, nature, food and drinks. This means toddlers practise language all day long.
Pedagogical Employees are well-trained and communicate with respect
Language learning works best when your child feels safe. That’s why the Pedagogical Employees at CompaNanny give children room to learn at their own pace. They guide and correct gently and respectfully. This builds your child’s confidence and makes them more willing to try, regardless of the language they’re speaking.
Raising a multilingual child: 4 tips from CompaNanny’s pedagogues
CompaNanny’s pedagogical experts have plenty of knowledge about child development and parenting. They share four practical tips to make multilingual parenting easier:
1. Speak your mother tongue at home
This is the language you express yourself in best, so your child learns rich and accurate language from you.
2. Make agreements about language use and stick to them
For example, you speak your mother tongue at home, and Dutch or English when you’re outside.
3. Use everyday moments to encourage language
Talk, read, and sing with your child often. Using pictures and visual aids can also help them understand and remember words.
4. Give your child room to try
Your child may mix languages now and then, that’s very normal in a multilingual upbringing. By gently repeating the correct word, they will naturally learn the differences.
Discover childcare at CompaNanny
Are you looking for a warm, safe place for your child to connect with peers and develop at their own pace? You are warmly welcome at CompaNanny.