The time has come and we decided that our child urgently needs communication with children. Still, this is very important for development. The options for meeting other Russian children and communicating somehow did not work out very well - we either eat, or sleep, or are in no mood and they are the same, and then we met, got together, and the child sits on the sidelines, sorting out pebbles for everyone ignores people around. In Kharkov, it’s impossible to leave the house and get to a playground with a bunch of kids, there are no such people here. I thought and thought and decided that I should send her to kindergarten for at least 3 hours a day, and then whatever happens. Besides, I spoil him a lot, and it’s time for him to grow up. We are still raising a boy. And it would be useful for me to devote more time to myself and my husband.
I didn’t want to hire a nanny. At least there are benefits from kindergarten; children learn independence, new skills and socialize.
I would like to warn you right away that all the kindergartens reviewed have their pros and cons; I do not consider any of them good or bad, but I am only describing my impression. I recommend everyone to visit several kindergartens, preferably several times at different times, in order to choose the one that suits you best. I will be glad to any non-aggressive additions and comments. I did not want to offend the children and parents who chose for themselves the kindergarten that for some reason did not suit us. Those kindergartens that I consider not good, I didn’t even consider here; you should drive up to any of the ones described here and look at everything in person. Moreover, the situation can change in a month or two or six or ten.
We came here to run around the playground starting at 10 months. When we returned to Samui again, we went there again for an hour and a half during the day. Since it’s hot outside and boring at home and he doesn’t get tired enough and whines, this playground was a great option. So we went to Fairways, and very often. The first impression of this kindergarten was very good, but the more I looked at how everything was arranged there, the less I liked it there. There is little work with children. They are either sent to the 2nd floor to run around the playground, or locked in a room, given toys and turned on the TV. Moreover, even the youngest group includes cartoons that I would not include small child. The teachers sit by themselves and lazily calm the children when they start crying. A significant part of the children are children of employees. I also didn’t like that strangers with children often come there and walk in the places where the kindergarten children play. It’s somehow unhygienic and in general it’s not very clean there, my child runs around there barefoot and his feet are always dirty. The playground is very dangerous, I personally observed 2 children with fractures and a girl with a huge bump on her head, all as a result of playing on the playground from above. I decided that it was too dangerous for my very nimble and restless child. Disappointed by the lack of a playground at fresh air. Otherwise, this option is not bad. The food is good, the children like it there. I talked to Russian children who go there, they are happy with the kindergarten. But I can turn on cartoons with a bunch of toys at home, I need something else from the kindergarten, so this option is not for us. In addition, I didn’t really like that the teachers of the little ones hardly speak English and the children there are mostly Thai or from mixed families.
Price 6000-7000 baht per month for a full day. Located near the airport.
We first came there when we read about it on the Internet as a new super kindergarten. You can’t just pick it up from the street and come there; you need to call, make an appointment in advance and arrive at a certain time. So we looked at the kindergarten from behind the fence, listened to the choral cry of the children and went home. After that, we did not consider this kindergarten as a suitable option for us. Outwardly, it was not very different from others, and the price was very high. Once a friend called me and said that Montessori was holding a free program for advertising purposes. family celebration and we arrived there half an hour before the end of the holiday. Liked. What I liked most was that there are Russian nannies (although they write on the Internet that they are educators) and many Russian children. Large outdoor playground, modern building, good quality furniture, everything is new and beautiful. They weren’t allowed inside, when my Sasha took something from the shelf, a Russian nanny ran up shouting that these were educational materials, you couldn’t play with them and demanded to take it away from the child. My Sasha (we are 1.7) burst into tears and I calmed him down for a long time. Anyway. Everyone was running around and telling us what a wonderful kindergarten it was, everyone smiled at us, some parents proudly said that their children go there, the children were really less enthusiastic about the kindergarten and answered my questions that they didn’t really like it there. I understand that the children there play little and study a lot using Montessori teaching materials. Moreover, there are really few toys there. Some logic games around, not very bright and, in my opinion, too serious. But I’m speaking as a mother of a small child, and those who have older children should still look at everything for themselves. After all, for children who have begun preparing for school, such activities are very useful, and they can also play at home. I was also very confused by the price of 12,000 for half a day and 18,000 baht for a full day. Plus 5000 baht non-refundable deposit. But the enthusiastic stories about how amazing everything was with them haunted me, especially since this garden was praised on Russian forums. Well, you want the best for your child, regardless of the price. You can’t send your child there for a child or two, just for a month at a time. To be honest, I wasn’t sure that the child was ready for kindergarten and I just didn’t want to throw away the money. But the winter camp was just starting to operate during the holidays, when you can send your child there for a week and see if he is ready. I decided that I could try winter camp, and then decide what and how. We were told that there were no places, but we could make an agreement and offered to come the next day to get acquainted with the kindergarten and the educational process and enroll our child there. Well, we've arrived. They took us there for an hour, showed us something, and then they said that there were no places and offered to sign us up on the waiting list. Somewhere in February or March 🙂 Why they told me to come there and why I spent so much time on it, I still don’t understand. February-March did not suit us, since we were already thinking about moving in April. Therefore, this option itself disappeared. The son of our friends signed up for a winter camp there. He is already more than 4 years old and should be interested, especially since at the winter camp there is a different program and they play a lot (in normal times they do a lot), but he doesn’t like it there yet. He doesn’t want to go to kindergarten every day, but he didn’t want to go to Russia either, so that’s not an indicator. I was very worried about how everything worked in the younger group. The children were looked after by Thai women and, as far as I understood, there were no Russian nannies there; the children often cried, and one would start and others would join just in case. The older ones also often began to cry, but quickly calmed down. But they say this is the norm for kindergartens, I don’t know, but I can hardly stand children’s sobs. There is not much space inside, the rooms are small, but not cramped. The children play well on the playground outside, I liked it the most, but in about two months the heat will start and it will be hard for the children there. No one puts a child to bed if he wants to sleep earlier than others, and they hinted to me that they don’t want to take a one and a half year old child for the whole day. I also didn’t like the fact that we, who came to sign up, were more important than the child crying next to us. His tears were ignored, but they told us something. It should not be. But in general, the impression is good, the negative aspects can be attributed to the fact that the kindergarten is new and everyone is more fixated on their methodology than on the children. But the idea itself is good, I think a little time to relax and everything will be less stressful and more joyful for the children.
Price 12,000 baht per month for half a day (4 hours), 18,000 baht for a full day + 5,000 baht entry fee. Located near BigS. Education is in English, there are Russian nannies for the older group, and many Russian children.
Thai Kindergarten Ayun (I Aun Nursery)
This kindergarten was praised on the Internet. Some Russians sent their children there and, according to their reviews, they do very well with children there. I didn’t find any negative reviews, so I concluded that the garden was cool. This was the 3rd kindergarten we visited (not counting the small Thai ones we saw while passing through). Located on Bangrak. Based on the reviews, I was determined to send Sasha there. What did we see? I really liked the huge outdoor area. There is a swimming pool and classes with an instructor are held there. 4 huge classes by age. We arrived during quiet time, so we didn't catch class. You still need to come during the day. But I immediately realized that this garden was not for us. There are 25 people in groups, including the youngest (they are 1-2 years old). Only 2 teachers per group. For such kids this is very little. It’s hard for me to imagine what you can do there with children when 25 people are pissing, pooping, crying and fighting. But surprisingly, during quiet time, all 25 kids slept together. Sometimes I can’t get one to sleep for an hour or two :) It looks like the teachers really know something tricky. The teachers speak English poorly and usually only one of the two speaks it. But what confused me most was that almost the entire group was Thai. And therefore the child will hear only Thai and see only Thais. Out of 25 people, 2-5 in the group are white, no more. There are only 5 Russians for all groups. We didn’t really want our baby to be a black sheep there, especially since we don’t plan to live in Thailand permanently. Therefore, we immediately decided that we would not send our child to this kindergarten.
Price 6000 baht per month. Located on Bangrak. If you drive from the Fisherman's Village along the road that goes to Big Buddha, then you need to drive, drive, drive straight to the first 7/11 and there turn right and then follow the signs and posters to find your way.
We did not intend to go to this kindergarten, since I had previously read on one forum a very negative review about it, according to which someone’s children drank tap water there and got poisoned. I also thought it was strange, since our child, from the age of 4 months, manages to drink water from the tap while swimming or from the pool and everything is fine with him. But then the same person wrote on the forum that supposedly the hospital told him that there had been some bad health-related incidents in this kindergarten before. No one said what, how many and from whom. But I didn’t feel at ease and didn’t even intend to go there. But since it is located on Bangrak near the previous Thai kindergarten, and while we were looking for a Thai one, we passed by this Canadian one, so on the way back we decided to stop by, just in case, to get an idea. The building and playground were simple and modest, but the playground was neat, clean and had everything you needed: a swing, a slide, a sandbox and some kind of crawling bars. There is enough space. A pleasant woman greeted us and invited us in. It was the owner's wife Kelly. The inside is also very simple, the kindergarten is more like our Russians (in a good way). There were many different toys and a lot of books. The results of children's creativity on a New Year's theme were hung on the wall. I was told that they were constantly doing something and it was noticeable. Kelly took care of the children, while communicating with us; if she had to leave, she apologized and left, the children came first. It was clear that children were loved there, everyone was given enough attention, no one cried or was capricious. I started to really like it there. All the negativity was forgotten instantly. It was time for the end of quiet time. Some children were still sleeping in one room, others were drawing in another, some were playing. It was very nice, although quite simple. The rooms inside are small, but have everything you need. There are a lot of toys and educational materials, partly using the Montessori method. Children are taught according to the program of Canadian kindergartens, the director is Canadian. But the main emphasis is on making sure that the children have a good and interesting time. Most of the children are Russian, the children are happy with the kindergarten. The rest are also almost all white. I liked it all very much. I was even offered to come for free the next day with my child and see how he liked it there. I also liked that the younger group (up to 2 years old) only enrolls 6-7 children. The next day we arrived with our friends, who have a boy of 4.8. They really liked it too (they had been to Fairways and Montessori before). And most importantly, the children liked it there; they immediately found something to do. We signed up almost without hesitation and so did our friends. I really hope that we won’t regret it; we’ll start visiting on January 7th. Then I will write about it in more detail.
Price: 7500-8000 baht + 3000 baht entry fee. Located on Bangrak (photo stolen from their Facebook)
That's all. These are the gardens on BoPut that are worth seeing. Once again, they are all good in my opinion, they just each have their own characteristics and are worth seeing in person to choose the best one for yourself. It is best to come in the first half of the day and see how the children are being taught, talk to them, you can come in the evening before closing and talk to the parents. If anyone knows other good kindergartens on BoPut, I would be glad to see any additions.
If you come to Thailand for a couple of weeks on vacation, then you have no problems entertaining your children: the best educational activity for children of all ages is the sea, sand and visiting elephant farms with zoos. But once you think about a longer stay with children on Koh Samui, you are faced with an important question: who to entrust the child to while you are busy? Can a foreign child attend kindergarten in a foreign country, and how does it differ from the usual kindergarten system in Russia?
In Thailand, your child can easily attend a kindergarten, any one he likes (if there is free space in the group). But this, of course, will be paid, and the price, in turn, depends on the level of the establishment.
Kindergartens in Thailand can be divided into four types:
- state Thai (the cheapest option),
- private Thai (more expensive),
- private international or national, including Russian (the most expensive option).
Kindergarten It can be either a separate institution or part of a school, being the very first stage of education.
Public Thai kindergartens in Thailand they work from 06.30 to 19.00. They accept children from 1 year old. Such kindergartens are intended for working Thais who have no one to leave their child with, although anyone can attend them, including foreigners.
Private Thai kindergartens in Thailand they work mainly from 08.00 to 14-15.00. Children from one and a half years old are accepted. Usually they are focused on retaining customers, so they try in every possible way to please children and their parents.
Private international kindergartens in Thailand differ from the previous version in that the staff and management include foreigners. The basis is the international education system (usually the British curriculum). In private preschool institutions they mainly prepare for studying at an international school in English language.
Daycare/nursery – even babies are accepted here. Pre-K (preparing for kindergarten) - from about one and a half years old. Kindergarten (kindergarten) – from 2-3 years. Some take it only from three or three and a half years old.
Preschool education in Thailand ends at age 5, the age at which children start school. Despite the low prices for food and things, preschool education Even in state kindergartens it is more expensive than in Russia.
The academic year is divided into semesters. It starts in May and ends in March. The holidays fall in the hottest month - April (the time of celebration of the Thai New Year). The second holiday is in October.
One group has up to 20 people. The younger, the less. There are 10 people for two-year-olds. Each group has a separate class (air-conditioned) and one teacher with an assistant. The room has tables, chairs, and lockers for storing children's things in separate drawers. The bathroom is separate for the group or combined with another one.
Unlike Russian kindergartens, where the start of the day is strictly regulated and if you are late you will have to explain for a long time, here the situation is different - you can bring your child at any time, so many parents skip the morning line-up.
The children's day in the garden begins with a general line and exercises, then they have breakfast and games, and in the older group 40-minute classes are held in mathematics, Thai language and other sciences. All groups must have time for active recreation on the playground. After the walk - lunch. During nap time, tables are cleared in the classroom and mattresses and pillows are laid out on the floor. They don’t force you to sleep, the main thing is to lie down and rest quietly, without disturbing anyone - and so on for an hour and a half. Then reading, drawing, games (toys can be in the classroom, or children go to a special playroom), then a snack. After that - a general line with charging. Swimming lessons are available on some days if there is a pool. During the day, children can watch cartoons; this is the norm here.
After the line-up, the children are picked up by their parents or taken home by bus. By the way, about transport: parents bring their children to kindergarten on their own (on mopeds or cars), but almost every child care center has an additional service - delivering the child to school or kindergarten and back home in the evening.
In the evening, children can stay in the garden for additional activities: sports clubs, drawing, modeling, design. Children from the older group are prepared for school - they are taught to read and write in Thai, and sometimes in English.
It is worth noting that this is how days pass in ordinary Thai kindergartens. In international, Russian or Montessori and Waldorf gardens, they do not turn on the TV and do not conduct rulers.
The food, of course, is designed in the national style of the establishment: if it is a Thai garden, then rice and noodles predominate on the menu, in a Russian garden - cutlets, pancakes and even borscht. Sometimes parents pack food for their children - this is a common practice, and it is not prohibited here. At lunchtime, the baby will be warmed up with what he brought with him and fed. Here is an example of a Thai kindergarten menu:
|
Breakfast |
Dinner |
Afternoon snack |
|
|
Monday |
Minestrone soup |
Egg noodles with BBQ pork |
Spring rolls |
|
Tuesday |
Fresh milk, piece of pie |
Stewed chicken with rice and garlic |
Ice cream |
|
Wednesday |
Fresh milk, Mixed fruit sandwich |
BBQ chicken wings, French fries, coleslaw salad |
Cookie |
|
Thursday |
Fresh milk, coconut cookies |
Pasta with tuna and sauce, garlic bread |
Toast with fried shrimp paste |
|
Friday |
Pumpkin soup with crackers |
Fried rice |
Pies |
Will your child be cared for and cherished? They will! They will feed you with a spoon, help you brush your teeth (at lunchtime, of course!), and put you to bed. And the diaper will be changed, and the butt will be washed with a smile and affectionate speeches. You can only worry that your child will be completely spoiled.
Everything is fine with discipline too: children are under supervision, they are not allowed to fight or disrupt order (at the same time, ordinary children’s screams are treated amazingly calmly, allowing the kids to throw out all their accumulated energy), teachers treat their charges with due severity, but without screaming or corporal punishment . And this amazes any parent who comes to the kindergarten for the first time: with such a loyal attitude towards the behavior of children in general, teachers manage to direct their charges to eat, draw or relax without unnecessary stress. In the evening you will be informed about how your baby spent the day, what his achievements are, or vice versa, what needs to be worked on. But all information will be presented with the utmost respect to your entire family. Often, various festive events are held in the gardens, where children actively participate in everything that happens. For example, in honor of the Loi Krathong holiday, children in beautiful outfits launch decorated boats into the water. The whole process is photographed, and then the photos are beautifully hung on stands in the garden. Parents can take a memorable photo home.
Thai kindergarten as part of a school in Maenam Oonrak koh samui school
Coordinates on the map: 9.564852, 100.006543
Thai kindergarten in Nathon Jaree Nursary (accepts children from 1 year old), popular with locals.
Coordinates on the map – 9.545822, 99.931573
Thai kindergarten in Maenam
Articles, I started from her in my searches. I just went through one after another in the hope of finding something suitable.
First, I will say a few words about my goals. I am not so much a supporter of kindergartens, in fact, rather the opposite. However, Zhenya doesn’t sit with Varya categorically (I’m normal about this: well, it happens that some actions are difficult for a person, maybe he’s not ready yet), but I need to at least attend a language school, and preferably also look after work. But that's not even the main thing.
One of the main goals of our trip to Thailand was to study English for Zhenya and Varya. Moreover, I initially planned to teach Varya, not by sending her to a language school, but by immersing her in a language environment, that is, by sending her to a kindergarten where everyone speaks English. I’ll say right away about one important division: if the name of the kindergarten contains the word “international”, classes are conducted only in English, if not, in English and Thai. In this case, the English will be understandable, but “crooked” (I already complained a little about “Taiglish”).
As for kindergartens, I didn’t come across them for quite a long time. The word "kindergarten" is not familiar even to Thais who speak good English, so saying "nursery" or "school" will be more effective.
1. Russian-language kindergartens.
Here I will mention the most famous Russian-language kindergarten on Koh Samui EasyDays, however, I’ll mention it not in the best way: not only did it not suit our goals at all, but visitors couldn’t say that they praised it very much.
There is a kindergarten baby dolphin"and some more appear from time to time. I must admit, I didn’t look at them too closely.
Such kindergartens usually cost 7-10 thousand baht per month, or 500-700 per day. Often groups are formed from the children of vacationers; the composition of the children often changes.
2. Thai state kindergartens.
To learn to recognize them, you need to live in Thailand for some time and take a closer look. In Russia, when passing by a kindergarten, you will almost certainly distinguish it from a store, residential building, or office center. Walking around Samui, at first we passed by schools and kindergartens without noticing them. I can tell you about a special sign - almost always, and in all the kindergartens I examined, the most striking sign is a huge, but completely empty sports ground: no children, no equipment.
This photo was taken in one of the Thai kindergartens: a lonely climbing frame and a tattered swing.
We went to three Thai kindergartens to talk. In one of them, I was very impressed by a five-year-old Thai girl who acted as a translator between me and a non-English speaking teacher. She did a great job! I wonder where she learned the language so well? Here, however, children from mixed marriages are not uncommon, and for the most part They are of Thai appearance: dark-skinned, black-haired and black-eyed.
In the other two, the teachers talked to me themselves and quite successfully. In many Thai kindergartens, children learn a little English. However, I was left with a rather depressing impression: the groups are large, the premises are poorly equipped, and the children are not particularly well-groomed.
The cost of a month in a Thai public kindergarten is usually 4,000 baht per month. Keep in mind that you should check with the school and kindergarten whether meals are included in the price, because it is not always included. It happens that you need to pay an entrance fee, usually 3,000 baht: usually in kindergartens there is a uniform, plus bed linen, towels, dishes and other small items are purchased for each new arrival.
One of the best Thai kindergartens on Samui is Tonkra Nurcery on Maenam Beach, Google coordinates: 9.5686,100.0008. The groups are small, up to 15 people, there is a school bus that drops off and picks up children from their parents’ place of residence for an additional fee. Cost - 5,000 baht per month (with meals, but without bus)
3. Thai-English (Thai private) kindergartens.
Tuition fee - 15,000 baht per month, entrance fee - 3,000. Excellent kindergarten with a swimming pool, good educational program. The teachers are partly Thai, partly European. Groups - up to 25 people, at the time of our request there were 18 children in the group, four of them were Europeans (the group is quite large for such a price, perhaps, but this is the only criticism).
4. Fully English-speaking (international) kindergartens in Thailand.
Usually expensive - up to 30-40,000 baht per semester, but we managed to find an exception - the “Canadian kindergarten” on Bophut beach. I can confidently say that this is where I would have chosen if we had stayed on Samui.
It’s a bit far from our house, but that’s okay, we could rent the house again. There is a school bus. Groups - 10-12 people, English-speaking European teachers, 80% of children are Russian. But this is also not a minus, but adaptation will be easier. In front of me, a four-year-old Russian boy approached the teacher with the phrase “May I have some water please.” And the teacher answered in English, and the boy understood her, and continued the conversation himself!
Tuition in this kindergarten costs only 7,000 baht per month (including meals, not including the bus), the entrance fee is 3,000. It is customary there to put children to bed during the day - I asked if this is mandatory. No, he says, if you don’t want to, then we won’t (ideal). There is, however, no swimming pool, but we organize a swimming pool for the children at home.
By the way, this kindergarten at Vinsky’s was strongly criticized: they say that the Thai teacher gave the children water from the tap, which made them vomit heavily. At the moment there are no Thai teachers at CISS-Samui. Just the other day, on the first of May, a branch of the kindergarten will open in Nathon. I recommend.
Russian kindergarten on Koh Samui under the name "EasyDays" has been open since September 15, 2013. The kindergarten provides professional teachers at your service, quality food your child, a free weekly examination of the child by a Russian doctor, transfer from home to kindergarten and back, as well as many other services. “EasyDays” differs from other gardens in that they operate seven days a week and around the clock.
The kindergarten is located in the Bophut area near the Big-C supermarket. On the territory of “EasyDays” there are three houses, which, in fact, are a kindergarten, modern playgrounds, as well as a small waterfall, which is fenced off from children for their safety. Kindergarten teachers have higher pedagogical education or specialized education. Most of the children who attend “EasyDays” are Russian-speaking, and for them it is a big plus that they are addressed in a language they understand. As for children, in kindergarten they are divided into groups depending on their age. The first (younger) group includes children aged 2 to 3 years, the second (middle) group includes children aged 3 to 5 years, and children aged 5 to 7 years belong to the older group. To contact the director of the kindergarten, you just need to call the phone number:
089-288-89-58
for calls within Thailand
+66-89-288-89-58
for international calls.
No less famous kindergarten on Koh Samui- This is a Montessori garden. In the kindergarten, three assistant teachers look after the children, two Thai and one Russian. It is located in Maenam and is a two-story house with a playground, lawn, large garden, sandbox and gazebo. Groups are divided by floor. Studying at first senior group from 3 to 6 years, and the second is placed junior group up to 3 years. This kindergarten has its own methods of teaching children, they teach children to be independent. At the end of lunch, children are taught to clean up and wash the dishes after themselves. The child has complete freedom here; he can eat, eat, read, play, draw, he is only looked after. In addition, children are taught English, since all teachers worked in the USA. The house is divided into different zones, there is a playroom, a dining area, and a reading area. At the end of the day, the teacher gives parents a report for the day, in which everything is written about what the child did all day, what he ate and how he behaved. You can contact the owners of the kindergarten by phone:
077-245-024
or 084-440-1702.
As for Thai kindergarten on Samui, it is much cheaper, and no worse than others. I will look after your child, look after him, feed him, he will not be bored, since in the high season 50% of children are Russian. Teachers spend all their time on the floor near the children. Naturally, the education of teachers is very different from what we are used to, but they get along well with children. Usually, during the day, the teacher plays with everyone without a break, communicates, offers toys and various educational games. She communicates with children in English. Of course, there are no classes, but there are good attitude and childcare.
Another kindergarten on Koh Samui located in the Bophut area. Its owners are Canadian, so the children are taught according to the program of Canadian kindergartens, and the Montessori method is also partially used. The playgrounds on the territory of the kindergarten are clean, neat and have everything you need (sandbox, slides, crawling bar and swing). The house is very spacious, there are a lot of different toys and books inside, and the walls are covered with children's art. The teacher is very nice and kind woman. Most of the children are Russian. To contact management, just visit their official website, or call the phone number:
088-819-8088.
One of the frequent questions from mothers going to Thailand for the winter with small children is whether there is a good kindergarten here. If you wish, of course, you can send your child to a Thai kindergarten, but I was not at all impressed by the experience of visiting a Thai kindergarten. But “European” or “English” centers are no better, because the teachers there are still taught by Thais, albeit in broken English, but at exorbitant prices. Therefore, it is especially pleasing that there is a Russian kindergarten on Samui.
Rather, it can even be called a mini family center. But this kindergarten is positioned as a place for those who care about their child, about his comprehensive development, about health (mental and physical), since, first of all, an individual approach to each child is practiced.
Russian kindergarten on Koh Samui called "Little Dolphin". And his owner, Nicole Richie, will tell us about him. She is the mother of an adult daughter and a sweet toddler. (All photos are clickable)
-Nicole, tell us about yourself in a few words?
— I’m 40 years old, from Moscow, I have an unfinished higher medical degree, as well as a higher law degree, I’ve been studying psychology for many years, I read a lot, I don’t smoke or drink, I’ve been living in Thailand for almost 4 years, my youngest son was born here, he’s 2.7 g. ., the eldest daughter is 20 years old, she is an actress and model, lives, studies and works in Moscow, and periodically comes to visit. There is its own children's football section “Dolphins”. I love children, animals, nature!
-How did the idea to organize a kindergarten come about, how long has it existed?
— Our family-type daycare “Dolphin” was created in January 2013 after several months of my unsuccessful attempts to find the optimal daycare for my son on Samui for development and socialization. I monitored everything that is on Samui, talked a lot with different parents, studied their opinions, reviews and realized that I was not ready to send my child to those kindergartens that are currently available on Samui. And I decided to try to create something of my own, exclusive, with an individual approach to everyone, that is, what I would want specifically for my son. And at the moment I am very pleased with the past year and the results of my work.
baby dolphin
—Nicole, what is the children’s daily routine and nutritional habits? What classes are held, how is the kids’ day going??
-We live the full life of little Samui stars from 10.00 to 18.00, eat 5 times (breakfast/lunch/dinner, snacks, second breakfast and afternoon snack), drink freshly squeezed juices in the morning. We definitely do morning exercises. During the day, nap time (for those children whose parents request it). We also sculpt, draw in albums with felt-tip pens, pencils, crayons, watercolors and gouache, draw on the board with markers, and write in notebooks with pens. We play various outdoor games, including with water, build, water the lawns with watering cans (optional), and I with a hose. We play at home and in the yard, and under the house, in the shade - we also have a large area there, and we also read books, of which we have a great many. With our elders, at the request of our parents, we learn letters, numbers, and let bubble, blow up balloons, listen to Mozart, and much more...
-Tell me about the kindergarten itself. About the room, territory.
-Our Fairytale Tower - Teremok for dolphins - is a very beautiful house, new (we are the first there!), bright, spacious, with huge sliding windows and doors, cozy, positive, kind! It is blown through, it is cool there, there are no mosquitoes, mosquitoes and other insects. High piles guarantee safety from crawling creatures. The kindergarten has a closed private area, an excellent house, 2 bedrooms with air conditioning (plus in one of them there is a fan for children with poor health), a fan in the living room, a Russian channel on TV + satellite TV, 2 balconies and a large veranda, also a large living room and bathroom, its own huge enclosed area with soft lawns and small trees, sliding gates with a lock. We have sooo many toys plus an electric car, 3 bikes and 3 cars to ride on.
-Who works with children?
— I am still helped by a teacher with experience working with children, Karina, who, like our football coach, last years worked with children in Spain.
baby dolphin
-At what age are children accepted and up to what age? Do you have one general group for all ages?
— We have one group, children from 1.5 years old to 5-6 years old, everything depends on the child’s willingness to be in a team, learn from older children, teach kids, take care of them. With us, no one offends anyone or fights back; we learn to respect each other, love, pity, and care. To live first, albeit in a small, but society, as they used to live in large families, mutually trained and cared for each other, because these children will grow up and then take care of their mature parents.
-What is the cost of visiting the kindergarten?
— The cost of kindergarten for children aged 2 years and older is 150 baht for the first 3 hours, 4 hours or more (that is, the whole day, until 18.00) — 600 baht, the price is fixed.
For children under 2 years old, the cost of the first 3 hours is 200 baht, 4 hours or more (all day, until 18.00) - 800 baht. You can also agree to leave your child with us during your trip to get a visa, a stamp, or somewhere else, or for a period from 1 to several days, the baby will be looked after, fed and fully occupied. The cost of one day is for children from 2 years old and older - 1000 baht, for children under 2 years old - 1500 baht. Everywhere there is a discount when visiting 2 or more children from the same family. And also, in addition to kindergarten hours, you can arrange an individual visit if you need a massage, a restaurant, or somewhere else. The cost for children from 2 years old and older is 150 baht per hour, up to 2 years old - 200 baht per hour.
The kindergarten is open from 10.00 to 18.00, but individual agreement is possible (for example, shifting the same 8 hours of kindergarten).
baby dolphin
-Where are you at?
-We are located about 1 km from the roundabout on the 3rd soya of Menama, not by the road, several meters deep, there are only Thais around - neighbors in houses - wonderful people, there are no farangs nearby at all, quiet, calm, comfortable, safe.
baby dolphin
-Can parents attend classes with their children and leave the child overnight if necessary?
-Yes, for the first time you can visit our “Dolphin Baby” together with your beloved baby for his better adaptation and be with him in the center of all events, play, eat with him and so on - with us everything is aimed at the maximum comfort of the mother (or dad and other relatives) and beloved baby!
Photo of our Teremok:
http://vk.com/album-48495666_176343896
And also some dishes from our menu for baby dolphins:
http://vk.com/album-48495666_168693010
And the life of the dolphins themselves:
http://vk.com/album-48495666_174746595
And it’s even better not to read about us, but just come and visit us and see everything with your own eyes!))
My contact tel. : 08 762 68 303
Best regards - Nicole
