Kindergarten auf Deutsch

It occurred to me the other day that I haven't written anything about Joseph's kindergarten (preschool) experience. Joe goes to preschool which they call kindergarten in our little town. Above is a picture of him in front of the school. Kindergarten in Germany costs differently depending on how many kids you have--the more kids you have the less you pay--a concept that would be highly accepted in Utah but not especially lucrative! (Negative population growth has some benefits!) When I told them that we have 4 kids, they were astounded and unsure what to charge us. They had to look it up in their "kindergarten bible" and it turns out that if you have 4 kids then preschool is free. I think this is the first time in my life when having more children has actually cost me less. The kindergarten is so incredible. They have one room with pegs on the walls and gym mats on the floor so they can climb the walls and tumble. Above Joe is sitting in a small mirror house. They have two indoor play houses and a wood working area with real tools, including saws! The one (three don't) teachers who speaks English put my mind at ease when she explained that they can't use the woodworking tools until they receive proper safety instruction. What are they thinking giving saws and hammers to 3 to 5 year olds and telling them to play nice? Luckily for me, the English speaking teacher, Sabine, hasn't had time to instruct Joe so all his appendages are still intact, for the time being. Outside they have another incredible play area in "the garden". I don't know how much German Joseph is picking up, but Sabine informs me that the other children have learned the word "No", which they tell Joe whenever he is breaking a rule or they don't like what he's doing--apparently quite often during the day! Joe's claim to fame is a pair of Spider-Man slippers he got for his birthday--they have Spider Man's head sticking up out of the slippers near the toes. They don't make slippers like that here and since all the kids are required to wear slippers or "house shoes" while inside, the other kids love to come and feel Spider Man's head. The kids are also fascinated by his American snacks, his Star Wars t-shirts, and his Shrek crocs. Oh no, I've turned into one of those moms that buys the hideous clothes with characters all over them.

On the Monday before Joe's birthday, his school celebrated their Laternenfest. Each village does their own Lanternfest with the small children. Joe got to help make a paper lantern at school then they put a real--yes, real candle in the--what?--yes, paper lantern--and let the 3 to 5 year olds carry them around the village while they sing songs and fall over their own feet and hopefully don't start anything on fire. Our friends, the Weigands, suggested that we use special lantern flashlights attached to a pole that you can buy at the local drugstore. One or two other kids also used this method, but most all of the other kids had candles--and they scold me when I don't put a hat on Joseph to bring him to school! All the boys had fun with our flashlight candle. They would blow in the lantern and Joe would turn off the light from the switch on the pole, like they had blown the candle out, then Joe would turn it back on a few seconds later. It was really confusing some of the other little kids to see a "candle" that could turn off and on--those American kids are so weird! The last picture is super blurry but I thought it was pretty cool to see Joseph and the lanterns surrounding the fountain in our little village. We had a great time at our first lanternfest.