The early years are crucial in easily achieving bilingualism; we know that children are particularly able to assimilate different languages before the age of seven. Research has further suggested that children who are already bilingual find successive languages even easier to learn, and that learning multiple languages stimulates parts of the brain responsible for mathematic and musical abilities.

We support this window of opportunity by employing educators who teach exclusively in either English or German. Only very few schools in Switzerland pursue this language consistency in the area of crèches and kindergartens. We also offer an immersive and balanced environment with an English-German curriculum within the multilingual school community. Children experience both of the school languages daily through play, and in group and individual learning sessions.

Forest days at Double Decker are all about connecting with nature and being inspired from it. Children learn empathy towards living beings and are encouraged to think about the impact they have on the environment. This increases teamwork and positive attitudes towards experiencing new things. A lot of activities are designed so that children may learn and discover on their own, allowing them to develop their self-confidence, creativity, critical thinking and motor skills. According to certain studies, playing outdoors for an extended period of time strengthens the immune system. Children also benefit from multisensory learning. They create mud houses, listen for woodpeckers, recognize different forest smells, go berry picking (and also tasting!) and learn to assess risks by sight. The goal of a forest child is to relax, enjoy and discover. And yes, they will get a little dirty but the healthy glow on their smiling faces is all worth it.

Introducing children to yoga at an early age focuses the mind, strengthens the body and helps to harmonise both. Babies are born yogis! In harmony with themselves and their supple bodies, they perform various yoga poses naturally.

Bhanu Narasimhan, director of women’s welfare and childcare programs for The Art of Living, states that “Schools around the world are now acknowledging the important role yoga plays in the physical and mental growth of children and are encouraging children to practice….”

Kids’ Yoga offers your child the opportunity to remain fit, healthy and balanced!

At Double Decker we love to cook. It’s a magical experience that turns raw materials into sweet smelling pastries and savoury snacks. There are so many educational benefits gained from cooking. Children learn about quantities and volume by measuring ingredients. Fine motor skills are practiced by sprinkling cheese over pizza or moulding dough into shape. Learning cooking terms and talking about the cooking process enhances language. Kids learn science through cooking, e.g., “What will happen when I pour this batter into the pan?”

Children benefit in all areas when they cook. And the best part is that they love it! It employs their senses. They can smell ingredients, taste them, feel them, hear and see them. Sometimes things get sticky or messy. Generally things get yummy. Kids get serious about their decorative skills when it comes to desserts and they giggle when liquefiers rumble into action. No recipe is too difficult. With patience you can make just about anything. At school we’ve attempted spring rolls, pies, pizza, tacos, ratatouille, ice cream, jam and more! We even cook in the forest! On forest days children help to peel vegetables, cut fruit and, with supervised care, place things in the pot for cooking. After it’s all done the kids sit around the fire and enjoy their lunch.

The lunches that are provided by Cassis Catering Zürich, offer different types of cuisine to appease all palates, ranging from curry, Thai noodles, stews, cooked vegetables, meat, fish, salads and seasonal fruits. Morning snack is brought from home, and the afternoon snack provided by Double Decker always includes fun crafted fruit and vegetables with fresh bread. Of course allergies and special diets are noted and also catered to. We ensure that everyone is able to enjoy the culinary delights at Double Decker.