According to Italian law, parental leave is designed for a short period, so the issue of kindergartens and nurseries comes first. Olga Merolla, who moved from Samara to Perugia three years ago, will tell us how Italian mothers get out of this situation.

Parental leave according to Italian law is only 5 months. It is allowed to leave work on maternity leave 2 months before the expected date of birth and take care of the newborn for three months, thus saving 90-100% of the salary. It is also possible to extend the vacation, but at the same time the payment amount will be reduced by up to 30%! This is why most Italian parents prefer to find suitable preschool institutions with a nursery and return to the office.

There are two main types of kindergartens. For the smallest, where children from 3-4 months to 3 years old are accepted. The nursery is open on weekdays, that is, on Saturdays and Sundays, like most other establishments, they have weekends, and in July and August, the nursery is closed for holidays. The day in the nursery lasts until 4:30 pm, but if for some reason the parents cannot pick up their child so early, then for a separate fee the kindergarten teachers will look after the baby until his parents arrive.

According to statistics, today the situation with the nursery in the country is quite deplorable. Italy is in last place in comparison with other European countries. Such a critical situation is explained by the existing tradition of raising a baby independently at home, and not giving it to nannies or educators in a nursery from the cradle. Although many modern mothers, despite the traditions, would agree to a freer routine of life, having sent the child to a nursery.

As for the central regions of the country, such as Umbria and Tuscany, there is the "best" indicator, the figures are as follows: for 100 preschool children -33 vacant places in kindergartens. Interestingly, in the northern regions of the country, a greater number of children attend nurseries, approximately 29%, while in the southern part, in Sicily and Campania, only 2.5% of children attend preschool.

Such a noticeable difference in indicators is due to the fact that in the south of Italy family traditions are observed much more seriously than in other regions, and also the catastrophic shortage of free places in the existing kindergartens makes itself felt. The unemployment rate in the southern regions of the country is also off scale, thus a large number of mothers are simply forced to sit at home to raise their children. If we take the figures for the whole country, then about 25% of children in Italy simply cannot get a job in kindergartens. And, for example, in Sicily this figure is 42%, followed by Tuscany with a figure of 33%.

The current situation forced Italy in 2009 to turn to Northern Europe for experience, after which Italy began to practice "family kindergartens." as a rule, together with her own child. Naturally, such "kindergartens" cost a lot of money, but for most working mothers in Italy this is the only way out. This solution, plus everything, can solve the problem of unemployment in the country, every mother has the opportunity to earn money sitting at home, playing and dealing with other people's children.

But, of course, it is not so easy to organize such a "garden" at home, for this a woman must be a mother herself or have a pedagogical education, or have work experience in an ordinary kindergarten. Before the beginning of the work of the "garden", the room where the organization of children's leisure is planned is carefully thought out. It must be spacious, comfortable and, above all, safe. The average payment for this kind of services is: half a day - 200 euros, for a whole day - 400 euros per month. But, unfortunately, there are very few such "private gardens" in Italy.

For a public creche or garden, the average cost is around 300 euros. But the cost of services for preschool institutions in other regions of Italy may be a different amount. So, for example, the price per month for a kindergarten in Rome is 146 euros, in Milan - 230, Venice - 316 and others.

The next step is the "mother's school", where children from 3 to 6 years old go. This "school" can be either private or public, but both types are paid for by parents. According to the age, the child is assigned to a group of approximately 15 to 30 children. In terms of the number of such gardens in the country, Italy occupies a leading position in Europe. About 98% of children in Italy attend preschool institutions.

Three meals a day have been introduced in kindergartens - breakfast, afternoon tea and lunch. Parents' fees for meals are paid separately from the general garden fees. One meal can be around 4-5 euros. As a rule, gardens do not have their own dining room for cooking, it is delivered to them from a single large dining room that cooks for several gardens. In the gardens, a bio-diet is offered, that is, dishes are prepared from vegetables without additives and harmful fertilizers. The basis of the menu is a large number of fruits, soups, mashed potatoes, rice, as well as light vegetable salads every day. Naturally, Italians do not cheat on traditional pasta, children cook different pasta dishes, for example with vegetables.

Most kindergartens offer parents a shuttle bus service for their children from home to kindergarten. This service significantly saves time for parents in the morning, but in the evening, after all, parents pick up their children on their own. The bus service fee is 25-35 euros per month.

Here is the officially confirmed list of what is taught in every preschool in Italy:

- physical activity;

- Me and others (the basics of living together in society, morality);

- Expansion of the child's vocabulary, rhetoric;

- foreign languages, self-expression, creativity;

- acquaintance with the surrounding world.

In some kindergartens, plus everything, they include cooking lessons, classes in the pool, they organize theatrical performances with the participation of both children and professional actors, in general, Italian children do everything that our Russian kids do in kindergartens. Some kindergartens offer the following classes: application, modeling, choreography, music, drawing, mathematics, speech development, gymnastics, psychomotor skills, older children are offered learning English and classes on the computer.

Often private kindergartens in Italian cities are organized by nuns. Italy can be classified as a very religious country, which is why Italian families prefer church ministers to take care of their children. Naturally, no one in such institutions forces children to spend whole days in prayer, and does not exert religious pressure on them, but prayers before meals and singing psalms are included in the standard course of study. Classes are held with an obvious bias in the history of Catholicism, and holidays are held with a religious bias.

In Italy, it is customary that on the first day of the baby's stay in the kindergarten, the mother spends everything with him, from morning to evening. This involvement of the child in the well-established daily routine of the garden is called “inseremento” and follows a strict schedule. For example, on the first day, the mother is always with the baby, on the second day, 15-minute pauses are organized in their communication, the third day is spent with a pause of 30 minutes, and so on. "Inserimento" on average lasts about a week, but in some kindergartens this process may be organized differently and take more or less period of time.

The price for a kindergarten for children from 3 to 6 years old is calculated taking into account the total family income. According to Italian law, certain categories of families are provided for, which are entitled to benefits in payment. For example, such benefits can be received by families where both parents are unemployed or only one family member works, as well as families with many children.

The monthly fee for such families is approximately 50-160 euros, depending on the annual income of the family and the region where it lives. The average sum paid by families per year is about 970 euros, but it should be borne in mind that these figures are averaged, that is, in one kindergarten group you can find a child whose parents pay 45 euros, as well as one for whom they pay 150 euros per month ... The difference is due to the fact that not all families can receive benefits; wealthy families pay for kindergarten in accordance with the general tariffs.

Prices in private kindergartens are higher than public ones, but not much. Most families in Italy prefer to take their child to private kindergartens, where the number of children in the group is much smaller and there are more developmental activities than in budget kindergartens. The price for visiting a private kindergarten varies from 1000 to 1500 euros per year.

As a result, we can safely say that the system of preschool childcare facilities in the cities of Italy is well developed, parents are given a huge choice in this area. Parents can register their children in a public, private, religious, creative kindergarten, teach him English or play some musical instrument, leave the baby in the garden until lunchtime or until the evening.

And what, if not the experience of other countries, allows you to form your own idea of ​​how a kindergarten should look like - the one in which a child will gladly go every morning, where there is no decoy with lumps and absolutely no one locks in the toilet. Let's learn about the Italian experience. What are kindergartens in Italy? Of course, we will talk about municipal preschool institutions.

Nursery in Italy

Most Italian babies go to nursery as early as 3 months. 5 months - this is how long an official decree lasts for Italian mothers (2 months before childbirth and 3 after). You can, of course, take another 6 months, but in this case payments will be only 30% of the wage level. Therefore, most Italians decide to send their child to a nursery (or grandmother, nanny) at the age of about six months. This usually coincides with the introduction of complementary foods.

So, the official nursery in Italy works with crumbs from the age of 3 months. There is also a municipal nursery, but getting there is difficult. Private ones are also controlled by the state and cost from 500 euros per month. However, there is a catch in that the nursery only works until 4 pm. Therefore, parents get out of the situation as best they can, because not all work until 15-16 hours (plus the time to get to the kindergarten). Grandmothers, nannies, neighbors with the same kids are used. In general, the presence of grandparents helps a lot, it is the older generation who is seriously busy with the little ones' leisure and their additional development. A friend of mine, an Italian grandfather, collects all the neighbour's kids (albeit already older, from about 3 years old) and delves with them in an impromptu garden-vegetable garden.

Kindergarten in Italy: 3 to 5

Although officially preschool education is not compulsory in Italy, almost all children between the ages of 3 and 5 attend kindergarten. In addition to private and municipal, there are Catholic gardens.

There is payment in municipalities, usually parents pay for food and buy various play and educational materials. The amount depends on the official income of the family: someone pays 300 euros, and someone pays 50. There are exactly the same queues, which are more likely for children with special needs, from single-parent families or both working parents.

But it is easier to get into Catholic kindergartens, they are divided rather according to the principle of proximity of residence and provide approximately the same preschool education. They are cheaper than private ones, but more expensive than municipal ones. The nuns of the order under which the garden is organized spend a lot of time with the kids.

The common thing for all Italian kindergartens is something that will surprise Ukrainian mothers. Children practically do not walk on the street here. Italian parents and pediatricians believe that children do not have to be outside, especially if the temperature is below 10 degrees.

In kindergartens for older children, there are extended courses that work until 6 pm. Registration of a child in them is for an additional fee, approximately another 100-150 euros per month.

They treat diapers calmly here, up to 3 years old it is generally not customary to remove a diaper from a child. But if the parents insist, then the educators will be engaged in planting, but certainly not earlier than the 2nd birthday of the baby.

Blankets, pillows, linen, bibs and other textiles in Italian kindergartens are individual for each child. Everything is given to parents on Friday for washing and replacement.

As in most European gardens, children do not sleep during the day. And if they sleep, then right on the floor on gym mats or mattresses. Shoes are not removed during sleep - this is a fire safety requirement. All shoes are only with Velcro!

As for food, the kindergartens usually have a seasonal menu: summer and winter. Children eat breakfast at home, dine in the garden, and for afternoon tea they eat brought from home. For lunch - pasta, pizza, rice, beans, potatoes, lean meat, sauces. And no soups! Dairy is also not welcome here due to the large number of allergies to cow's milk protein. Therefore, children do not bring yogurt with them, but eat only at home.

Photo: shutterstock, depositphotos

The Italian Republic is a State in Southern Europe, in the center of the Mediterranean Sea, at the crossroads of trade routes between the West and the East, which is an extremely important factor in the development of the country's economy in all eras. The capital of the state is Rome. Italy is a democratic parliamentary republic led by a president. The executive power in the country belongs to the Council of Ministers.

In order to have a general idea of ​​the atmosphere in which it became, formed and continues to develop education in Italy, we present a brief description of the country, its economy and population, which are the formative basis for the development of society, culture, history.

About 67% of Italy's population is urban. Almost all residents of the country (93%) are Italians. As in many other developed countries, in Italy, in recent decades, the birth rate and natural population growth have been declining, the average family size is declining, and the nation is aging. The economically active population totals 22.8 million people, of which 12% are unemployed or young people looking for a first job. Many go abroad in search of work. At the moment, due to the large flow of migrants, Italy itself already uses the labor of foreign workers. The number of legal immigrants is high, and illegal immigration from the most disadvantaged countries has recently presented a serious social problem and challenged the entire way of life.

The history of the formation of a kindergarten in Italy is rooted in the distant past. This organization has undergone an evolution, in the process of which it was able to establish its educational objectives, overcoming functions aimed only at caring for and looking after a child, and reaching the level of the first stage of school education.

"Scuola dell" Infanzia "-" School of Childhood "-" Kindergarten "- a more familiar name for the Russian education system - as an institution, originates in 1968, with the adoption of Law No. 444 of March 18, 1968, thanks to which, after long discussions, the tradition of the state's disinterest in this age group of children was interrupted, which until now has been occupied only by parishes, religious organizations and municipalities.

However, institutions of this type have already existed since the Industrial Revolution (18th century), when the manual labor of women in industry began to take them out of their homes and, as a result, it became necessary to look after preschool children in some specific place during their mothers' working hours. There appeared "Rooms for the care of children" - "Sale di Custodia", the nursery - "Asili" - literally - shelters for children, which became the prototypes of modern kindergartens.

The merit of the creation of the first preschool institutions, in which, along with other types of upbringing, elementary education was carried out with children (conversations of educators about nature, telling fairy tales, reading children's books, and so on) in practice belongs to the English socialist - utopian - Robert Owen. This work experience was subsequently transferred to the UK, and then to France and Germany.

In 1839, thanks to the activities of the German teacher, Frederik Frebel, "Kindergartens" were born, which became widespread and had a long life.

In Italy, the initiative to create kindergartens belongs to the priest Ferrante Aporti (1791 - 1858), who was sure that many of a person's troubles stem from his ignorance, and saw his mission in the education of youth of all ages. In 1828, in Cremona (a city in the Italian region of Lombardy), he opened the first "Asylum for children" ("Asilo d" infanzia "), which accepted children from two and a half years old on a paid basis. the Austrian state and a village school for children.The initiative has spread to regions such as: Lombardy, Veneto, Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna.

Half a century later, Froebel's kindergartens also appeared in Italy - this was favored by the interest of the political elite of that time, as we find confirmation of this in a circular letter from the Minister of Education, Coppino, dated September 17, 1885.

The activities of the sisters Rosa and Carolina Agazzi, who opened in 1895 in Mompiano, the first Mother's School, giving it that name, is highly important, since they believed that the teacher should evoke the role and image of the mother and the school environment should accept the child as a family environment. The methods of work that were used - the methods of instrumental pedagogy (John Dewey), known and applied already in many European countries. The bottom line was that young children from a very early age learned to do everything on their own, mainly in the form of a game, developing the child's free activity and his creative potential. In one of her works, Rosa Agazzi emphasized the importance of creating a functional material environment for the development of a child. She wrote: "It is very strange that in the process of the current awakening of awareness in relation to childhood, an authoritative voice has not responded, urging planners and architects to listen not to their own imaginations, but to those who live childhood and know its needs."

The educational model of the Agazzi sisters was a huge success in Italy and, in general terms, it can be argued that it was followed until the end of the 20th century, especially since even the very name "Mother's School" was adopted by the law establishing a public school in 1968.

Another well-known figure in the field of preschool education, who left behind a huge contribution to pedagogy, was Maria Montessori, who, working as a physician with mentally retarded children, adopted the methods she created for children developing normally, and received optimal results. In 1907, in one of the most densely populated and poorest quarters of Rome - San Lorenzo, she opened the first Children's Home, for babies from three to six years old, in which she applied her method of scientific pedagogy, which became in 1909 a publication adopted since great enthusiasm in Europe and around the world. The Maria Montessori method has its origins in a new concept of childhood, which asserts that the seeds of development and growth are in the child's freedom of expression.

Many visitors to the Children's Home had the opportunity to observe children doing their activities calmly and joyfully without incentives in the form of rewards or suppression in the form of punishments.

The development of the child's intellectual abilities was prepared by sensory education, as a result of which the child could freely manipulate the material he chose, which helped him correct his mistakes on his own, without the help of a teacher. Montessori schools have spread throughout Italy and around the world, especially in North America. India was so interested in the new method of education that it invited an innovative educator to deliver a course during World War II.

It can be argued that Montessori was recognized by the world as the teacher who "liberated" the child.

On March 18, 1968, a law was adopted that established the Mother's School at the state level, and a multi-year plan for the creation of preschool organizations of this format was approved throughout Italy, especially in the south of the country. A period of rapid development of the school education system began: primary schools everywhere expanded their schedules to full-time, day nurseries opened, municipalities established school canteens, renovated old structures and erected new buildings. However, the Mother's School, just like now, was not a compulsory stage of primary education, and the possibility of registering a child in this organization, especially in densely populated areas, was associated with the real possibility of the capacity of the structure, with the teaching staff and with the economic opportunities of the Municipality.

The 1968 law marked a decisive transition from the perception of the Mother School as a place for receiving and caring for children, to a school with clearly defined goals, objectives, content, and methods. In the published Guidelines (Orientamenti), although there was a sense of direction strengthened by years of previous practice, a school of a new formation was already looming. They contained recommendations for the use of more progressive didactic methods to promote child development. Educational programs, areas were indicated as spheres of action and activity, for the child to achieve his own goals, according to his own rhythm. It is the Guidelines that recognize children as the inalienable rights guaranteed to all by the Constitution - the right to upbringing and education, and thus mark the evolution of the Mother's School into the School of Childhood, as it is called now. The Guidelines emphasize the centrality of the child, recognize diversity, and focus on the psychophysical well-being of children. For a positive result of work, the following are distinguished as essential: flexibility in organizing activities, dialogue with parents, collegiality as a guiding principle in the work of the teaching staff, building positive relations with nearby organizations.

In the 1991 decree, "Scuola Materna" - "Mother's School" is most often referred to as "Scuola dell" Infanzia "-" School of Childhood ", since this name" most closely matches the development that characterizes this structure at the moment ".

Law No. 53, adopted in 2003, recognizes the School of Childhood as the first stage of the educational process, which should affect the entire life of a person, defining its special tasks and functions as fundamental for the full development of a person in all its directions, in relations of continuity with subsequent stages of education. School of Childhood contributes to the emotional, psychomotor, cognitive, moral, religious and social development of the child, teaches to build relationships in society, reveals creativity and personal self-determination. italy preschool education montessori

The Recommendations, in line with what is already expressed in the Guidelines, describe the educational environment as a place for acquiring practical experience, as a first and extremely important approach to culture, naturally, in forms appropriate to the mental and psychological development of the child. Play is recommended as a factor in the development of a child and a channel of communication, the possibility of research and search, obtaining sensory experience, as well as progress, gradual and correct, towards symbolic representations of informal activities on the one hand, and the beginning of the path to mastering specific knowledge on the other.

The School of Childhood, based on the values ​​of education and training, relying on the knowledge of preschool education presented in Italian and foreign pedagogical literature, implements ministerial projects. Today it has become the flagship of the Italian school system, attracting the attention of many countries in Europe and the world.

According to the latest research, almost 98% of Italian children attend School of Childhood. This fact indicates the exceptional importance of the child's primary education, the full development of his abilities, his talent to socialize, his personal and social growth.

Preschool institutions in Italy at the moment can be conditionally divided into state (communal) and private, belonging, most often, to the Catholic Church - Monastic Orders, Religious organizations. There are also gardens and nurseries opened at specific institutions, factories, firms (asilo o / e asilo nido aziendale) or various Associations. A system of alternative childcare facilities has been developed, such as: micro-nursery ("micro nido") - a private institution for 12-15 children; family crèches ("nido famiglia") - a mother with special training and all the necessary permits accepts a group of 3-4 children at home; included nursery ("nido integrato"); nursery (nursery group) as part of a kindergarten; baby parking ("baby parking"); children's center ("sePgo infanzia").

Italian kindergartens and schools, centers of education and culture, exist, work and develop in many countries of the world - where Italians live, where there are large or small diasporas of this people. In this context, it is interesting to mention such a phenomenon as the Italian emigration, when in the period from 1861 to 1976, since the creation of Italy, about 13 million people emigrated from the country. Many went to the countries of northern Europe, the USA, Canada, and Latin America.

According to statistics for 2014, about 3,000 Italians live in Russia. Someone lives and works alone, but many come with their families, or create their own families here, raising children in the cultural traditions of two or more nations.

Having completed a short historical excursion to preschool education in Italy, translating certain terms in literal translation, further, in the text of this work, we will replace the name "School of Childhood" with "Kindergarten", since it is more familiar to perception, and at the same time not at all contradicts the essence of the studied phenomenon.

In the next section, we will present an Italian school in Moscow, a center of concentration of Italian culture for children of preschool and school age and their parents, as well as the basis of our research.

According to Italian law, parental leave is designed for a short period, so the issue of kindergartens and nurseries comes first. Olga Merolla, who moved from Samara to Perugia three years ago, will tell us how Italian mothers get out of this situation.

Parental leave according to Italian law is only 5 months. It is allowed to leave work on maternity leave 2 months before the expected date of birth and take care of the newborn for three months, thus saving 90-100% of the salary. It is also possible to extend the vacation, but at the same time the payment amount will be reduced by up to 30%! This is why most Italian parents prefer to find suitable preschool institutions with a nursery and return to the office.

There are two main types of kindergartens. For the smallest, where children from 3-4 months to 3 years old are accepted. The nursery is open on weekdays, that is, on Saturdays and Sundays, like most other establishments, they have weekends, and in July and August, the nursery is closed for holidays. The day in the nursery lasts until 4:30 pm, but if for some reason the parents cannot pick up their child so early, then for a separate fee the kindergarten teachers will look after the baby until his parents arrive. Taking the child out for a walk, they will definitely look after him, how he is dressed - in sunny weather they will definitely wear a panama hat and comfortable shoes for the child, and a jacket in the rain. In summer, children can be offered active games in the sun or in the children's pool. In such weather, the child must be protected by clothing and sunscreens: a panama hat, sunglasses with UV protection and light breathable clothing in which he will not overheat. Such goods in a wide range are presented in the children's online store www.babybanz.ru, which offers baby products from the Australian manufacturer Baby Banz Inc.

According to statistics, today the situation with the nursery in the country is quite deplorable. Italy is in last place in comparison with other European countries. Such a critical situation is explained by the existing tradition of raising a baby independently at home, and not giving it to nannies or educators in a nursery from the cradle. Although many modern mothers, despite the traditions, would agree to a freer routine of life, having sent the child to a nursery. Also, the child acquires the skills of social life, a feeling of friendship appears.

As for the central regions of the country, such as Umbria and Tuscany, there is the "best" indicator, the figures are as follows: for 100 preschool children -33 vacant places in kindergartens. Interestingly, in the northern regions of the country, a greater number of children attend nurseries, approximately 29%, while in the southern part, in Sicily and Campania, only 2.5% of children attend preschool.

Such a noticeable difference in indicators is due to the fact that in the south of Italy family traditions are observed much more seriously than in other regions, and also the catastrophic shortage of free places in the existing kindergartens makes itself felt. The unemployment rate in the southern regions of the country is also off scale, thus a large number of mothers are simply forced to sit at home to raise their children. If we take the figures for the whole country, then about 25% of children in Italy simply cannot get a job in kindergartens. And, for example, in Sicily this figure is 42%, followed by Tuscany with a figure of 33%.

The current situation forced Italy in 2009 to turn to Northern Europe for experience, after which Italy began to practice "family kindergartens." as a rule, together with her own child. Naturally, such "kindergartens" cost a lot of money, but for most working mothers in Italy this is the only way out. This solution, plus everything, can solve the problem of unemployment in the country, every mother has the opportunity to earn money sitting at home, playing and dealing with other people's children.

But, of course, it is not so easy to organize such a "garden" at home, for this a woman must be a mother herself or have a pedagogical education, or have work experience in an ordinary kindergarten. Before the beginning of the work of the "garden", the room where the organization of children's leisure is planned is carefully thought out. It must be spacious, comfortable and, above all, safe. The average payment for this kind of services is: half a day - 200 euros, for a whole day - 400 euros per month. But, unfortunately, there are very few such "private gardens" in Italy.

For a public creche or garden, the average cost is around 300 euros. But the cost of services for preschool institutions in other regions of Italy may be a different amount. So, for example, the price per month for a kindergarten in Rome is 146 euros, in Milan - 230, Venice - 316 and others.

The next step is the "mother's school", where children from 3 to 6 years old go. This "school" can be either private or public, but both types are paid for by parents. According to the age, the child is assigned to a group of approximately 15 to 30 children. In terms of the number of such gardens in the country, Italy occupies a leading position in Europe. About 98% of children in Italy attend preschool institutions.

Three meals a day have been introduced in kindergartens - breakfast, afternoon tea and lunch. Parents' fees for meals are paid separately from the general garden fees. One meal can be around 4-5 euros. As a rule, gardens do not have their own dining room for cooking, it is delivered to them from a single large dining room that cooks for several gardens. In the gardens, a bio-diet is offered, that is, dishes are prepared from vegetables without additives and harmful fertilizers. The basis of the menu is a large number of fruits, soups, mashed potatoes, rice, as well as light vegetable salads every day. Naturally, Italians do not cheat on traditional pasta, children cook different pasta dishes, for example with vegetables.

Most kindergartens offer parents a shuttle bus service for their children from home to kindergarten. This service significantly saves time for parents in the morning, but in the evening, after all, parents pick up their children on their own. The bus service fee is 25-35 euros per month.

Here is the officially confirmed list of what is taught in every preschool in Italy:

Physical activity;

Me and others (the basics of living together in society, morality);

Expansion of the child's vocabulary, rhetoric;

Foreign languages, self-expression, creativity;

Acquaintance with the outside world.

In some kindergartens, plus everything, they include cooking lessons, classes in the pool, they organize theatrical performances with the participation of both children and professional actors, in general, Italian children do everything that our Russian kids do in kindergartens. Some kindergartens offer the following classes: application, modeling, choreography, music, drawing, mathematics, speech development, gymnastics, psychomotor skills, older children are offered learning English and classes on the computer.

Often private kindergartens in Italian cities are organized by nuns. Italy can be classified as a very religious country, which is why Italian families prefer church ministers to take care of their children. Naturally, no one in such institutions forces children to spend whole days in prayer, and does not exert religious pressure on them, but prayers before meals and singing psalms are included in the standard course of study. Classes are held with an obvious bias in the history of Catholicism, and holidays are held with a religious bias.

In Italy, it is customary that on the first day of the baby's stay in the kindergarten, the mother spends everything with him, from morning to evening. This involvement of the child in the well-established daily routine of the garden is called “inseremento” and follows a strict schedule. For example, on the first day, the mother is always with the baby, on the second day, 15-minute pauses are organized in their communication, the third day is spent with a pause of 30 minutes, and so on. "Inserimento" on average lasts about a week, but in some kindergartens this process may be organized differently and take more or less period of time.

The price for a kindergarten for children from 3 to 6 years old is calculated taking into account the total family income. According to Italian law, certain categories of families are provided for, which are entitled to benefits in payment. For example, such benefits can be received by families where both parents are unemployed or only one family member works, as well as families with many children.

The monthly fee for such families is approximately 50-160 euros, depending on the annual income of the family and the region where it lives. The average sum paid by families per year is about 970 euros, but it should be borne in mind that these figures are averaged, that is, in one kindergarten group you can find a child whose parents pay 45 euros, as well as one for whom they pay 150 euros per month ... The difference is due to the fact that not all families can receive benefits; wealthy families pay for kindergarten in accordance with the general tariffs.

Prices in private kindergartens are higher than public ones, but not much. Most families in Italy prefer to take their child to private kindergartens, where the number of children in the group is much smaller and there are more developmental activities than in budget kindergartens. The price for visiting a private kindergarten varies from 1000 to 1500 euros per year.

As a result, we can safely say that the system of preschool childcare facilities in the cities of Italy is well developed, parents are given a huge choice in this area. Parents can register their children in a public, private, religious, creative kindergarten, teach him English or play some musical instrument, leave the baby in the garden until lunchtime or until the evening.

Originally created in Italy to provide childcare for working women during the working day, it was only in 1971. entered the category of municipal children's institutions. Over time, their number in the country has increased, and they have acquired additional functions characteristic of educational institutions.

Nurseries give children the opportunity to show their abilities, communicate with peers and explore the world around them in specially designed rooms and with the help and supervision of educators. The crèche is open from September to July, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, with breaks during the Christmas and Easter holidays. The possibility of visiting the nursery in July is negotiated separately. Opening hours are usually 7.30-17.30 or 7.30-14.30.

Children in the nursery are divided according to their age into 3 groups: 3-11 months, 12-19 months and 20 or more months. Some nurseries do not have a group for the little ones.

An application for a visit to a nursery is submitted at the end of April - beginning of May. A child can attend a nursery if at least one of his parents is registered with the municipality of the commune to which they belong. All applicants are listed in the order determined in accordance with their financial situation, housing conditions, the number of children in the family, etc. Applications can be submitted simultaneously in five different nurseries. The amount of payment for a child's attendance at a nursery is set by the municipal office of preschool institutions, also based on the financial situation of the parents.

In addition to the usual crèches, there are also so-called "family crèches" and "baby parks". A "family crèche" is a kind of crèche organized at home and run by a woman who has a child under the age of 3 years. Up to 3 children are admitted to such "family nurseries". Special requirements apply to the apartment in which they are located - for example, it must have at least 2 rooms. The duration of the stay of children in such mini-nurseries is limited to 5 hours a day.

Baby car parks are a more modern and cheaper alternative to baby sitters. Children can be left here for 4 hours, even in the evening. Meals in these establishments are optional. Otherwise, they obey the rules common to ordinary nurseries.

There is no consensus among educators and pediatricians regarding the benefits of a nursery. It was found that children attending preschool institutions get sick much more often than those who do not attend them. Sometimes, due to illness, children enrolled in a nursery are forced to spend most of their time at home undergoing treatment. In addition, it is at an early age that parental care is most needed. Therefore, many pediatricians dispute the rationale for the existence of a nursery. On the other hand, however, such institutions are the only way to relieve working parents from having to look after their children during the working day. The fact is that in many families grandparents who have not yet reached retirement age also work and cannot provide support to their children by looking after their grandchildren. In addition, in connection with the changes taking place in modern society, the number of working mothers, as well as married couples, deprived of the support of relatives, is growing. This is the reason for the need to create children's institutions for children under the age of 3 years.

Since the 70s, nurseries have been acting as these institutions. Initially, the responsibilities of the nursery workers included ensuring the correct nutrition and daily routine of children, however, already in the 80s, much attention began to be paid to educational work. For parents, a nursery is, first of all, a place where children can be left during working hours. In addition, daily attendance at the day nursery promotes the establishment of friendly relations between parents who share common interests and needs, which generates a certain solidarity between them and provides them with an additional opportunity to receive support in difficult times.

In the allocation of places in municipal day care centers, the poorest families are given priority, while the richer ones tend to send their children to private day care centers, which generally provide high quality services.

The attitude towards kindergartens is much more unambiguous than towards nurseries, although it is worth noting among the negative factors, for example, too long classes, overcrowded groups and temperature drops in rooms in winter, due to which the incidence among children increases. Of the positive factors, it should be mentioned that kindergartens give children an excellent opportunity to make new acquaintances, teach them communication, discipline, instill in them a sense of time - that is, teach them to understand when it is time to play, when to work and when to satisfy their natural needs. ... Here, children learn to be in the company of people who are not among their closest relatives, learn to build relationships with a wide variety of people - educators, employees, parents of their groupmates.

At home, there is always a close person next to the child, always ready to give them all his attention. In the nursery, the child has to share the care and attention of educators with other children. This is very important, because, obeying the ever-accelerating rhythm of today's life, people devote less and less time to others and to themselves. Modern children already in kindergarten begin to get acquainted with those disciplines that they will study in primary grades. They, from the first years of their lives, are loaded to the limit with a wide variety of activities. At the same time, they acutely feel the lack of human communication and, first of all, communication with their own parents, who should remember that no one can replace them for the child.

Before giving their child to a nursery, regardless of whether they are municipal or private, parents must personally visit them and ask the administration for permission to inspect the premises. Here's what they should look out for first.

1) Adequacy of the premises to the needs of children. They should be planned taking into account the peculiarities of child physiology and psychology. Rooms should be comfortable, bright and clean, of appropriate size and appropriate for the children of the age group for which they are intended. The sanitary and hygienic condition of the premises is a very important factor. Although, parents should not require absolute sterility and perfect order in the nursery. The nursery environment should be homey and relaxing. The premises of the nursery must have good sound insulation, and the design of the internal premises must exclude the phenomena of acoustic resonance in order to hinder the process of communication between children. The area adjacent to the nursery should be large enough and suitable for use by children, especially in good, sunny weather.

2) The level of child safety. The level of fire hazard in nursery premises should be minimal. All furnishings and furnishings should be done with a child-centered approach - with rounded corners, using safe materials and harmless paints. It is imperative to pay attention to electrical outlets: they must be equipped with appropriate protective devices. The size of the pieces of furniture should be appropriate for the height of the child.

3) Furniture, play equipment and toys should stimulate the development of independence and individuality in the child. They do not need to be new, but they should be in good condition, clean and free of any loose splinters or debris. It is better to give preference to simple toys that the child can combine at his own discretion, developing his creative imagination.

4) The presence of qualified personnel. On average, a nursery should have one teacher for every 6 children. It is desirable that educators have the appropriate formal qualifications obtained after attending vocational training courses. In any case, it will not hurt for parents to personally talk with the teachers. Self-respecting institutions also hold regular meetings, which are attended by both educators and specialists on various children's problems. Frequent transfer of employees from one nursery to another is highly undesirable.

5) The program of activities for children. The crèche management is obliged to provide extensive coverage of the proposed daily program of activities. The daily routine, including games, must be carefully and intelligently planned in order to maximize the stimulation of the child's development. Group activities and games involving children of different age groups are very useful.

Having chosen a nursery for their child, parents must personally receive an application form from their director, which is filled out and submitted to the office of this child's institution. A certificate from the municipality about registration at the place of residence is no longer required. A copy of the income declaration of both parents for the previous year must be attached to the application - in order to calculate the amount of the individual fee for the child's attendance at the nursery. You also need to submit a certificate of the child's vaccination (vaccinations against poliomyelitis, diphtheria, tetanus and hepatitis B are mandatory in Italy).

State kindergartens are run by the Ministry of Education and, through systematic educational and educational activities, provide the basis for the subsequent psycho-emotional development of the child. Attending kindergartens is optional. Children aged 3-6 can attend kindergarten. The application deadline is December 31 of each year. The actual recording is made on January 3-25 at the office of the kindergarten. At the same time, the application must be accompanied by a child's birth certificate, a certificate of registration at the place of residence (can be replaced with an application for self-certification), a card with vaccination data or a photocopy of the corresponding pages of the medical book. In the application, among other things, you can indicate the hours at which the child will be in kindergarten. To enroll a child in a kindergarten, his parents do not have to live in the territory under the jurisdiction of the department of preschool institutions to which he belongs.

Parents should also contact the office of the kindergarten of their choice for information and explanations. The norms concerning the work of kindergartens are contained in the Decree of the Italian Council of Ministers No. 725 of 1996.

Kindergartens provide the foundations for the development of children's cognitive abilities, their sensory world, as well as initial moral and religious education. Here the development of the child's mental and psychodynamic self-awareness begins, the birth of his desire for independence. Classes conducted with children in kindergarten are aimed at developing certain skills, cultural potential, cognitive and creative abilities. For this, in the course of classes, the attention of children is drawn to six separate areas of knowledge: speech and language; body and movement; space, order and measure; objects, time and nature; information, its forms and methods of transmission; your "I" and the world around you.

In the first days of a children's visit to kindergarten, teachers try to do everything possible so that both children and their parents get used to the new situation as quickly as possible, try to understand their needs and experiences. They do their best to promote the early establishment of friendly relations between children, trying to induce in them a positive attitude towards the atmosphere of the kindergarten and towards their group mates.