Care for Children in a Creche in South Africa

You'll begin your placement by assisting the teachers but, depending on your ability, you may progress on to being given complete control of a particular class or group. You'll receive a lot of help and support from the teachers and staff at the schools.

The crèche is supported by the Department of Social Development and some of the parents (those that are able to) pay a small school fee. They also do fundraising in the form of concerts, fashion shows, braais’ and selling hamburgers to raise money to keep the crèche running.

There are currently about 70 children aged between 2 and 6 years old with about 5 staff members.

Care for children and help prepare them for primary school. Many of the children come from underprivileged homes and therefore any help they can get from you is greatly appreciated. You'll use fun activities and educational programmes to greatly benefit their social and mental development.

You'll generally work from Monday to Friday from 7.30am until 2.15pm.

You'll have freedom to set up your own day's activities. Activities include anything from singing, painting, reading, educational classes (like learning the alphabet) and playing with educational toys. Any activities are welcomed that will stimulate the children’s mind and teach them about themselves and the world around them.

Sample Timetable:

7.00am: The crèche opens early for those parents who drop their children off before work.

8.00am till 8.30am: The crèche officially starts the day with breakfast porridge for the children.

8.45am till 10.00am: The daily program starts in the form of the ‘morning ring’. The children are split up into groups according to their ages and arranged in a circle. They then go through the particular activities for that day. This is the most important part of the day’s activities.

10.00am till 10.30am: Children eat their snacks they have brought from home

10.30am to 11.00 am: Play time!

11.00am to 11.45am: Singing, music and story time.

12.00 am till 12.30am: Lunch which is a cooked meal at the school.

12.30am till 13.30pm: 1-hour nap time.

14.00pm: The children are then collected by their parents or arranged transport. If they live very close in the surrounding area they might walk home.

FOOD:
You'll be given a food budget which will cover your basic essentials (but not extras like alcohol, snacks and eating out). The kitchen has all the cooking amenities that you might need to take advantage of preparing meals with some of the great seafood, meat, fresh fruit and vegetables South Africa has to offer.

There are supermarkets and local shops where you'll do your food shopping.

There are plenty of excellent restaurants within walking distance that offer the most incredible local and international cuisine which our volunteers rave about. Knysna is also famous for its oysters and even has an annual Oyster Festival where everyone eats and drinks far too much!

The waterfront and marine is beautiful and full of restaurants and cafes with cuisine that ranges from breakfast, coffees, cakes and snacks, through to sumptuous meals and various different nationality menus.

ACCOMMODATION: THE VOLUNTEER HOUSE:
The volunteer house in Knysna is within walking distance of the town, yet set against a natural green belt. The birdlife is prolific and often the local Vervet monkey troop comes to visit to entertain the volunteers with their antics. The sunset views from the top balcony of the volunteer house of the Knysna lagoon are beautiful and great way to relax after a day working at your placement or to catch up on your tan in the summer. See photo on right-hand side.

The house is large and spacious and also has a self-contained flat downstairs for couples and families. The bedding in the two same sex dorms and the towels in their ensuite bathrooms are changed regularly every Friday by our much loved cleaner, Pretty, and there is plenty of cupboard space to store your clothing.

Facilities include a kitchen kitted out for cooking, dining area, a few bathrooms, TV, DVD player, free Wi-Fi, garden and several wooden verandahs.

There is an outside courtyard and garden in the secure grounds where you can have a typical South African barbeque known there as a ‘braai’. Make sure you try the local spicy sausage known as ‘boerewors’ and the Karoo lamb chops are to die for on a ‘braai’, but if fish is more to your taste then a fish ‘braai’ with South African ‘snoek’ is a must.

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