Conclusion of the "Startchance kita.digital" campaign

A total of 11 representatives from the kindergarten Forsthof, Schwabach, the Catholic kindergarten St. Elisabeth Neunkirchen, the Villa Sonnenschein Adelsdorf, the children's center Thomizil Erlangen and the two daycare centers of the city of Erlangen - Kinderhaus Storchennest and Kindergarten Haus der kleinen Strolchen - took part in the campaign "Startchance kita.digital" in the city of Erlangen. They received their certificates of participation at the closing ceremony on June 28.

What it's all about

The campaign, which was launched in September 2021, is a multi-year, free qualification program offered by the Bavarian Ministry of Family Affairs for all Bavarian daycare facilities, including crèches. This offer is also co-financed by funds from the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs from the KiQuTG (KiTa-Qualitäts- und Teilhabeverbesserungsgesetz).

"The vast majority of children already have experience with digital media when they start nursery. And they are entitled to have their children's rights to participation, protection and empowerment in the digital world fulfilled. It is therefore the task of daycare centers to support children in the creative, critical and safe use of digital media from an early age," says the State Institute for Early Childhood Education and Media Competence (IFP). Together with the JFF Institute for Media Education, the IFP designed, implemented and scientifically supported the campaign.

What is being done

In the one-year campaign courses, the participating daycare centers take their first steps into the world of digital education with their children and with the involvement of their parents. They take these steps accompanied by qualified kita.digital.coaches and supported by the online platform KITA HUB Bayern.

In the third year of the campaign, around 300 daycare centers across Bavaria have once again set out on the exciting path to becoming digital daycare centers - despite the increasing shortage of skilled workers. They received a wide range of suggestions for digital photo, audio and film work with children and how they can involve parents as partners. The online course (MOOC) "Startchance kita.digital" and digital networking opportunities were also tested.

Participation in the campaign is a great asset for daycare centers in actively and safely introducing children to the digital world, its opportunities and challenges. 95% of the campaign daycare centers that participated in the first and second year of the campaign recommend other daycare centers to take part.

After the course, all current campaign daycare centers belong to the Bavarian network "kita.digital.vernetzt" and receive further diverse qualification and networking offers together with the daycare centers that have already participated in the pilot project "Medienkompetenz in der Frühpädagogik stärken" and in the first two years of the campaign. After the 3rd campaign year, the network comprises around 1,150 Bavarian daycare centers.

Where to find more information

Further information on the digitalization strategy for daycare centers in Bavaria can be found

• on the Kita-Digital-Bayern website and on the campaign at https://www.kita-digital-bayern.de/kampagne/ and
• about the network at https://www.kita-digital-bayern.de/netzwerk/.

Special thanks go to Klaus Lutz, the digital coach, who was instrumental in the organization and implementation of the project as well as the final event.

Photo: City Youth Welfare Office Erlangen