The crèches in the townships of Knysna’s aims are to help prepare the children for primary school and to help with their social and mental development. Many of the children have progressed onto primary school with great feedback from the community, parents and school too.

The crèches are supported by Child Welfare and some of the parents (that are able to) pay a small school fee. They also do fundraise in the form of concerts, fashion shows, braais’ and selling hamburgers to raise money to keep the crèche running.

There can be anything from 20 to 70 children at the various crèches aged between 2 and 6 years old with several staff members. Afrikaans is the mother tongue spoken however your supervisor and all the staff, do speak good English. The children learn through educational activities, music, fantasy, and discovery programs. You will get the opportunity to help out with all activities and will also have some freedom to set-up certain activities yourself - you are very likely to be in popular demand!

You will have a lot of freedom to set up your own day’s activities if you would like to.  You will also get the opportunity to painting murals to brighten up the classrooms.  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.

All activities and chores are finished with a song (for example if they are tidying up then they will sing about it while tidying up) which makes it a little more fun.

Another thing we approve of is the way that they discipline the children, which is by putting them in the ‘getting better chair’. If a child misbehaves then they have to sit in the chair and when they are ‘better’ then they have to go up to the teacher and tell them that they are ‘better’ now otherwise they have to stay, there until such time.

You will be required to help from Monday to Friday from 7.30am until 2.15pm. 

This childcare project runs during the South African school term.

 If you are not able to volunteer in the dates of the school term and can only volunteer in the school holidays, we suggest that you get involved in our youth development placement holiday program or our safe house volunteer project helping to give the busy foster children occupied with fun activities in the holidays keeping them busy and safe