Kinderstube Overview

History

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Corey Heller started the Kinderstube in 2004 with the help of her brother Thomas (IT) and Karen (webdesign) with the goal to give Germans the possibility to meet, socialize and to expose their children to german language and culture.

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Die Kinderstube war in der Seattle Times!

Im März des Jahres 2007 hat eine Reporterin der Seattle Times Corey Heller und andere Organisatoren von Sprachspielgruppen in Seattle und Umgebung über das bilinguale/bikulturelle Familien Netzwerk und die Rolle von Spielgruppen in den Leben der Familien, die ihre Kinder mehrsprachig aufziehen, interviewt. Die Reporterin und ein Fotograph nahmen an einem der Kinderstuben Treffen teil. Anbei der Link zu dem Artikel, der am 17. März 2007 in der "Seattle Times" erschienen ist.

 

Organizational Form

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Our Organization

Seattle Kinderstube is not an incorporated association. There is no committee and no chairmanship. No one is responsible full-time for Kinderstube events.

One or two people take care that things go smoothly (to avoid abuse of the system, and keep members motivated). This task is not tied to one specific person and can be assigned to anyone.

Technical vehicles of the Kinderstube are its webpage (www.seattlekinderstube.org) with the community and event calendar, and the mailinglist. Both are coordinated and tended by Barbara since April 2009.

Kinderstube specific questions and issues can be sent to Barbara at any time under Contacts.

Every Member of the Kinderstube can organize an event and get together anyone who wants to speak German. Active members ensure that the Kinderstube stays alive.

Events

There is a wide variety on activities. i.e. the following events are going on at this time:
  • Play Groups
  • Evening Meetings
  • Story Time
  • Kunterbuntes Kinderkichern (events celebrating German holidays, like Lantern Walk, St. Nicolaus, Karnival etc.)

There are about three events per week with about 4 to 40 participants.

Being able to speak German is not a precondition to attend a Kinderstube Event.

Any activities are for Kinderstube Members only.

Events are free of charge. The organizer can ask for donations or contributions if there are material costs (i.e. for crafting materials). The proceeds go directly to the organizer, not to the Kinderstube.
Potluck is often a good and sociable alternative to reduce costs for the organizer. In the end the organizer decides how to craft his or her event.

Organizing and partizipating in an event is always voluntary.

Members

The mailing list comprises about 300 families at this time.

In most of these families at least one parent speaks German (native or foreign speaker). This is not a prerequisite for a membership.

Members are located: from Lynnwood to Tacoma, from Seattle to North Bend

Age of the children: between 0 and 12 yrs, emphasis being 2-4 yrs

The Website

Anyone who is willing to publish their name, age of their children, place of residence and email address, will get access to our secure website pages.

Volunteers

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The Kinderstube lives from volunteers. Everybody can organize an event. When you do, you are invited to post them on the event list.

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There is a wide variety on activities. i.e. the following events are going on at this time

  • Play Groups
  • Evening Meetings
  • Story Time
  • Kunterbuntes Kinderkichern (events celebrating German holidays, like Lantern Walk, St. Nicolaus, Karnival etc.)

    • There are about three events per week with about 4 to 40 participants.

    Being able to speak German is not a precondition to attend a Kinderstube Event.

    Any activities are for Kinderstube Members only.

    Events are free of charge. The organizer can ask for donations or contributions if there are material costs (i.e. for crafting materials). The proceeds go directly to the organizer, not to the Kinderstube.
    Potluck is often a good and sociable alternative to reduce costs for the organizer. In the end the organizer decides how to craft his or her event.

    Organizing and partizipating in an event is always voluntary.