Kita Moordamm from Bad Oldesloe: Triple success at the Kita Prize!

Kita Moordamm from Bad Oldesloe: Triple success at the Kita Prize!

On November 27, 2025, a celebratory ceremony took place in Berlin at which the Kita Moordamm in Bad Oldesloe took the excellent third place in the German Kita Prize in the “Kita of the Year” category. This award recognizes the exemplary work in early childhood education and highlights institutions that successfully implement their concepts. The Kita Moordamm impresses with a unique, needs-oriented pedagogy that focuses on the rights of children and promotes their participation.

In the daycare center, around 80 children between the ages of one and six are lovingly cared for by around 20 educational professionals. These professionals work according to an open concept in which the children can decide how they spend their day: from the choice of activities to the choice of food to who can change their diapers. These freedoms enable the little explorers to pursue their interests individually. In particular, the facilities with a wood workshop, a studio, a library and an exercise room create ideal conditions for creative development.

Focus on children's rights

A special highlight of Kita Moordamm is the “important letter”, which children can use to express their wishes and complaints. In this way, the concerns of the little ones are taken seriously and actively integrated into the day-to-day activities of the daycare center. This is also reflected in the diverse projects that often arise from the children's impulses, be it organizing a flea market or baking cakes together.

In addition, the daycare center attaches great importance to promoting children's rights and supporting the transition to school. Weekly visits to school allow the children to get to know their teachers, which builds trust and increases anticipation for this new phase of life. This approach is not only exemplary, but also shows how important close cooperation between daycare and school is.

Joint decisions and prize money

In recognition of their extraordinary work, the daycare center received prize money of 10,000 euros, which the children were allowed to actively decide how to use. Such measures not only promote a sense of responsibility, but also strengthen the sense of community within the institution. In times when around half of the daycare children in Schleswig-Holstein have a full-time place, it is even more important that facilities like Kita Moordamm can successfully design this framework.

Overall, the Moordamm daycare center is a shining example of what modern, child-friendly pedagogy can look like. It shows that children's self-determination and the implementation of their rights in everyday life are not only possible, but also essential for successful early childhood education. The proud award at the German Kita Prize underlines the importance of such concepts in the entire educational landscape.

For further information about Kita Moordamm, visit the Deutscher Kita-Preis page or read the report on NDR.