The Clown Club was founded in 1995 with the aim of supporting and encouraging an intercultural learning process between children, their parents, and the pedagogical staff. We do this in an environment that offers the child both physical and social-emotional safety and security, inviting them to develop optimally through play. The Clown Club is open on weekdays from 7:00 AM to 6:30 PM. The Clown Club accommodates a maximum of 76 children, divided across 6 groups. The number of children per group is determined according to the Collective Labor Agreement (CAO) standards for Childcare. If fewer children than the maximum group size are present (for example, during holiday periods or under-occupancy of groups), a staff member may work alone or groups may be merged. Groups can also be merged for certain activities, such as outdoor play. In this case (when children leave their base group for activities), the maximum size of the base group is temporarily waived. This means that sometimes more children may be present in a group room. The Clown Club operates on an all-inclusive concept. Diapers, wipes, fruit, meals, etc., are provided by us. We only ask you to bring formula from home due to the many different brands available.

At The Clown Club, there are English-speaking and Dutch-speaking groups. Our team of pedagogical staff is international in composition. Babies start in the Babyroom where both English and Dutch can be spoken to the children. From the toddler groups onwards, there is a split between English and Dutch. The staff at The Clown Club uses the one situation – one language strategy:

• In the Dutch-speaking group, Dutch is spoken with the children.
• In the English-speaking group, English is spoken with the children.
• Pedagogical staff speak the language of the group they are currently in among themselves.

Children of Dutch parents are placed in a Dutch-speaking group, and children of parents with another nationality are placed in an English-speaking group. Children of parents with another nationality may also be placed in a Dutch group. Dutch children may be placed in an English group if one of the following conditions is met:

• The child is being raised bilingually at home
• The child has family living abroad, through which the child comes into contact with the English language
• The child will attend an international primary school when they are 4 years old
• The child will be moving abroad within 4 years.

Our staff are qualified in accordance with the Childcare CAO and thus meet the educational requirements. As a recognized training company, The Clown Club has interns/students working and studying under the guidance of our work supervisors and practical trainers, alongside our experienced pedagogical staff. The pedagogical staff have a pedagogical coach at their disposal who works with them to maintain high quality. A Certificate of Conduct (VOG) is requested for all employees of The Clown Club. Every employee is also registered in the personal register for childcare. With the help of the RIE (Risk Inventory and Evaluation), we try to guarantee the safety of the children. This document is always up to date and is regularly discussed with the pedagogical staff. In addition, there is an annual inspection by the GGD (Public Health Service). You can find this inspection report on our site.

Various protocols are in place at The Clown Club to ensure safety and hygiene. These include our pedagogical policy, safety and health protocols, heat protocol, and a nutrition policy. The most important protocols can be found in the KidsKonnect app and on our site. Would you like to view other protocols? Please let the office know.