What Families are saying
Deciding to send our child to Wurzelkinder was one of the best decisions we made when we moved to Brooklyn. Our child has attended Wurzelkinder for three years (from age 2 to nearly 5) and has absolutely thrived in the warm, thoughtful and dynamic environment. And our child's German language level is amazing - easily on par with a child attending a daycare in Germany. We love Wurzelkinder's pedagogic approach to allowing children's curiosity to drive topics of conversation and the play-based approach to learning. Our child will start Kindergarten next year already writing letters, reading basic words and solving simple math problems, and - most importantly - curious to learn more! We are so grateful to Wurzelkinder's leadership and teaching staff and can warmly recommend it to other families!
- Miriam Schive and Till Papenfuss
In the beginning friends often asked “huh… but why German?” to which we’d shrug and reply “why not?” We had hoped to raise our daughter multilingual and foster a curious mind that enjoys learning, but neither of us came from a german-speaking country. As luck would have it, a beautiful home away from home was within walking distance, and our only regret is not having found this hidden gem sooner. We fell in love initially for Wurzelkinder’s warm and inviting space, nurturing teachers, thoughtful approach to learning, and daily outing in all kinds of weather. When the sun came out after rain, we would find our daughter picking up worms, giving each a name and assuring them with kind words as she gingerly transferred each from the drying pavement to the nearest patch of soil — just one example of a city kid who immediately grew in her imaginative play, love for nature, and compassion for others. We can tell the teachers model respectful communication and healthy boundaries, because we see evidence of it internalizing in our child even at 3 years old.
The teachers are esteemed but never wresting authority. The children are playful but calm. Our daughter is constantly absorbing new information and ideas through song and play, not forceful recitation; we can tell she is challenged but not pushed. The teachers provide enough structure so she feels safe and knows what to expect but has freedom to pursue her interests. Ironically, when she isn’t pushed through stereotyped activities, she actually ventures out into new areas and challenges herself. Even as she immersed herself in a new space and language, we could see our timid child blossom and become more assured and resilient. We would even argue that learning a language that her parents don’t know has added to her confidence! Wurzelkinder is perhaps Brooklyn’s best kept secret that hid from our radar because of its “niche” immersion aspect, but it’s best the best decision we have made for our child and will continue to be her home away from home until she’s ready for kindergarten.
- Hannah Seong
Our son Oscar (3) has attended Wurzelkinder since its opening in 2021, and we couldn’t be happier to have joined this small but mighty community. We love their whole-person approach, and he adores his teachers and often misses them during recess and weekends!
We’re also extremely happy with how the Wurzelkinder staff communicates - they’ve been very responsive, open, and always willing to work with us. It feels like an extended family away from home that helps Oscar explore and grow! We feel very lucky to have them in our neighborhood!
- Micky & Sebastian
Wurzelkinder has the unique ability of creating a small, attentive, and imaginative kid-oriented community in a big city.
- Harper Hagedorn
“We first met Luisa when our son was 4 years old. He was still in diapers, but after two weeks with Luisa, he decided that HE doesn’t need them anymore. I was skeptical, but he was right. When I asked Luisa what her trick was, she said she said she knew he was ready and so did he :) That educated, gentle nudge at the exact right moment became Luisa’s signature move all throughout my son’s preschool years with her. She prepared him wonderfully for a flawless school entrance, academically as well as social-emotionally. A teacher who supports and hands a child the right tools to make his/her own decisions! What more can you ask for?”
— Claudia Koch
Our daughter Petra (age 4) absolutely loves Wurzekinder and has thrived in the school's child-centered German immersion setting. Wurzelkinder's teachers have nurtured her curiosity and supported her social, emotional, physical, intellectual, and creative growth! We also love that the school has helped us connect to other German-speaking families in Brooklyn. We feel like we're part of a community.
- Stephanie Russell-Kraft
Elodie (turning 4 at the end of the school year) has been at Wurzelkinder for nearly two years and is thriving in every way. The combination of art, play, exploration and culture at Wurzelkinder is marvelous, and the connection to German language and culture (and the German community in Brooklyn) is an added plus.
Luisa and her team are fantastic educators who mix whimsy and fun into every day, and still manage to impart all sorts of essential learning (social skills, language, numeracy, physical dexterity) in a conscientious and effective manner. Elodie is happy, ever more capable, and functionally trilingual (she speaks another non-English, non-German language at home). Roots and wings to soar, indeed!
- Derek Russell-Kraft
Our son Jakob (4) loves coming to Wurzelkinder every day. The caring and nurturing environment has allowed him to explore all sorts of activities and he made great jumps in development.
- Nicole Schwabe
"When we ask our son A. what his favorite thing about Wurzelkinder is, he says 'alles!' Luisa and her team are nurturing, deeply knowledgeable, and great at communicating with parents."
— Daniela F. and Ben A.
Luisa couples her thoughtful and individually-tailored lessons with real warmth and a sense of creativity and exploration. Our daughter has thrived and grown under her instruction both in larger classroom and smaller group settings. She is very knowledgeable about language acquisition in a multilingual environment, and uses many effective and developmentally appropriate ways to build speaking and reading fluency. Because she knows our daughter's personality and skill sets so well, Luisa is able to really engage her with interesting topics, activities and games and also ensure that she is supported and integrated within a larger group. We are so happy that Luisa has been our daughter's teacher!
- Jess B.
Wurzelkinder is not just a great German school; it's a great school that just happens to be German-immersion. As a family that spoke no German at all going in, we were a little worried about what our daughter's experience would be. We loved the focus on play, going outdoors, and the overall philosophy of the school though, so we decided to go for it. We couldn't be happier.
Our kid picked up the language in no time, and has made some great new friends. We're all learning about German traditions together, and all of the teachers are so warm, welcoming, and nurturing. Highly recommended!
- Topher Bennett
Our experience with Wurzelkinder has been nothing short of exceptional.
Luisa has assembled a staff who are kind, warm, and have a wealth of experience in early childhood development. Their expertise shines through in the creative and engaging activities designed to spark our children's curiosity and passion for learning. The entire experience has been set up in a way that helps foster our kids' interests and individuality as well as their social and emotional development. Whether they're exploring the arts, dabbling in science experiments, or cultivating their language skills, each day brings a new adventure that aligns with their innate curiosities.
Our kids are also learning the invaluable skills of what to do with big feelings through stories, role play, and discussion. This approach is empowering them to become confident, independent learners and empathetic individuals. We've also been very pleased with the level of communication and engagement we've received from Luisa and her staff. Regular updates, parent-teacher meetings, and open channels of communication ensure we always know how our children are progressing and what they are currently working on. It's obvious that they go above and beyond because they deeply care about the children in their care.
They've created an environment where our kids feel safe, loved, and excited to learn every day. Wurzelkinder is more than just a preschool, it’s a nurturing community that guides children’s development while celebrating their unique interests and personalities. We are incredibly grateful to be a part of the Wurzelkinder family.
- Brian and Andrea Cotlove
Having a mixed American Swiss household, it was important for us that our son has some German interaction with other kids and preferably schooling. We could not have been more pleased than when Wurzelkinder, a German Kita/daycare with an inquiry-based learning approach, opened within walking distance of our home. From the moment we met Luisa, the founder of Wurzelkinder, we knew we made the right decision. You can tell how important that this was to her and how much of her heart and soul she has put into this. She always kept us informed, open for feedback and created a space that feels welcome in a very short space of time. The space is beautiful and thoughtful and has the plus of a really large outdoor space that is used daily.
Our son Odin (4yrs old) is one of the older kids at Wurzelkinder, and we were unsure at first if we made the right decision to put him in a group of mixed ages as he loved being around older kids. However, not only have we seen him flourish being bilingual, we also see him take a lot of pride in helping and looking after the younger kids, which has been wonderful to see him grow in all these aspects. In addition, even though it is a mixed-age group, the kids play together really well, and the teachers accommodate the different needs and interests of all the students by tailoring the class as needed. Odin has shown a lot of interest in letters and numbers for example, and the teachers saw this and have encouraged this in a playful manner.
Each day he now comes home telling us how he has his own notebook and how he is working on writing with his friends. We have been really impressed at how they take the kids’ interest and turn it into a fun and empowering experience. It is clear that the children come first and that so much thought and care has been put into the whole experience. We still cannot believe that Wurzelkinder has only been open since September 2021. We could not recommend Wurzelkinder enough, not just for German-speaking families but in particular for parents interested in a more inquiry-based learning experience.
— Sarah W.
Our son Frank comes home from Wurzelkinder excited to recount his school day every single day. He does so using a rapidly-expanding German vocabulary, as his ability to express himself in German has improved remarkably since starting there. His caring teachers took the time to accustom him to what is now a familiar drop off, meal, and nap routine, within which he is exposed to a rich variety of learning experiences: whether digging for worms in Wurzelkinder’s expansive yard, exploring using a magnifying glass, or working on art projects and building social skills. He loves his teachers and his school, and we couldn’t be happier with his experience there.
— Snezhana Otto
Luisa has truly made such a positive impact on both our children’s lives during their Pre-K years. Luisa is able to closely connect to each child on an individual basis, which allows for their full potential to shine! Luisa’s creativity, experience, knowledge, and kind-loving spirit are only a few of the things that make Luisa special! We can’t recommend Luisa enough for other families.
— Kaeppler and Sebastian R.
Wurzelkinder is one of the best parts of our life in Brooklyn! Our daughter is one of the youngest members of the mixed-age cohort and has flourished in the caring, thoughtful, playful environment. Among our top reasons to recommend Wurzelkinder are 1) the loving and caring approach of the teachers! (Our daughter loves them all!) 2) the lovely space with beautiful wooden toys, engaging arts and crafts, books and puzzles galore and the magical garden, and 3) the deeply thoughtful educational experience! In addition, we have greatly appreciated the responsible manner in which Luisa and her team have been handling the current COVID-19 health pandemic with the health of our community as the highest priority.
- Miriam Schive und Till Papenfuss, Tochter 2,4 Jahre alt
Our daughter Malene (4) is in her second year at Wurzelkinder and we couldn’t be more happy about the school. We are a German-American family, so the German language education suits us well, but more importantly, we love the warm and supportive environment that Wurzelkinder provides for the children.
- Linda Behnke
Luisa not only has an inherited knowledge of the German language but also a deeply rooted understanding for children. The combination of both allows her to find the sweet spot with every kid and spar interest in language learning.
— Matthaeus D.
Luisa is a very skilled and enthusiastic teacher and educator. She connects very well witch children and builds a perfect platform for teaching another language, especially the reading and writing part which is often the most challenging piece even for bilingual children. She provides not only access to another language, but also deepens our child’s understanding of another culture. Luisa is very professional and methodical in her teaching methods, and most importantly, she makes the language learning a lot of fun.
— Joachim Trautmann