Meet the Team

Séverine – Pedagogical Lead

Wild.
“The journey is the destination” for Séverine, who follows nature paths - through the forests or along gurgling streams. When not exploring such paths on foot, you will find her pedalling her bicycle in similar environments, albeit at greater speed! The great outdoors has lots to offer, and spending time in nature helps Séverine wind down and re-charge her energy. Between Spring and Autumn she also spends much time in the garden, tending to plants and observing their growth. It is also in the garden where Séverine observes her beloved tortoises enjoy basking in the sunshine and munching dandelion leaves. Sometimes her cats watch them too!

Séverine’s wild side also emerges in form of commitment and persistence when she is convinced of a project or calling, such as with the Wild.Kind. Playschool. Seemingly limitless energy appears on tap to achieve the very best she can, and to never stand still.

Kind.
As a childcare professional it is of utmost importance to Séverine to allow children to be children. Childhood, in her opinion, is an exceptionally important phase, during which body and spirit should be allowed to develop with as little pressure as possible.

By allowing children to be children and to play freely, children learn important life skills and therewith lay the foundations for their later life. With the freedom to discover their preferences, to pursue them, and through spending time in a familiar, warm-hearted and safe care environment, children are enabled in their development to healthy, resilient individuals.

At Wild.Kind.
Under her care, Séverine’s priority is to provide children with such an environment, and to build individual relationships with each child. As the pedagogical lead at the playschool, Séverine’s set focus is on creating an environment - with the entire team - where the children can grow, develop and keep on the move. She always has an open ear and open eyes for the children, the team, and of course the parents.

Her compassionate nature is key to her ability to build strong relationships with the children, which in turn helps her care competently and warm-heartedly for them during their time with us at the playschool. She greatly appreciates and takes seriously her responsibility in accompanying the kids through their individual stages of life.

Growing up.
Séverine grew up in Augst, in the canton of Basel-Land, where she still lives today. After two internships she completed her official three-year childcare qualification with commendation. She spent several years working as a group leader and trainer of apprentices at another nursery in Riehen, before her path led to Wild.Kind. Playschool at its inception.

Nisa - Group Lead & Childcare Specialist

Wild.
In everyday life, Nisa likes to take time to feel and enjoy nature. The smell of leaves, the warmth of the sun and the deep breath of fresh air bring her inner peace and the feeling of connectedness with our planet. Her favorite activities are discovering the world, traveling around it and exploring new places.

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For Nisa it is important to integrate and include all children equally. Only when all children are recognised as individuals, accepted and appropriately looked after in their level of development, can a child grow into a self-confident and independent personality. She implements this through empathic, motivating and happy interactions/cooperation with the children as well as within the team.

At Wild.Kind.
In the playschool, she is enthusiastic about the cozy and familiar atmosphere. The basic values of sustainability, love of nature and animals, empathy and individuality also accompany Nisa in her private life. It is important to her to pass these values onto the children. She wants to support future generations in developing and implementing an awareness of a “greener footprint”.

Growing up.
Nisa grew up in a suburb of Stuttgart in Germany. She made an early decision to work with children and began her training as a kindergarten teacher in 2010. After her successful graduation, she gained work experience in a day care centre. She decided to study on the side and attend the course in early childhood education. Thanks to love, she found her way to Switzerland and straight to Wild.Kind. She further decided to enrol for psychology studies while working as a Group Lead here at the KiTa.

Lisa - Childcare Specialist / Group Lead ad-interim

Wild.
In everyday life, Lisa likes to take the time to go out into nature, go for walks, hikes or enjoy the weather in her own garden, preferably in the sun. These activities give her a lot of strength and are the necessary relaxationmoment in her everyday life. The recurring seasons and color patterns of nature always fascinate her. She also likes to look at nature in other countries – preferably when the sun is shining.

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Participation - that is the most important element to Lisa in her everyday life with the children. To have the children participate in decisions and not to decide over their heads. Because only then can the children experience and further develop their self-efficacy. Together with the adults that act as role models, they can see that everyone is entitled to their opinion and can still achieve goals (together or alone).

Lisa would like to encourage children to notice and understand their needs and wishes and to be able to blindly recognize these when the children express themselves.

At Wild.Kind.
Lisa was instantly convinced by the concept, the spontaneity, the premises and the location. Every single day, we give our best and think about great activities to do – luckily there is so many nice places here in Riehen where the children can experience and enjoy nature.

The familial “togetherness” here at Wild.Kind. was one of the first impressions that struck Lisa. That we use the “Du”, the warmth and heartiness as well as the friendliness were a big plus for Lisa.

Growing up.
Lisa grew up in Lörrach (Germany), just behind the boarder to Riehen. At the age of 14, she successfully completed a babysitter course, started to regularly look after small children and became the group lead in a scouts group.

She started her educational training at the age of 16 and completed it 4 years later. After that, she pretty much instantly started to work in a playschool in Lörrach where she became the Deputy Manager.

Through a continued professional training (Weiterbildung) she then got to know Nici, founder of Wild.Kind. and then decided to join her and her team at Wild.Kind.

Katia - Childcare Specialist

Wild.
Katia is fun-loving - in the truest sense of the word, a joyful bundle of energy. Walks in the great outdoors or just breathing in the fresh air brings Katia's freedom-striving nature into bloom. At the thought of being able to let off steam and move about freely in nature, she gets a warm and fuzzy feeling.

The childlike and adventurous spirit of Katia, which is deep rooted inside her, is expressed when amongst nature. Be it balancing on the curb, hunting for sticks or baking snake bread with her daughter in the forest.

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“Most people put off their childhood like an old hat. You forget them like a phone number that is no longer valid. They used to be children, then they became adults, but what are they now? Only someone who grows up and remains a child is a person ”.

This quote from Erich Kästner describes Katia's philosophy of life. In order to be able to lead a happy life, she follows the maxim of always remaining a child at heart.

As a cheerful, spirited and adventurous child, she was able to enjoy her childhood to the fullest. Her creative streak runs like a red thread through her development. She remembers the painting and handicrafts in her nursery, which she shared with her older sister. With the keyword “sharing” an important characteristic of Katia is addressed, which describes a crucial part of her values. She fondly remembers when she shared a picnic with her sister and leafed through magazines or went out into nature after a day at school. Whether with friends or alone, Katia loves to explore and feel the nature with all her senses. To feel the cold, slightly damp earth under your feet during a football game on the meadow, to smell the fresh and flowery scent of the spring wind, still invigorates her mind today.

At Wild.Kind.
Grateful for a carefree childhood, Katia would like to accompany the children in the playschool in this incredibly valuable phase of life and to pass this sense of being carefree onto the children as best as she can.

Together with the team, she would like to offer the children at Wild.Kind an atmosphere in which they feel comfortable. It is particularly important for her to focus on the uniqueness of each child and that the team at the playschool can respond individually to the development of them. She regards this individuality as an enrichment for life. Katia empathetically pays her attention to the children, but also the parents and team members. She is happy to support them from the bottom of her heart.

Thanks to her in-depth training, Katia has a wide range of specialist knowledge, which she integrates into everyday life and her work with the children. Amongst all the other qualities that the children like about her, they particularly appreciate her sensitivity.

Growing up.
Katia was born and raised in Möhlin (AG) and is used to life in nature and in the country. Later, she decided to move to Riehen and gain her first experience in childcare (forest playgroup). She then completed her training as a Childcare Specialist in Basel and has worked in various daycare centres. She is investing her heart and soul into Wild.Kind. Playschool.

Irene - Childcare Specialist

Wild.
Irene spent her childhood almost exclusively outdoors in nature. With the neighbourhood children, she passionately jumped across wild little streams, climbed trees, played hide-and-seek and always brought home one or two little animals.

This «Bullerbü» childhood has shaped her to this day. She still spends as much time as possible outdoors hiking, cycling, working in the garden or reading and relaxing.

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Children have always been very important to Irene. She is enthusiastic about their honest attitudes. Her fundamentally open and curious nature and her approach to discovering the world are exemplary. All of us, at some point in our lives should revert back to a child like state, embodying the innocence and imagination that each child holds, which provides us the tools to communicate on a deeper level with them.

At Wild. Kind.
With her training, Irene embarked on an exciting journey to understanding children right from the beginning. Because children are very important to her, Irene would like to contribute to Wild.Kind. to promote and preserve this valuable treasure.

Growing up.
Irene grew up in a small village in Wiesental (D) with her three brothers. After completing her training, Irene traveled our impressive world with her backpack for a year and met wonderful people from different cultures, who never ceased to amaze her.

"Every beginning has its own magic", according to Herman Hesse - this has become a life paradigm for her.

Milena - Childcare Specialist

Wild.
Milena doesn't have a driver's license and can be found everywhere on her bike - not an e-bike, but a muscle bike ;)!

As a teenager, she took a trip with her sister from Basel over the Brünig Pass to Bern. She also rode her bike in Portland, Oregon (West Coast USA), where she lived for over 15 years. One reason why Portland became her heart's home is because of the population’s enthusiasm for cycling.

She likes to travel with her husband and son from time to time: simply on foot to the Chrischona, with a day ticket to the Rigi or to Ticino.

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"Connection before correction" is a training topic that has always worked for Milena in her relationship with children. Empathy comes first. It's not always about agreeing, but above all about understanding what's behind different situations and reactions that arise every day, at work and in relationships with children. Connecting with children with humor, laughing together, chatting and learning about the world together are all important building blocks of a good relationship for Milena. Of course, this and much more also helps in the relationship and in raising of her own young son.

At Wild.Kind.
Milena has been working as a childcare specialist in the group since September 2022. She completed her education in Portland (Bachelor in Early Childhood Education and Child Family Studies) and has mainly worked as an English-speaking educator in Portland, as well as in Basel. She looks forward to continuing to form closer relationships with the children, and also to discovering and learning to respect nature together with them. It is also important to her that the children learn to treat other children with kindness and to appreciate one another. For Milena, at Wild. Child. the children and the carers form a team that goes through life together and finds solutions together.

Growing up.
Milena was born in Basel and grew up in Riehen as the eldest of 4 children. Her family took care of some foster children during her childhood and adolescence and from an early age she was a little mother/big sister to all siblings and foster siblings. After a gap year in California, where she learnt American English, she settled in Oregon, began her education and eventually completed it before meeting and later marrying her husband. Her son was also born in Oregon and speaks fluent Swiss German and English. To this day, Milena's sense of home is divided in love between Portland and Basel - her family settled in Riehen in 2021.

Cornelia - Paedagogical Assistant / Childcare Specialist in formation

Wild.
Cornelia loves to spend her time by the water, in the water or in nature. One of her favorite pastimes is camping. In summer you can often find her at Lake Thun in one of the beautiful cafés right on the lake with a view of the mountains. She believes that strength is found in serenity.

Since she is also very interested in other cultures, she likes to travel. She would also like to experience paragliding soon - this is at the top of her bucket list.

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In an ever-changing world, it is becoming increasingly important to stop and live in the moment. Children should feel comfortable, which is why it is very important to Cornelia to take time for the children and to recognize their needs at an early stage of their development. Cornelia strongly believes that children should be allowed to be children, play, learn, be amazed, so that their individual interests can also be encouraged.

“Listen with ears of tolerance. See through the eyes of compassion. Speak the language of love” Rumi

Growing up.
Cornelia grew up in the beautiful town of Thun as the older of two children (she has a younger brother). After school, she lived in different places like Fribourg, Geneva, Interlaken, Ringgenberg, Frutigen and Heiligenschwendi, and at the age of 20 traveled to London as an au pair for 1.5 years. Her love of travel and adventure took her to New Zealand for a few years, then to Heidelberg in Germany, where she worked with young children in an daycare centre of an international institute.

After 9 years she moved to Melbourne, Australia, where her two children went to school. When her son proudly said after only three days at school “Look what I found on the playground today, Mom“ and then held a snake in his hand, she had to breathe deeply three times. Luckily it wasn't poisonous!

Cornelia later moved from Australia to Basel, where she worked in a bilingual daycare/primary school for a few years before she found her way to the Wild.Kind playschool.

Raluca - Paedagogical Assistant / Childcare Specialist in formation

Wild.
Playing in the rain, walking around barefoot, singing and laughing are the cornerstones of Raluca’s childhood. She spent almost all summer holidays with her grandparents. Picking fruit from the trees, planting vegetables and plants- seeing them grow and thrive are wonderful memories for Raluca to this day. She likes to remember the times when she did a lot of nonsense with her younger brother and the many cousins. She believes that every child should also be allowed to be "wild".

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"Every child is unique" - Raluca remains true to this motto. She herself was a bit shy and reserved as a child. That is why she thinks very highly of individual supervision of children. She strongly believes that children should develop their own personality, be allowed to express their own wishes and should also be allowed to be angry, defiant and sad. Children first have to learn how to deal with these feelings, and she is happy to offer loving support. As the mother of a daughter, she has also become much more aware of how important social contact are for children - both with other children and other loving caregivers.

At Wild.Kind.
Raluca joined Wild.Kind. because she noticed right away how well the concept and the team fit with her very own values and beliefs. She appreciates the well thought-out rituals, joint excursions in nature, healthy diet, and daily routines. Respectful interaction with each other and the family environment are also very important to her, which is why she is so happy to be at Wild.Kind. as part of the team.
Raluca has been supporting the team as a pedagogical employee for a year and feels comfortable in the team. She would like to grow her skillset and knowledge and is therefore completing a qualification as a specialist caregiver, as she has already worked as a childminder for a number of years and has also been active in other areas of education.

Raluca works with alot of joy and dedication. It is important for her to look after the children in a loving way and to offer them a framework that gives them structure. She is very sensitive when working with parents and looking after the children.

Growing up.
Raluca was born and raised in Romania. There she completed her high school diploma and pedagogical training in the field of music. She then emigrated to Spain with her family and lived and worked there for two years. Love then led her to Germany, and she is now happily married with one daughter. Family happiness felt complete with the additional of Luna, a golden retriever who joined the family just over year ago.

Tanja – Administrative Support

Growing up.
Born and raised in Germany on a huge playground! Tanja’s parents emigrated to Germany in the 60's in order to find work. Tanja is the youngest of four children and they all grew up in the gravel pit, where her father used to work.

Huge piles of sand, stones, mud, gigantic diggers and the adjoining forest were their playground. Their home was also home to their pets: rabbits, chicken and dogs.

After having worked as a structural engineer for over 20 years in one of the biggest architecture firms of Switzerland, she needed a new challenge. Tanja loves the encounters with young and old and she wanted to meet new people, no matter if big or small. It then so happened that her path led her to Wild.Kind. where she can support Nici and Wild.Kind. in the administration but also help with the everyday tasks in the playschool if needed.

Menschen, ob gross oder klein möchte ich begegnen und erleben!

Tanja also works at the school “Niederholz” here in Riehen where she takes care of the children (ages 5-11) in the Tagesstruktur. She really enjoys this mix between playschool and school. Being surrounded by children every day, shows her time and time again what truly matters in life. “Without children, the world would be a desert”.

Her husband and two sons make her life complete – they fill this desert with so much life. Together, they spend their spare time in the mountains, on the beach or in the sun. In order to strengthen her soul and mind, Tanja enjoys doing Taekwondo twice a week.

Nela - Former Intern, now Childcare Specialist in formation

Wild.
As a child, Nela spent a lot of time in nature and in other countries, and she associates the feeling of freedom with nature. She loves moving in the fresh air, just enjoying the moment - whether in her garden or by the sea. Nela loves the many new memories that are created after every trip in nature or in another country. Even today she likes to be on the balcony with her cat and enjoy the sun. And if you can't find her on the balcony, then Nela loves to dance. She has pursued this hobby for 7 years and it is still one of her greatest passions today.

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Nela is an only child and still enjoys this family context with her mother. When she was little, they often went to the Landauer playground here in Riehen or on excursions. Nela is very grateful for her childhood because she had a great environment and was able to enjoy her time to the fullest. Her family always makes sure that everyone is there for each other and can rely on each other - that everyone sticks together. The relationships and bonds with her fellow human beings are very important to Nela.

At Wild.Kind.
Ever since she was a little girl, Nela knew the direction in which she was drawn. Since her mother used to work in a daycare centre, Nela always spent the school holidays with her mother there and this was how her passion for children developed. Having this experience made it easier for her to choose a career. After her internship at a playschool in Binningen, she came across the KiTa Wild.Kind by chance and has been with us since August 2nd, 2021. In Summer 2022, she started her apprenticeship as a Childcare Specialist and, with her patient friendly manner, is an integral part of the team.

Enisa -  Childcare Specialist / Support staff on call

Wild.
Enisa spent most of her childhood in nature, which she loved doing with friends and family. Climbing trees, collecting flowers and going to the fields with her older siblings to have fun without any toys. For them, those were the highlights and, still now, she loves being in untouched nature. Running in the woods, along the Rhine or hiking up a mountain and observing nature are always great experiences for her. Enisa is convinced that there is a little bit of the wild in every being, and that this special part of us should be nurtured in every child.

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As a trained educator, Enisa wants to strengthen the personality of every child. She strongly believes that their successful development depends heavily on the upbringing and the promotion of resilience, which she wants to promote individually in each child. In this way, children gain more self-confidence and security when dealing with other children and they learn that they can express an important voice/opinion in life. That is why topics such as participation are an important part of day-to-day daycare for Enisa. Children should also be allowed to have a say - their needs and thoughts are also important to her.

Enisa knows that children should be allowed to be children - build a mud castle with sand and water, jump in rain puddles and get dirty. This is exactly how she experienced her childhood: through free play, letting off steam and dealing with natural materials.

At Wild.Kind.
"Children are like flowers. You have to bow down to them if you want to recognize them."

A wonderful quote from Friedrich Frobel, which reflects Enisa's pedagogical attitude. As an educator, she would like to work with the children on an equal footing and take care of them like flowers to make sure that they are doing well so that they can grow, blossom and shine. In her eyes, every child is a unique individual who develops from day to day. Taking time for the children, paying attention to their interests and having an emphatic, sensitive attitude towards them is central to her.

Growing up with three siblings, Enisa learned to stick together, to strengthen each other and to be there for each other. At Wild.Kind. she also found these values and thus the KiTa has also become a small family for her - where we support each other every day and want the best for each other.

Growing up.
Enisa grew up with her three older siblings and her mother in Rheinfelden and was already enthusiastic about social professions as a teenager. Like her older sister, she decided to train as a teacher in Lörrach. Before that, however, she was also able to gain experience with children and youth with disability and to work in a Waldorf kindergarten. These experiences strengthened her decision to work in the social field all the more.

She was able to experience nature in connection with education in a positive way during her one-year internship at a Waldorf kindergarten. This is exactly what Enisa appreciates about her work.

Opening Hours

Half day
07:00 – 14:00 / 11:30 – 18:30

Full day
07:00 – 18:30

Company information

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