Nutrition
Eat Healthy, Be Active, Learn with Fun!
At MIA Kindergartens, a child not only eats seasonal and natural meals prepared in our kitchen, but also learns "what they eat" — sometimes in the kitchen, sometimes at the local market — and acquires lifelong healthy eating habits along the way. They learn about seasonal fruits and vegetables and what is beneficial or harmful for their health. Our chef follows a specially designed menu for the health and development of our children. Sugar and white flour are not used. Whole wheat bread, baked goods, and yoghurt are produced in our school. All foods are carefully selected from natural products. The ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System is applied at all our schools.
Security
A peaceful living space is a safe living space.
Inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach that prioritizes children, living and learning spaces at MIA Kindergartens are arranged so that children feel at ease and develop self-awareness. Children are watched over by the entire school staff — especially their teachers, who monitor their development closely. In addition, all safety procedures required of a preschool institution are followed completely. The safety program at MIA Kindergartens was established under the consultancy of the TÜV-SÜD Child Safety Certificate program. All school staff hold first aid certificates. All school buildings comply with earthquake regulations, and earthquake drills blended into play are part of school life.
Hygiene
Getting dirty is wonderful — getting clean is even better!
Maintaining hygienic habits such as handwashing and personal care is a natural part of school life. As school management, we strictly follow daily programs to ensure hygienic conditions throughout all continuously active school areas — from the kitchen to the playgrounds.
Communication
Every child's growth adventure is unique and one of a kind.
For this reason, school-family communication at MIA holds great importance for ensuring continuity in the child's learning, exploration, and development process. Documentation and transparency matter to us. We are open to informing families about any aspect of their child, and we are committed to strengthening parent-child-community bonds through the family events we hold from time to time. When you wish to receive information about your child's development, you may request an individual appointment with the classroom teacher, school psychologist, or principal. You may also download our communication app and review your child's end-of-day report to learn about many topics you are curious about.
English
The main purpose of our English program is to get students to love English, make them aware that other languages exist, and to inspire a desire to learn a second language.
Students participate actively through various play-based activities. Drama, TPR (Total Physical Response), music, and puppets are among the most frequently used methods for effective learning. Rich audiovisual tools, daily speaking activities, songs, rhymes, and movement-based games play a major role in reinforcing what our students have learned.
Additionally, we use "Smart Cookies" books, which offer a wide range of educational subjects tailored to different age groups and interests. These age-appropriate books cover language, literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, and the arts — making learning enjoyable.
We also implement the English Language Portfolio (ELP) in our schools. ELP is a system developed by the Council of Europe and officially recognized by the Ministry of National Education, designed to classify and present the foreign language education that students receive from an early age according to criteria established by the European Union. Students subject to this system gain the right to present their English language education — prepared according to scientific criteria — to national and international educational institutions throughout their academic lives through a portfolio.
Architecture
In the Reggio Emilia approach, the environment is defined as the third teacher. For this reason, designing indoor and outdoor spaces with an architectural understanding that supports the child's living and learning process is extremely important to us. The piazza (central square) where the entire school community can easily see one another, ateliers (workshops), arrangements that engage children's five senses, and outdoor play areas that support children's balance and motor control development are indispensable elements of our school.
Health
The foundation of a healthy life is laid during childhood. At MIA Kindergartens, a child internalizes the value of being healthy, the importance of physical activity, proper nutrition, rest, and following hygiene rules through the natural flow of school life. As school management, we diligently follow and implement the current changes required by the conditions we live in — as we experienced, for example, during the pandemic in recent years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which age groups can enroll in a MIA Kindergarten?
MIA Kindergartens can enroll children aged 2, 3, 4, and 5.
How does student admission work at a MIA Kindergarten?
Admission to MIA Kindergartens — which hold private kindergarten and private nursery status — is conducted within the announced quotas each year, through application order and an interview with the school's psychological counseling and guidance service. The interview at MIA Private Kindergarten takes place by appointment, arranged after the parent decides to formally enroll their child.
What are your criteria for forming classes at a MIA Kindergarten?
At MIA Kindergartens, classes are formed with consideration of birth dates and a balance between female and male students.
From which schools do the teachers at a MIA Kindergarten graduate?
All teachers at MIA Kindergartens hold Bachelor's degrees in Preschool Teaching or Associate's degrees in Child Development. Full-time school psychologists with Bachelor's or Graduate degrees in Counseling and Psychological Guidance are also an inseparable part of school life at all MIA Kindergartens through their observations and practices.
Are alternative educational approaches applied at MIA Kindergartens?
Yes. MIA Kindergartens — holding private kindergarten and private nursery status — adopt the Reggio Emilia approach among alternative education models. The Reggio Emilia approach advocates curiosity-based project work that arises from the child's own dynamics, transforms over time, and considers cultural differences. For this reason, the preschool education program at a school adopting the Reggio Emilia approach constantly changes and transforms according to the needs of children. Alternative education practices and the Reggio Emilia approach may vary by campus.
How is school readiness preparation done at a MIA Kindergarten? Is reading and writing taught?
Reading and writing are not taught at MIA Kindergartens. Our preschool education priority is to equip children with age-appropriate skills across all developmental areas (cognitive, social-emotional, language, physical, self-care), and to ensure a smooth transition to reading and writing through an intensive program focused on handwriting, phonics, attention, pattern recognition, visual literacy, and similar activities. Alongside these, an integrated preschool education program is applied to develop skills children will use throughout their entire educational lives — including problem-solving, self-expression, sustained attention, following and applying instructions, completing started tasks, taking responsibility for belongings, and fulfilling self-care needs.
Is there school transportation at MIA Kindergartens?
The best kindergarten is the one closest to your home. However, MIA Kindergartens — serving urban culture — provide transportation covering a wide area. Transportation arrangements may vary by campus. Please contact your kindergarten for details.
What is the procedure for a sick student at MIA Kindergartens?
MIA Kindergartens carefully follow the global health agenda at all campuses. Additionally, for the health of all children at MIA Kindergartens, we collaborate with all families to ensure that sick students rest and recover at home.
What precautions and procedures are taken for minor accidents that may occur at MIA Kindergartens?
Since all MIA Kindergarten teachers have received first aid training, they are able to intervene in minor accidents. In more serious situations, we arrange rapid transfer to hospital through our agreement with Acıbadem Mobile.
Are parents informed in cases of illness or accidents at MIA Kindergartens?
All MIA Kindergarten educators immediately inform parents in such situations.
Our child will be starting preschool for the first time at MIA Kindergartens and we are concerned about the adaptation process. What if they can't adjust?
At all MIA Kindergartens, the preschool adaptation and orientation process is an individual process carefully managed by our school psychologist and classroom teacher. First, the student is expected to build a bond of trust and affection with their teacher. Then the goal is for the child to join a small peer group, and finally to meet their full class. In short, a gradual transition through play is made with the child's needs in mind. Our school psychologist gathers important information from families through a parent interview to support the process of the child bonding with school.
Do children go outside every day at a MIA Kindergarten?
At all MIA Kindergartens, outdoor play areas are considered an extension of classrooms, so children can spend time in the open air according to their needs and play. Inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, each school aims to use spaces outside the school as learning areas according to its own unique programs. Nature exploration walks, museum visits, neighborhood walks, running, jumping, and climbing — beyond these, teachers and administrators also organize outdoor nature excursions, picnics, and similar activities, weather permitting, as part of kindergarten life.
Do MIA Kindergartens accept students who use diapers?
Yes, we do. All educators at MIA Kindergartens enjoy accompanying students through the developmental transition of diaper-weaning and toilet training, supporting both the child and the family. The self-care needs of students using diapers — such as diaper changes, changing clothes, and hygiene — are also attended to by classroom teachers.
How is toilet training handled at MIA Kindergartens?
As MIA Kindergarten educators, we know from experience that children who are developmentally ready will find toilet training easier. At the same time, children who have not yet acquired toilet habits tend to model those who have, which accelerates the process. Toilet training is approached in a natural and positive manner.
Can I visit my child during the day at MIA Kindergartens?
Of course! You can visit us whenever you like — at mealtime, playtime, lesson time — anytime!
How long do children sleep at MIA Kindergartens? Which age groups sleep?
At MIA Kindergartens, children aged 2 and 3 sleep for 1–1.5 hours per day according to their needs. Sleep is not mandatory.