A young child in a red and yellow sweater with cartoon sheep and yellow shorts squatting by a lake, exploring the water and mud near the shore on a sunny day with clear blue sky.

Tagesmutter | Nature-based childcare

Katzensee · Käferberg · Hönggerberg

It’s Time to Play Outside!

Forest Littles is a private childcare service (Tagesmutter) where everyday is a magical adventure in Nature.

📍North Zurich Woodlands (8105, 8046, 8049)

Come join us as we fry pancakes over a woodland bonfire, dip our toes in the lake, count snails in the rain, pick strawberries, cycle along woodland paths, swing in a hammock, and slide down a snowy hill.

We believe that Nature is essential for the health and growth of little ones. Each day we learn new outdoor skills to have safe adventures outside. Our goal is to learn respect for our beautiful planet, for each other and for ourselves as we observe the natural world around us.

Forest Littles is an excellent introduction for children who will join Waldspielgruppe or Waldkindergarten when they are older.

Smiling young woman hiking in a wooded area with a child on her back, wearing glasses and a gray scarf.

A few things about us

I’m Anne (my friends all call me Anija), I’m currently a stay at home mum living in Canton Zurich (8105). I have one child, a 3 year old boy with a sensitive and kind little heart. He loves trains & spiders.

I started Forest Littles because I want to share our love of Nature with other children and find long-term playmates for my son.

I have a PhD from the University of Cambridge and research midwifery. I’m taking time out of my career to spend time with my son before he starts kindergarten. My plan is to continue with clinical training in the future.

I’m originally from Canada. English is my mother tongue and I am currently studying Standard German B1.2.

Offer

In addition to my son, I care for children between 2 and 5 years old. We focus on outdoor play around 8105, 8046 and 8049 ZH (incl. Katzensee, Käferberg, Hönggerberg).

There’s generally no more than a 2:1 ratio, meaning that I take only one extra child in my care at a time. Exceptions can be made for children in sibling groups (such as twins) or children who already have outdoor skills.

I’m an unregistered Tagesmutter, which means that I set my own rates and I take children part-time. By Cantonal regulations, each child can join us for up to 2.5 days per week (50%). Generally, this means that I care for children during the mornings.

Our Values

Learning to respect Nature and respect each other.

Shadow of an adult holding a child on dry grass, with green bushes and leaves in the background.

Support & Inclusion

Nature-based childcare is ideal for children who need their own space or who find large indoor groups overwhelming. We welcome quiet souls and sensitive spirits.

We respect the sensory needs of children, providing lots of stimulation for little ones who crave being busy and quiet spaces for little ones who prefer to spend time with their own thoughts.

Inclusivity: Parents with children who may have sensory processing challenges, possible neurodivergence or disabilities are welcome to get in touch to discuss if we can meet their child’s needs. All children deserve to be outside!

Potty Training: I welcome children in nappies and out of nappies. I carry travel potties with us everywhere we go. I ask that parents are clear with pottying/potty training instructions so that I can set up a toileting schedule that is consistent with the home environment.

Toileting and nappy changes can be a vulnerable experience for some children. It is important that we plan carefully so that children feel safe and respected.

An outdoor fireplace with a fire burning, surrounded by trees and grass, at dusk.

Wholesome Food

I serve meals and snacks that are nutritious and home-made. I make all snacks and meals from wholefood ingredients.

Our home is gluten free and lactose free.

Sample menu:

Breakfast: Freshly baked buckwheat-blueberry muffins with quark & honey

Snack: Sliced apples with peanut butter 

Lunch: Gluten free pasta with green peas, spinach, tuna and pesto.

Drinks: Water offered at all times. In cold weather, I always pack warm drinks too! (e.g. warmed milk; herbal teas).

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Whenever possible, we cook and/or eat our meals outdoors. Hot meals are kept at safe eating temperatures using quality thermoses.

We welcome children with special dietary needs and we aim to create a safe and inclusive space for allergy-sufferers. We want everyone to be able to enjoy all our food, together!

A young child dressed in a dark blue raincoat and pants, carrying a small blue bag, walking on a wet sidewalk with fallen yellow leaves after it has rained.

Safety & Comfort

There is no bad weather, only bad clothing!

Well… almost. Health and safety always come first at Forest Littles.

We are outside in all weather, except when conditions are possibly dangerous, such as high winds, storms, flood risk, or extreme heat. Or if we’re just really sniffly and need a cuddle day on the couch.

On indoor days, we bake muffins, do crafts and play freely with toys.

I am trained in pediatric first aid and I always carry a small first aid kit for bumps and scratches. I also carry a fire blanket and extinguisher when we plan to make a bonfire. I regularly check children for ticks and immediately remove any I find.

Weather appropriate clothing is essential. There’s no guess work for parents! I provide a detailed list of all necessary clothing and gear, including tick and sun protection.

I require that children have all standard vaccinations according to the Swiss pediatric vaccinations schedule. I also recommend that children are vaccinated for tick-born encephalitis (TBE).

❊ FAQs

As a mum, I can probably guess a few of your questions!

  • 1) Parent drop-off

    Parents can drop off children either at our home or at an outdoor meetup point that is agreed on in advance.

    2) Peddling off to the woods!

    We jump on our cargo bike and cycle along quiet woodland paths into nature.

    3) Settling in with a song

    We sing a song and nourish our bodies with a breakfast or a snack so that we have lots of energy for explorations. Children are welcome to eat as they rummage through the leaves or locate a nice stick.

    4) Free play in nature

    We let our bodies and hearts tell us what to do and where to go. We collect bugs and leaves, splash in water, or cuddle in a hammock.

    5) A cosy lunch

    After working up our appetite, we set up our picnic or barbeque. We sit down together to eat.

    6) Homeward bound

    We jump back on our bike to find our drop off location!

  • We provide a FULL list of clothes, gear and supplies so that there is no guess work.

    The lists contain items like:

    Colder months: lined wellies or snow boots, rain suit or snow suit, thermal underwear, fleece jacket and trousers, balaclava and water proof mittens, bike helmet, wind balsam for exposed cheeks.

    Warmer months: long sleeved shirt and full length trousers (muslin or linen if very hot), rain suit, wellies/hiking shoes, tick and mosquito spray, UV swimsuit, sunscreen, sun hat, sun glasses, bike helmet.

  • Parents can drop off children either at our home or at an outdoor meetup point that is agreed on in advance.

    Outdoor meetup points must be in 8105, 8046 or 8049, along safe cycle paths.

  • Outdoor adventures are never without risk. However, I do my best to minimise risks for my son and any children in my care.

    1) Cycling

    We live along a quiet cycle path that leads us directly to all our woodland destinations without cycling in traffic.

    I am a highly experienced cyclist, having cycled daily as a commuter for many years and cycle toured internationally on trips up to 3000km.

    Children must always wear a helmet.

    2) Fire safety

    I teach children explicit fire safety skills. We slowly work from a) lighting a fire and keeping a distance to b) cooking on a fire. This can take days or weeks to master. We do not have BBQ lunches until these skills are in place. Children who cannot yet follow the fire safety rules will enjoy a warm pasta from a thermos instead.

    We BBQ only on raised grilling platforms, as pictured above. We never cook on a lowered fire pit that children could fall down into.

    3) Tick-born illness

    Ticks are plentiful in Zürich. I require all children to wear high-quality tick spray every time we go outside, from February to November.

    A child’s pediatrician should be aware that they spend a great deal of time in woodland areas so that any symptoms of Lyme Disease are not accidentally missed. The risk of contracting Lyme Disease is highest when a tick is allowed to remain in the skin for over 24 hours. Therefore, I perform regular tick checks when we are outside and ask all parents to do a night-time bath and full body check after our outings.

    Small children rarely become seriously ill from Tick Born Encephalitis. However, it can happen. I highly recommend that all children at Forest Littles be vaccinated. There are multiple doses required, so I recommend starting the vaccinations immediately.

    4) Sudden weather changes

    Zürich is known for its sudden storms. They come up over the hills in a flash! I have learned to expect the weather reports to be fairly unreliable.

    When high winds begin, we leave wooded areas to avoid falling branches. I put the children into the cargo bike or bike trailer, which offer some protection.

    We are never far from home, so we can usually outrun an unexpected storm.

    5) Water safety

    I recommend all children at Forest Littles have swimming lessons to practice good behaviour around water. However, the only real way to stay safe is to always have eyes on children when they are around any water source.

    Our only swimming location is Katzensee, which has a designated shallow area for babies and toddlers. If children are struggling with following the rules, we simply move away from the water and find another place to play.

    6) Location

    Parents and guardians are very welcome to place an Airtag or other tracking device on their child so that they can see our location at any time.

  • Storms don’t stop us at Forest Littles. When conditions are stormy, we simply play inside!

    We plan indoor play days when there is a storm warning in the weather forecast.

    However, the forecasts are not always accurate. Storms can come on very quickly in the Zurich area and be very intense.

    If winds start to pick up, we leave woodland areas to avoid falling branches.

    If it seems like a storm is on its way, I put the children in the cargo bike or bike trailer. This offers protection from wind, debris, and rain. Then we head closer to home in case we need to go inside.

    We are never very far from home!

  • Forest Littles is about lasting connections and building outdoor skills. Therefore we accept only children who plan to stay longer-term. We do not fill gaps between nannies or Kitas.

    One morning a week or 50%, the amount of time at Forest Littles is completely flexible!

  • Kitas and Spielgruppen tend to encourage parents to drop off children and leave. They have a limited or set transition time, and there can be financial pressures on families when it doesn’t work out. Unfortunately, this sometimes means that distressed children are dropped off and left to cope with very overwhelming feelings. As adults, we too often have to accept this situation as normal.

    At Forest Littles, we put children first. There are no pressures or deadlines for settling in with us. We never tolerate a child being distressed or anxious. There’s always a better way!

    At Forest Littles, the transitional period for each child looks very different. We 100% support children who need extra time in order to settle in and feel safe enough to say goodbye to parents.

    Some accommodations we can offer:

    -No deadline for parents leaving children. Parents are welcome to join us for as long as is necessary.

    -Parents are welcome to work from OUR home to stay nearby. Bring a computer and we’ll make coffee/tea.

    -Children who do not yet feel brave enough to head outside with us are welcome to join us for indoor play.

    -Flexible contracts: If your child cannot settle in and needs more time at home before childcare, we completely understand. There’s nothing wrong with waiting a year and allowing a child extra time to grow up.

    No child is left distressed or crying at Forest Littles. Parents are immediately contacted should their child need them.

  • Yes. Our standard rates are here.

    Please fill out our Contact form to enquire about reduced rates.

Sound interesting?

Register your interest here!
A woman and a young boy looking at goats through a chain-link fence at a farm. The woman is smiling and crouching, while the boy is kneeling on the grass, both focused on the animals.
A small child dressed in pink and wearing a yellow hat standing on a dirt path in a dense green forest.
A woman and a child having a picnic on a grassy field in a mountainous area with trees and a cloudy sky.