Table 2 Structural quality according to the “Bridging Project Evaluation Scale”

Premises

 Lighting

The main room has at least one window/the lighting is sufficient to compensate for lacking daylight

 Indoor climate

There is sufficient heating; no signs of critical humidity, and lacking ventilation (e.g., mold/fogged windows) in the main room

 Cleanliness

There is no waste on the floor, no intrusive smell, surfaces and materials appear clean

 Cond. of indoor area^a

There are no/or few signs of wear and tear (e.g., wallpapers, windows, lighting)

 Cond. of outdoor area

There is an outdoor area with sufficient space for gross motor activities (e.g., soccer, bobby car driving); staff is capable of ensuring the safety of several children at once by supervision

 Space for children

The room size is at least 2.5 m² per child with freedom of movement and few obstructing furniture

 Cond. of sanitary facilities

There is a child-suited sanitary facility (child-friendly toilet seat/changing table for infants and toddlers, if necessary) with an equipped washbasin (freshwater, soap, towel)

 Relaxation area

There is space for children to calm down and withdraw from demanding activities (need not be sufficient space for all children at once)

Equipment

 Interior equipment

There is sufficient furniture for play, learning, and care relative to the group size; there is sufficient storage space for materials

 Child-friendly furniture

The size/height of chairs/tables is child-friendly; there is sufficient child-friendly furniture

 Cond. of furniture^a

Tables, chairs, and cabinets are functional

 Safety of furniture

There are no potential hazards (e.g., sharp edges, open electrical outlets), no accessible exterior doors or unattended kitchen areas

Structuring of a session

 Beginning session

The staff greets each arriving child individually, supports in cases when separation difficulties occur, and facilitates finding an initial activity

 Structure of daily routine

There is a recognizable session structure; an adaptive balance between the staff’s responsivity to children’s needs and interests and following a fixed session structure

 Ending session

Staff says goodbye to each child at the end of the session; the group ends the session together

 Routine/rituals/rules

The staff employs recurring elements (including do’s/dont’s) in the session structure (both within and between sessions); children appear to recognize these elements, and the staff reinforces these elements

Team coherence

 Atmosphere within team

Staff express mutual appreciation and support to each other; they act following the same rules, especially towards the children

 Cooperation of staff

Staff effectively divides tasks with apparently clear responsibilities; their actions are consistent and appear coordinated

Educational materials

 Toys

There is sufficient and age-appropriate material for joyful activities relative to the group size (e.g., play cars, dolls, board or card games)

 Language support

There are age-appropriate books/picture books and engaging language games of a sufficient amount relative to the group size

 Artistic activities

There are age-appropriate coloring books, copies (e.g., mandalas), materials to color (e.g., watercolors, crayons)/there is plasticine, both of sufficient amounts relative to the group size

 Fine motor skills

There are age-appropriate puzzles, beads, and handwork materials of a sufficient amount relative to the group size

 Quantitative reasoning

There are age-appropriate materials such as beads, rulers, slide rules, shapes, and geometric objects of sufficient amount relative to the group size

 Language facilitation

Staff uses pictograms, images, and sets of symbols to bridge language barriers