Germany Child Care Complete Guide: Kita - Daycare - Kindergarten - More
We’ll be honest - there are a dizzying array of options for Childcare in Germany:
Kita? Krippe?
Kindergarten or Tagesmutter?
Public or Private?
Group size?
Activity type?
To top it off, finding a place in a German Kita, Krippe, or other childcare program can be highly competitive. It’s easy to get overwhelmed as an immigrant in Germany.
But as it turns out, Germany is full of great options for childcare. Regardless of which route you choose, you’ll find that childcare in Germany is not just about supervision of your little one - but about providing an educational and social foundation for growth and development.
There are a number of types of childcare in Germany: public vs. private, young vs. old, small vs. large. However, the types of childcare in Germany can generally be grouped into one of five categories. See below to learn about each different type of German child care.
What is a German Krippe/Kinderkrippe?
The meaning of Krippe literally translates to “crib” in English. This is also commonly referred to as a ‘Nursery’. These are German childcare facilities that specialize in the care for young babies. There are some differences in admission age depending on public vs. private facilities, so we recommend contacting them directly if you are in need of a place.
In a German Krippe, children engage in supervised play. Once more, socializing is the main aim here as babies learn to get along with others and develop communication skills.
There will often be time playing outdoors, singing songs, reading picture books and perhaps learning to play simple musical instruments.
Age requirements for Krippe/Kinderkrippe
Children aged o0-2 years. Some babies may be admitted from 6 months of age in private day care centers. However, 1 year is most common for public institutions.
Check out our first impressions of sending our child to Kita the first time.
What is a German Kita?
A German Kita is a nursery/daycare that is a step-up from a Krippe. Kita is an abbreviation of Kindertagesstätte. While most will take children from age 2 and up, there are some facilities which are exceptions and also take younger children. Be prepared for a mix of ages in these groups. In larger cities, you can sometimes find international or bilingual Kitas (especially in private scenarios).
Kitas are a great option for families looking for all-day child care. Many Kitas will have extended opening hours to watch young ones from 7am to 5:30pm.
In a Kita, little ones engage in educational play, usually taking a step up with more advanced games. Much like pre-school in the United States, there’s also an introduction to learning about letters, numbers, values, good behavior, and movements through games or dance.
How Old are Kids in a Kita?
Children aged 1 years - 6 years. However, some ask that children be age 2 or 3 before beginning Kita. Children will “age out” of Kita when they are five/six. Depending on their birthday, children move onto full-time primary school education while they’re six-years-old. However you can still find exceptions to the age. Some Kitas will allow children just under 1 year old.
Some children may also graduate out of Kita to Kindergarten at 3 years old.
How much does a German Kita cost?
German Kita costs depend on where you live and other factors, such as:
Siblings. The more children you have in a Kita, the less you pay per child
Income. Higher earners may need to pay more.
Duration. Half day, full day and other schedules will effect the cost.
According to DW, parents in around one-third of German states still have full childcare fees, while other state governments have either subsidized or completely lifted fees for certain age groups.
Kita Costs per German federal states:
Brandenburg and Thuringia: Kita is free before required schooling starts.
Hesse and Lower Saxony: Children over 3 years old are free to attend Kita.
Rhineland-Palatinate: Children over 2 years old are free to attend Kita.
Berlin and Hamburg: Kita is free for all children
All other federal state: Not free
Keep in mind that even the free Kitas will still require payments for food. It is also important to note that cost does not reflect quality. Visit and ask questions to understand if it is right for your family and child.
Follow along on our lessons learned after 3 months of Kita.
How to Score a Spot at a Kita in Germany
It is notoriously difficult to find an open spot in a German Kita. The best ones are in high demand, and with a low teacher to child ratio – German Kitas pride themselves on quality over quantity. Furthermore, German Kitas are extremely affordable, with many German cities and states waiving parental contributions all together.
So, what are the secret steps for getting a spot in a German kita? Read on below.
#1: Preparing your application to a German Kita - How and when
In many German cities, you do not apply directly to your Kita of choice. Rather, applications to a German Kita are handled through a central portal organized by the city. You can find your local Youth Welfare Office by visiting jugendaemter.de.
The Youth Welfare Office will indicate the Kitas in your area. If there are no vacancies in your desired Kitas, they can allocate you a spot in a different location. This cannot be more than 30 minutes from your residence by public transit or 5 km.
We also recommend visiting www.kita.de. This website will provide additional information on opening hours, features and sometimes vacancies of Kitas.
Keep in mind, you can only officially submit your application once your child is born. However, you will want to do so ASAP.
In many German cities, applications are accepted until mid February when the portal closes. All Kitas then consider applications to their facilities and then make decisions on which children to accept.
In most cases, all children begin Kita the following September or November. In many cities, children will graduate out of the Kita at the end of October, which opens a spot starting in November.
#2: Sign-Up Early for a Kita Spot
German families take getting into a Kita very seriously. While you can’t sign your little one up for Kita until they are born, we recommend signing up as soon as possible for the following childcare year. After all, early bird gets the worm - or in this case, their name at the top of the list for Kita candidates.
As part of the online enrollment, they will ask for your child’s date of birth. They understand that you will be enrolling your child far in advance of them actually needing care.
#3: Get in Touch with the Kita
This point cannot be stressed enough - get in touch with the German Kita. Whether by email or phone call, you should try to contact them as you are filling out your application for a spot in a German Kita.
And make sure to prepare some questions for them! They might be reviewing you for your child’s suitability as a candidate in their Kita, but you should also make sure that you are informed about your child’s care.
What is their teacher to child ratio?
How often do they take the children outside?
Do they emphasize music and the arts?
Are children involved in the preparation of meals and help with clean up? (learning responsibility and independence)
What languages do they speak?
Are they prepared to watch children with special needs? (physical, emotional or dietary)
Many Kitas see this action as indicative of an informed, involved parent. It’s not over bearing - it’s just good practice.
In addition, this is a great way for the Kita to remember you and your child by name. We highly recommend sending a follow up email after the call, thanking them for their time in speaking to you (and reminding them of your name once more).
While so many aspects of life in Germany is highly regulated with protocol and rules - this is one of those rare moments where a little kindness can go a long way into scoring you a spot in a German Kita.
#4: Ask to Tour their Facility
If you really want to make a good impression with a potential Kita, ask if it is possible to tour their facility. Or, ask when they will have an open door day.
This will give you the opportunity to see where your little one will spend a good chunk of their day at, and a chance to meet the team in person. Just be flexible on the days and time availability to do this tour. They have to work your visit around their already busy schedule.
As with most things in life, being able to put a face with a name will make you and your family so much more memorable to the Kita team.
A good impression goes a long way.
#5: Make a Personal Appeal to the Kita
One of the things I attribute most to us getting into our first choice Kita was the personal letter/note I wrote in an email to the Kita team. I shared a family photo, told them a bit about our professional history, what we enjoy doing in our free time, what we look for in an ideal Kita and why we think that they would be a great fit.
Think of it like a highly personal cover letter to help you score a spot in a German Kita.
#6: Name Drop
Last, but not least, if all else fails don’t feel embarrassed to name drop. When trying to get a spot in a German Kita, sometimes it's not what you know, but who you know.
Sometimes, free Kita spots are first come first serve. But most of the time, siblings and family friends of kids already in attendance at the Kita are given priority for free spots.
After all, if the family is well liked and the children are well-behaved, the Kita team is more than happy to welcome more of the same into their care.
If you know someone who already has a child in attendance at the Kita, consider letting the team know in an email that you are a friend/colleague of this family - and that you have heard from personal word of mouth about how great their child care facilities and staff are. Of course, always ask your friend/colleague first.
Kita Frequenetly Asked Questions
What happens if you don’t get into your desired Kita?
While there are (usually) enough Kitas in the entire city to accommodate the number of children in need of care, you may have to compromise and take your little one to a less desirable Kita or one that might be slightly less convenient for you. In most cities, if you are rejected from all of your Kita choices, someone from the municipality will work with you to find an open spot at another facility.
Alternatively, you can also wait it out. If you are put on a waiting list for a Kita, you can wait a few weeks and see if a spot opens up. Sometimes the rare lucky family is accepted into multiple Kitas of choice and they might accept one and free up an open spot in the other.
If this fails, you may need to search for a more expensive private Kita. Alternatively, you have the option to take legal action against the municipality to obtain a Kita spot.
What happens if your child is born after the German Kita portal closes and you need childcare ASAP?
Unfortunately, your options are limited. Most public Kitas will not take children much less than 1 year. However, you can sometimes find a private Kita that will accept babies from 6 months old. The issue is that a young baby needs a lot of one-on-one attention and care - which is difficult to manage with a small group of toddlers running around (parents of multiples can attest to this).
In our experience, your best option if in need of childcare for young babies is to hire a Tagesmutter, who can come to your house and watch your baby privately until they are old enough for a Kita.
Ultimately, there isn’t an *exact* science on how to find a spot in a German Kita. However, there are some things you can do to improve your chances of getting into your desired child care facility.
Can you apply to a German Kita in a town you have not moved to yet?
Like most things in Germany, you first need to register yourself (Anmeldung) in your city before you do anything there. However, this can be very difficult if you are moving into a new town and trying to plan for a Kita at the end of the calendar year.
In most cases, you can apply to a Kita before you have moved to the city. We have actually been able to do this before moving into our new house which has been under construction for a year.
Who is taking care of my child at Kita?
Kita personnel are qualified and certified educators who have been properly trained in child development pedagogy to take care of young children. These educators (not teachers) will work with parents to discuss child development and also help with concerns and next steps. In most Kitas, each educator will work with a small number of children (around 3) to maximize interaction and development.
What is a German Tagesmutter?
The Tagesmutter meaning literally translates to “Day Mother” in English. They are essentially an at-home German nanny or daycare provider who is certified and appointed by the city.
While many Tagesmutters will work within your house, some take care of a small group of children in their own home up until the age of 3 (when they transfer to a Kita). Others are available for hire in private homes during the day as a kind of nanny or au pair (in which case, children may be taken care of privately until Kindergarten).
In each of these scenarios, your child/children are taken care of by a certified professional. Krippes and Kitas will feature child carers who are both educators and certified in child development pedagogy. Tagesmutters are similarly certified in both child development and CPR. They hold special permits in order to watch children in their private home.
Are you looking for a babysitter in Germany? We still keep in close contact with our former Tagesmutter and use her as a babysitter if we would like an evening to ourselves. This is a great option because your child will be familiar with them and you know they are in good hands.
Child age requirements for a Tagesmutter
Children aged 1-3 years old. Once a child turns 3, they typically move on to a Kita or Kindergarten. However, if you are hiring a Tagesmutter in your own private home as a nanny, children may be taken care of until they enter primary school.
That being said, there are of course exceptions. If you need help with a child which is less than 1 year old, the municipality will try and find someone who is capable.
How much does a Tagesmutter/Nanny cost in Germany?
A Tagesmutter will typically cost 10-15EUR per hour. Many cities will pay for a portion (roughly half) of this cost. The process of hiring is very complicated and intensive, as you will essentially need to become a business with an employee.
Kindergarten
Don’t let the name fool you, this isn’t like Kindergarten’s in the United States where it is a part of the public school system. In Germany, Kindergartens are more of an equivalent to a pre-school run by churches, local authorities, specially-founded associations, and other private companies.
Similar to that of a Kita, kindergartens aim to educate and socialize young children and prepare them for primary school.
However, unlike Kitas, Kindergartens are usually for a shorter time period, the day ending just after lunchtime.
If you’re looking for a Kindergarten in Germany near you, we recommend visiting www.kindergarten-vergleich.de. This website will provide more detailed information for you.
Age requirements for Kindergarten
Children aged 3-6 years old. Children will move from a Kita to Kindergarten around 3 years old. And then, depending on their birthday, children move onto full-time primary school education while they’re six-years-old.
Schulhort
For school-aged children six and up, Schulhort is there to provide child care in the form of an after-school daycare. These programs are offered directly by your child’s primary school (Grundschule).
Depending on what your child’s school offers, this time will give children the opportunity to try new sports and activities that aren’t available during normal school hours.
You won’t need to search around for a special program. Simply inquire with your child’s primary school (Grundschule) on what offerings they have and how to enroll your little one.
Age requirements for Schulhort
At age 6+, children can begin after school care in your child’s primary school.
What is Eingewöhnung?
Eingewöhnung translates to “Acclimatization”. For childcare in Germany, this is quite literally the period of time wherein which your little one acclimates to their new child care environment. Afterall, entering a Kita is a big deal for most little ones. You will want them to ease into spending time in daycare.
In the beginning, this time apart may just be 15 minutes while Mom and/or Dad wait patiently outside of the room. Eventually the time apart will grow longer and longer until the team feels like your little on board.
