In Germany, many children go to a daycare centre, or Kita. This is where they can play with other children and make new friends. While it’s possible for your child to stay at home with you, attending a daycare centre has lots of benefits. For instance, your child can learn German and take part in lots of other activities.

Depending on their size, towns and communities usually have several children’s daycare centres. Some are run by the church or welfare organisations, like Caritas, some are privately run or organised by parents’ initiatives. A parents’ initiative is a facility established by parents. Some daycare centres are bilingual. This means that two languages are spoken, such as German and Spanish. Some children’s daycare centres focus on outdoor education, allowing children to spend the entire day outdoors.

Most children’s daycare centres charge fees. Private daycare centres often cost more than municipal daycare centres. Fees vary from federal state to federal state. They also depend on factors such as how much you earn, how old your child is and how many hours your child spends in the daycare centre. In certain federal states and towns, however, childcare is offered free of charge – sometimes for all childcare places, sometimes only for kindergarten. Most daycare centres provide children with lunch and drinks for an additional monthly fee. Financial support is available if you have a low income. Ask at the job centre or social services department.

Since 2013, children aged 12 months and over have been legally entitled to a place at a children’s daycare centre. This means that every child over the age of one can attend a daycare centre if their parents wish them to do so. Unfortunately, this is not always possible due to a shortage of places and childcare workers in Germany. You should register your child as early as possible and consider applying to several daycare centres. If you are unable to find a place, you can take legal action. In such cases, a court may decide whether you are entitled to compensation, for example, if lack of childcare prevents you from working or means you can only work for a limited time, or if alternative childcare options are more expensive.

Do you and your partner both work and have a young child (between a few months and three years old)? If so, your child can be looked after in a crèche. However, crèche places are very limited. Many parents apply for a place even before their child is born.

Your child can also be looked after by a childminder. This usually takes place in the childminder’s own home. The childminder may look after a small group of children.

You don’t need childcare every day but want your child to spend time with other children? Playgroups are a good option. Parents and children attend together, or children can be looked after for just a few hours. There are other parent-child activities for young children, such as swimming lessons, music groups or movement and play sessions. These are good opportunities to connect with other parents.

Children go to kindergarten from age three until they start school. At kindergarten, they can play, sing, paint and do arts and crafts. Most kindergartens have a large outdoor play area. Childcare workers at many kindergartens spend time with the children outdoors or take them on excursions in the summer.

Children should begin kindergarten by the age of five at the latest. It helps prepare them for school. Many kindergartens offer language support, which is useful for children who are still learning German. Even native German children sometimes need extra help with their German language skills. Childcare workers support language development by playing language games, reading out loud and telling stories.

Even small towns have kindergartens. Places can be limited, however, so remember to register your child as early as possible. At kindergarten, your child will have the opportunity to make friends, speak German and quickly get to know their new home.

Some kindergartens are open only until midday (from 7 or 8 a.m. to 12 or 1 p.m.). Other kindergartens stay open all day (from 7 or 8 a.m. to 4 or 5 p.m.).

Children start school at the age of six or seven. School attendance is compulsory. You can read more about this in the section “School system”. If you work, your child can go to an all-day school or, after lessons, attend an after-school childcare centre (Hort) or lunchtime supervision programme. Most of these facilities provide lunch. At an after-school childcare centre, your child can stay until 4 or 5 p.m. Lunchtime supervision is usually shorter.