Before starting elementary school (Grundschule), most children under 6 years old attend childcare (Kita). Kita is short for Kindertagesstätte. It’s a type of preschool or daycare centre.
You must go through a few steps before your child can go to a Kita in Berlin.
How much does Kita cost?
Attending Kita is free, but food, special activities and language lessons can cost extra. The food usually costs 23€ per month.1 The cost of activities can cost 60 to 90€ per month, depending on the Kita.
Kitas can charge up to 60€ for sports, special food (such as vegan food or organic food), language lessons and activities. If the Kita provides special activities or regular breakfast and snacks for the children, they can charge up 90€ per month. They must itemize all costs above 60€, and they must allow parents to opt out of these costs.
- Children under 1 year old can go to Kita or have a nanny (Tagesmutter) for a 4 to 5 hours per day. This is called half days or halbtags childcare. You must prove that your child requires it. You can do this by showing your work contract or freelance work commitments. Children who live in homeless shelters or collective housing can also get halbtags care.
- Children over 1 year old get 5 to 9 free Kita hours per day.2
- By default, children over 1 year old get 5 to 7 Kita hours per day. This is called part time or teilzeit childcare.
- If both parents are working, studying or in training, they get 7 to 9 Kita hours per day. This is called full time or ganztags childcare. If only one parent is working, studying or in training, they only get teilzeit childcare.
How hard is it to find a Kita?
It’s really hard; even harder than finding an apartment.3 It can take more than a year to find a Kita for your child. Parents have sued the state and protested because of this.5 There is a shortage of 17,000 Kita places in Berlin.4
Most Kitas have 6 to 18 month waiting lists. Some parents start searching for a Kita during pregnancy, or while their child is a young baby, even if their child will only need a Kita in a few years.
Start searching as soon as possible. Do not wait for your Kitagutschein to start searching.6
Step 1: Look for Kitas
You must look for a Kita that has a free spot for your child. This is really hard. Most Kitas have 6-18 month waiting lists. You should make a list of Kitas while you are pregnant.7 Most Kitas only add you to their waiting list after your child is born.
Start looking for Kitas after you move to Berlin, because you must visit them in person.8
There are many places to look for Kitas:
- Kita Navigator – official resource, might not show up-to-date availability
- Kita.de Kita Finder
- HeyAva’s Kita Finder
- Kietzee – list of Kitas with some reviews
- ExpatBabies Berlin – Facebook
- Berlin Kita sells a list of Kitas in Microsoft Excel format
Kitas sometimes post a message on their windows when they have a free place. If you have time, walk around your neighbourhood, and look at the Kita doors and windows for notices. This notice often specifies the age of the children they are willing to accept, and whether they want a girl or a boy. Kitas try to keep a balance of older and younger children, and a balance of girls and boys.
If you live in a very high-demand area of Berlin, you might need to search for Kitas further away. Your child can attend any Kita in the city, not just the ones close to you. Due to the lack of Kita places, some Jugendamts tell Kitas to only accept kids who live in the same district.9
Since it’s extremely difficult to find a Kita, you might have to pick the first Kita that has a free spot.10 You can’t be very picky, but you can always change Kitas later.
Step 2: Get a Kitagutschein
A Kitagutschein is a voucher that provides your child with free childcare in Berlin. The Kita needs this certificate to know how much money they will get when they take care of your child.
You need to apply for the Kitagutschein from 2 to 9 months before your desired start date. It takes 6 to 8 weeks to get a Kitagutschein. Some Kitas ask for a Kitagutschein before they put you on their waiting list. Others don’t require it until later. They know that it’s difficult to find a Kita in 2 to 9 months. However, some Kitas won’t put you on the waiting list before your child is born.
Step 3: Contact Kitas
Once you have a list of Kitas, you must ask them for a spot in their waiting list. Start as soon as you are pregnant.7 You can look at Kitas before you have a Kitagutschein.
You will find application instructions on each Kita’s website. Each Kita has a different way of getting on the waiting list.
When you contact a Kita, you must usually speak German. There are also some English-speaking Kitas in Berlin.
Kita application template – Kietzee
Only a few Kitas will answer emails. If they don’t answer, call and ask to visit. Many Kitas also have information days or drop-in days when you can go and ask questions.6
If you don’t get a reply the first time you contact a Kita, or they say they have no place available, try contacting them again later.11 Sometimes, children will leave, and new places will become available.
Step 4: Visit Kitas
Many Kitas have information days or visit times.6 This is a good time to visit a Kita and ask questions.
When you visit a Kita, ask the following questions:
- How many children are there, and how many teachers?
- Are the children split up by age, or are they in different rooms/parts of the Kita?
- Does the Kita provide food?
- What kind of pedagogical approach does the Kita follow?
- What are the Kita’s opening hours? If you work full time, the opening hours can be a problem.12
- How do they resolve conflicts between the children?
- Where do the children sleep?
- Are there any additional costs?
- How do the Kita employees interact with you, your children and the other children?
You should also look at the Kita’s reviews on Google Maps to make sure others had a good experience there. Some parents share their experience on various parenting Facebook groups.
Step 5: Sign a contract
After you find a Kita, ask them for a contract. Sign the contract and send it back with a copy of your Kitagutschein.
Food is not usually covered by the Kitagutschein. It costs around 23€ per month extra. If your Kita offers language lessons or special activities, it might cost more. Each individual Kita will explain this to you.
Step 6: Your child’s first days at the Kita
When your child begins at Kita, they will go through a process called Eingewohnung. This is a settling-in process that can take 2 to 5 weeks. During the Eingewohnung, you will stay with your child at first, and then gradually leave them with the Kita educators for longer periods of time until your child is settled. Leave a few weeks for the Eingewohnung between your Kita start date and the date you return to work.
When you choose a Kita start date and a date to begin work, factor in several weeks of Eingewohnung.
Need help?
Communities for parents
- International Families Berlin – 20,000+ members
- ExpatBabies Berlin – 9,300+ members
- Expatkids Berlin – 3,500+ members
- Kita in Berlin – 1,000+ members
- Expat parent-toddler playgroup Berlin – 900+ members
Kita search services
- Kietzee has a map of Kitas with reviews,13 example Kita application letters, and guides for parents. They also help with pregnancy and early childhood. You must pay to see some of their guides.
- Kita Applications helps with the whole process: writing application letters, applying for Kitas, and applying for a Kitagutschein. They have courses and phone consultations.
- Julia Zehavi offers relocation and Kita search services for parents. She also helps parents get a Kitagutschein.14
- Maternita Kita can find Kitas for you. They have workshops for parents. You can pay to call them and ask questions.
- Berlin Kita sells a list of Kitas in Microsoft Excel format
- Some relocation consultants can find a Kita for you