People moving their families to Germany to follow job opportunities are often worried about continuing their child’s education. Luckily, Frankfurt offers exceptional schools for those looking to register their children in kindergarten.  With education being of the highest priority, German cities offer many well-run kindergartens. 

The best option for those moving from an English-speaking country is to enroll your child in a school that provides lessons in both English and German.  Most parents have found this challenging, but incredibly rewarding as it allows their children an opportunity to embrace and understand German culture.  We recommend looking into kindergartens as early as possible due to the long waiting lists and the age at which children enroll—Some as early as two!  Here’s a list of a few great English-speaking kindergartens:

• Crazy Caterpillars

• Erasmus­Kindergarten

• Europa­Schule Rhein­Main­Schule Dr. Obermayr e.V. Gemeinnütziger Schulverein, Wiesbaden

• Frankfurt International School

• Kinderzeit Gute Zeit

• Kids Camp

• K.I.D.S. – Kindergarten

• Internationaler Kindergarten – Preschool am Schuldorf Bergstraße

• Internationale Schule Frankfurt­Rhein­Main (ISF)

• International Bilingual Montessori School

• accadis International School Bad Homburg

• International Preschool Le Jardin

• Metropolitan School Frankfurt

• Strothoff International School

• Kita Curumim

• Rosenkindergarten

• Taunus International Montessori School (TIMS)

• Jardin Palmito

• Fluggi­Land Kinder Arche

• Jardin Rebgärten

• Jardin Rödelheim

• Little Giants Early Learning Center

• Tikiriki Club

https://www.frankfurt.de/sixcms/media.php/738/E-Paper_Kitas_280311-barrierefrei.pdf

Begin by scheduling an appointment with their institution head, or Leiter, and take advantage of the opportunity to better understand your child’s potential environment.  We also recommend applying to several of your favorite kindergartens to ensure acceptance into at least one. Kindergartens offer a Schnupperstunde (trial period) where the children can get acquainted with the teachers as well as students while still being able to hold mommy and daddy’s hands when the shyness chips in. This is also a great opportunity for parents to get familiar with the Kindergarten setting in Germany.

Once you relieve the stress of determining the perfect school for your child, you can move onto your living situation. Often, expatriates determine where they will live after their children have been accepted in order to base their neighborhood around the school’s proximity. However, finding a fully furnished house or home in a specific neighborhood within the right price range tends to be impossible. Don’t overlook the option of filling your perfect unfurnished apartment with furniture, appliances, and accessories that can be rented for both short and long-term usage at very reasonable rates.

Do you have other kindergartens you’d recommend? Join the conversation!