Munich Kids

The Eltern-Kind Zentrum (Parent-Child Center) in Schwabing/Maxvorstadt is a lovely little community center.  Every day, excluding Sunday, EKZ offers something for parents and children. For example, there are two baby groups on Monday morning, and a mini-kindergarten for three hours in the afternoon.  Mini-kindergarten is also held on Wednesday and Thursday mornings.  Childcare (with pre-registration) is available from 9:00-12:00 on Tueday morning.  On Friday mornings, there are 2 play groups in English.  From 9:15 - 10:30, the group is for infants 0 -18 months, and their caregivers.  From 10:30 - 12:00, toddlers 18 months and older and their caregivers meet.  Friday afternoons alternate between a play group for Spanish speakers and a play group for speakers of Chinese. A music class is available on Saturday mornings. On several afternoons a week, there are open meetings for parents and children to get together over coffee and cake.  (The previous information is based on the program January - April, 2007).

Children can attend the mini-kindergarten one day per week.  The cost is only 25 EUR per month (for approx. 12 hours of care!).  The number of spaces available are small, so you need to put your name on the waiting list.  

The center consists of a large playroom, some office space, and a bathroom.  It is cozy, but very comfortable.  The playroom is fully stocked with all manner of toys, balls, art materials, etc.  There is a small couch for the kids and a big couch for the parents.  There are also children’s tables and highchairs available so your kids can have lunch or a snack while attending one of the groups.  The environment is very friendly, casual, and welcoming. 

Membership is 30 Euro per year.  Members pay only 1,50 EUR per structured group (no extra cost for siblings).  Non-members pay 3,00 EUR per meeting.  Questions regarding child care, kindergarten, membership,and other themes, can be answered during office hours on Tuesday from 4:00 - 5:00.  A quarterly program can be picked up on site on on the website

Address:  Schraudolph Strasse 10

Phone:  (089) 27 81 89 74

Website:  http://elkischwabing.googlepages.com/home

Parent-Child Initiatives (Eltern-Kind Initiav) are a good option for child care and early schooling of your young child.   As indicated by the name, an Eltern-Kind Initiativ is initiated, run, and managed by a group of parents.  Iniatives can be preschools, typically for children between 3 and 6 years old, or a combination of preschool and daycare center for children between 1 and 6 years old. 

Parents who start an initiative decide on a common philosophy of priorities for care and education.  Parents locate a site for the initiative, hire the staff, advertise, and manage all of the work that comes with running a business enterprise.  Typically, there is a board of parents who look after the major details.  Remaining parents volunteer for other jobs, such as grounds maintenance or office hours.  Once an initiatve has been started, the parents involved will change as children outgrow the center or families move out and new families move in. 

Most iniatives hold an application process in the early Spring for spaces that are anticipated to be available in the Fall.  Most spaces are reserved for children by age and gender in order to maintain a demographic balance in the classroom.  For example, a school may say that they have 3 spaces for boys ages 3-5 in the Fall, when they know that 3 of their older students will be moving on to elementary school.  Class size at Eltern-Kind Initiatives is small.  A limit of 14 students with at least two adults is typical.  Eltern-Kind Initiatives are subsidized by the government, helping to keep costs down.  Typical costs range from 250-350 EUR per month for full-day classrooms. 

In Munich, there appears to be a dearth of daycare and kindergarten spaces relative to the demand.  Thus, competition for available spots is strong.  The number of Initiatives that are conducted in English, or bilingual English-German is even smaller.  In order to get a spot in September: start researching schools in early Winter so that you can put your name on a waiting list in January; complete applications in February; and attend open houses in March.  The more places you apply to, the greater your chances of receiving a spot.  However, several initatives require a non-refundable application fee, so you might have to be choosy.  There is an excellent website that lists all of the Eltern-Kind Initatives in Munich by neighborhood. Information on hours, prices, amenities, and educational philosopy are included.  The website is in German only.

 http://www.elterninitiativen-muenchen.de/pages/main.htm