Munich Kids

Deutsch Perfekt is a magazine for individuals who are learning to speak German.  The text is entirely in German.  Articles are written at one of 3 levels of difficulty; light, medium, or advanced.  Each article is color-coded to identify its difficulty level.  Throughout each article, there are some words that one would not typically know at that proficiency level.  Such words are underlined and then an explanation or definition, in German, is provided beneath the article.  It is a great way to build your German vocabulary.   Each month the magazine includes interesting articles about politics, sports, entertainment, business, and German culture.  There are practice exercises and learning tips to  improve your German skills.  The website offers additional opportunities for listening comprehension and dictation.  Overall, Deutsch Perfekt is an excellent tool for learning German.  By reading it on a regular basis, I have significantly improved my ability to read, write, and understand German.  The magazine is available at the International Presse at the main train station and the airport, and many other kiosks around town.

Website:  http://www.deutsch-perfekt.com

Munich Found is an events magazine for Munich’s English-speaking community.  Each month, the magazine highlights interesting events, art and museum exhibitions, restaurants, and movies.  There is a very thorough “what’s up” pull-out section that lists venues and dates for classical music, jazz, pop, rock, opera, dance, theater, readings, art, sports, fairs, museums, parites, cinema, climbing, golf, swimming, and places for kids.  The classified ads in the back are also a good resource for finding English-language schools and services, such as insurance, tax preparation, lawyers, and movers.  Munich Found can be purchases at the International Presse in the main train station and at the airport, as well as other locations around town.

Address:  Lillienstrasse 3-5

Phone:  089/ 480 88 70

Website:  http://www.munichfound.com 

Want to throw the best outdoor party your kids have ever had?  Assuming you have the space for it, you can rent some pretty cool equipment from the city’s sports bureau.  Think of your daughter’s friends coming over for a birthday party to find a giant (3.6m x 3.6m x 3.0m) , inflatable castle that kids can jump, somersault, and fly around on! Then consider that you can rent it for the entire day for only 50 EUR.  Want to impress your teenage son with something he’ll really like?  Rent him his own, personal, mini-halfpipe and invite all his skater friends over for the day (150 EUR).  Tons of other, much lower cost items are available as well.  Rent all of the basketballs, footballs, soccer balls, etc., that you need for only 1 EUR each.  Maybe your toddler loves the giant parachute that they bring out at her gymnastics playgroup?  Rent one for only 1 EUR per day.  You can rent lawn games, wheeled devices, giant building blocks, free-standing basketball hoops, even stilts, for really low prices.  To see a copy of the brochure, go to the following link. 

http://www.sport.musin.de/sportamt/angebot/index.html.   Under “Sportamt”, click on “Freizeitsport”.  Follow the link to “Speilgerateverleih”.  Follow a second link to “Spielgerateverleih”.  Download the PDF file. 

A copy of the brochure can also be ordered by phone or email.

Phone:  089 65 11 56 59

Email:  freizeitsport@muenchen.de

Are you familiar yet with the Freizeit Programm (free time program) of the city’s sports bureau?  Munich offers more sports clubs, classes, and structured free time opportunities than you could possibly imagine!  The following websites provide a good overview of what is available, schedules, addresses, and age restrictions, if any.  Websites are in German, but can be easily translated using the Google Language tool.  A link to this tool can be found under “Useful Links” on the home page of Munich Kids.

1.  For a listing of the current program for Freetime Sport:  http://www.sport.musin.de/sportamt/angebot/index.html  Under “Sportamt” click on “Freizeitsport”. Follow the link to the current program.

2.  For a schedule of structured playground activities held throughout the year in parks throughout Munich: http://www.sport.musin.de/sportamt/angebot/index.html.   Under “Sportamt”, click on “Freizeitsport”.  Follow the link to “Spielaktion”.

3.  For a search engine of  all the sports offering for toddlers, children and teens in Munich:  http://www.msj.de/msj/sportangebote/sa_suchen2.php 

4.  To rent really cool play and sports equipment for great prices:  http://www.sport.musin.de/sportamt/angebot/index.html.   Under “Sportamt”, click on “Freizeitsport”.  Follow the link to “Spielgerateverleih”.

TSV stands for “Turn und Sportverein”, which can be translated as Exercise and Sports Club.  These are neighborhood-based sport halls and gyms, and there are many of them in Munich.  They offer sports leagues and classes for adults and teens.  Volleyball, basketball, karate, and handball are offered by most.  Many also offer a program for young children.  For example MTSV-Schwabing offers “kindergymnastik”, or children’s gym, for children starting at 18 months (See the post in “Fitness and Sports” for more information).  Prices are typically very reasonable.  TSVs are sponsored by the Bavarian School and Culture Department, Sports Bureau.  I haven’t been able to find a website that lists all of the TSVs in Munich and their respective websites.  However, the following website provides a search engine for all of the sports offerings for young people in Munich, including TSVs.   You can search by: type of sport; neighborhood, PLZ; age of child; day of week; time of day; name of club; and whether or not the club is accessible for persons with disabilities.  The site is in German, but should be easy to navigate and understand for anyone with a basic understanding of the language.

Website:  http://www.msj.de/msj/sportangebote/sa_suchen2.php

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

There are 3 magazines that are widely available in Munich that are written for parents: Kitz, Mampa, and Eltern.  All 3 are written in German. 

 Kitz

“Kitz” is an events magazine for parents living in Munich and the surrounding areas.  It provides a comprehensive list of all the events, activities, groups, classes, and resources available to you and your children.  There are several, brief articles and summaries that highlight special events or activities.  Other articles provide advice or insight into common problems of childhood and parenthood.  The advertisements are a good resource as well.  You may not be aware of the number of shops, schools, services, camps, radio shows, classes, etc. that are available for you and you children.  The magazine is edited by Ulf  and Elke von Sparre, parents of 5 children. No wonder they saw the need for this type of resource! 

The only drawback is that the magazine is entirely in German.  However, the format is pretty simple.  I would guess that with a basic grasp of German and some patience, you could easily utilize the magazine.  The magazine is free and can be picked up at various places that cater to children and parents.  I usually pick up my copy at one of several Hopfisterei bakeries.  There are also usually a few copies available at my son’s kindergarten or at the library. The website lists other places where you can pick up the magazine.  Alternatively, you can have it delivered to your door for a subscription price of 15,00 EUR.  The magazine is published every two months.

Website:  http://kitz-magazin.de

Mampa

“Mampa” is similar to Kitz in that it provides family-related articles and information, as well as a calendar of events.  On its website, Mampa describes itself as the magazine for active families, with “Lifestyle, Travel, Adventure, Freetime, and Life” as its major topics.  Like Kitz, Mampa  is also a rich resource for finding advertisers that are selling  family-related products and services.   The focus of Mampa is more on the articles and less on the calendar of events than is Kitz.  Most articles are short, about a half a page, so even if you struggle with reading German, you should be able to understand the gist of an article of interest, without too much trouble.  This magazine is also free and is published every two months. 

Website:  http://www.mampa.net

Eltern

Eltern is a third magazine written for parents and families.  In Eltern, parents can find advice on: pregnancy and birth, raising children, health and nutrition, psychology, careers, travel, and many more topics.  An online-shop on the website provides an opportunity to buy child and family-related products. 

Website:  http://www.eltern.de