Families · Good to Know
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything important about the childcare voucher, applications, fees and everyday life – briefly answered.
What is a childcare voucher (Kita-Gutschein) and how do I get one?
The childcare voucher determines your child's childcare needs. In Berlin, it's a requirement for parents to be able to get a childcare place at all. The voucher must be applied for at the local youth welfare office (Jugendamt) for your district of residence, and can then be "redeemed" at the kita. The voucher is also how the kita receives its funding from the district.
From when can I register my child at the kita?
You can only register your child after they're born. You can apply for the childcare voucher at the earliest nine months, and should apply at the latest two months, before childcare is due to start. Your child is only entitled to a kindergarten place once they turn one year old.
From when can my child join you at the kita?
In our two mixed-age groups we care for children between roughly one and four years old. Our third group, the Spürnasen, takes in the oldest children from around four years and prepares them for school. Your child is entitled to a kindergarten place once they turn one year old.
Can I get to know Kinderwelt beforehand?
Of course! As a rule, you should visit a kita in person beforehand! Only then can you decide whether you feel comfortable, and can imagine entrusting your child to us for several hours a day. Kindergarten means giving a lot of trust, and feeling at ease.
Feel free to get in touch by phone or by email to arrange a no-obligation visit, so you can get to know us and our kindergarten. We look forward to showing you around Kinderwelt!
How do I apply for a kita place at Kinderwelt?
If you're interested in applying, please send us the information from our form in advance (by sending it, you consent to the storage and processing of the data).
What fees should I expect?
Total fees come to €75, made up as follows:
- Meal fee for lunch (levied city-wide in Berlin)€23
- Breakfast and afternoon snack – we believe every child should have the chance to enjoy a good breakfast and snack alike€22
- Membership fee, as a parent-run association€30
- Total€75
Once more than one child from a family attends, only one membership fee is due. So for two children the total would be €120.
Is there financial support if I can't afford the fees?
For families with limited income there's financial support available through the Education and Participation Package (Bildungs- und Teilhabe-Paket, BuT). It allows children to take part in kita and leisure activities that families might otherwise not be able to afford. It fully covers the cost of lunch and supports the cost of outings.
There's also a range of support and offers in the area of leisure and culture. You can find an example overview here (PDF, in German).
What does "Elterninitiative" (parent-run kita) mean?
Elterninitiativen are small kitas self-managed by parents and/or educators, usually structured as a non-profit association in which parents are members and form the board. Parents and educators together shape the pedagogical concept for everyday life with the children. This means educators and parents work closely together.
When signing the contract, parents commit to six parent-hours each, per kita year. This gives every parent the chance to actively take part in everyday kita life. These parent-hours can be completed, for example, through so-called parent duties – helping with childcare – and are also often used for repairs, gardening or maintenance work.
A board is elected from among the parents, who commit to representing our kita externally. More about our parent-run model
How does settling in work, and how long does it take?
When we set off on this journey together with your child, you should plan for around four weeks of settling in at the start. This should definitely fall before you return to work. During this time, your family and the educators slowly get to know one another. This means that on the first days, your child comes for only around one to two hours, accompanied by a parent. The length of stay is slowly increased while the parent's presence is gradually reduced, until your child stays at the kita entirely on their own. Ultimately, though, the length of settling in depends entirely on your individual child.
Do you accommodate special dietary needs?
Absolutely! Just as we respond to children's and parents' individual needs during settling in, the same naturally applies to food!
We work with an excellent catering service that can provide gluten-free, lactose-free, vegetarian and vegan meals. Please be sure to tell us about any intolerances and allergies when you register, so we can plan for them with our caterer.
What are your opening hours?
Our regular opening hours are:
- Monday – Thursday6.30 am – 5 pm
- Friday6.30 am – 4 pm