A bilingual kindergarten in Bratislava where children hear English all day
Sovička is a private bilingual kindergarten in Bratislava with three locations: in Kramáre, Ružinov and Vrakuňa. Each one has an English-speaking teacher from morning until afternoon, so your child hears English every day at snack time, at play and on walks. School preparation is in Slovak, so your child leaves us ready for a Slovak primary school, with English as a bonus.
English is part of lunch, play and getting dressed
Two- and three-year-olds learn a language by hearing it while they are doing something, from a person they know well. That is why our English-speaking teacher spends the whole day with your child and talks with them during everyday activities.
- An English-speaking teacher is at the kindergarten all day, at all three locations
- Slovak teachers lead the class and school preparation in Slovak
- English is included in the monthly fee, with nothing extra to pay
- Your child doesn’t need a single word of English before starting
An ordinary day with English at Sovička
Your child hears English from arrival until home time, because the English-speaking teacher is there from the morning. When they arrive, the children hear “Good morning”, and at snack time they can ask for water in English. While getting ready to go outside, they hear “Put on your shoes”. While playing outdoors or in the playroom, they talk with the teacher about what they are building or looking for.
This way your child links English words to what they are doing at that moment. They remember the word “jacket” because they are actually putting their jacket on. They understand “wash your hands” long before they can say it, because they hear it before every meal.
We don’t make children memorise words and we don’t test them on English. Some start answering in English after a few weeks, others mostly listen and understand for months. Both are fine. If you would like to know why the preschool years are such a good time for a new language, read our article Why the preschool years are ideal for learning English.
What English all day gives your child
Understanding comes before speaking
Young children listen first. When they hear a language every day in situations they know, they start to understand instructions, and only then begin to speak themselves.
Learning without fear of mistakes
Children here don’t get tests or marks. Your child tries out words while playing, and if they get something wrong, that’s fine. English stays linked to a good feeling.
Slovak remains the foundation
Your child prepares for school in Slovak through our “Me and the World” programme, which is based on the state curriculum. So your child starts at a Slovak primary school well prepared.
English is included
You pay nothing extra for the English-speaking teacher. It is part of the monthly fee at all our kindergartens. You don’t need to book another club or rush between places in the afternoon.
A bilingual kindergarten in Kramáre, Ružinov and Vrakuňa
The bilingual programme is the same at all three kindergartens. Choose the one closest to your home or work.
| Kindergarten | Address | Open | Full day, per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sovička Kramáre | Ambrova 1, Nové Mesto | 7:00–17:00 | €499 (child under 3: €399) |
| Sovička Ružinov | Prievozská 6/A, Ružinov | 7:00–17:15 | €549 |
| Sovička Vrakuňa | Malodunajská 41, Vrakuňa | 7:00–17:30 | €449 |
Your child will be in a class of 7 to 15 children with a Slovak teacher. Each kindergarten has three classes. The meal fee is €5.50 a day. You will find the full breakdown on our Prices page.
An English club or an English-speaking teacher all day
Parents often choose between an ordinary kindergarten with an English club and a bilingual kindergarten. The main difference is how much time your child hears the language and in what situations.
| English club | English-speaking teacher all day (Sovička) | |
|---|---|---|
| How much English | a set time, usually once or twice a week | from morning until afternoon, every day |
| In what situations | in the lesson, with songs and games | on arrival, at meals, while dressing, at play and outdoors |
| How your child learns | repeats words and rhymes | links words to what they are doing |
| Price | often at extra cost | included in the monthly fee |
A club is a good way to introduce your child to English. If you want your child to understand it and start using it on their own, they need as much contact with it as possible, in everyday situations.
How you can support bilingual learning at home
- Speak to your child in the language you know best. A rich home language is the foundation your child builds English on too.
- Sing and read in English as well, if you enjoy it. Simple picture books and action songs are enough.
- Ask with real interest. “Which song did you sing today?” works better than testing them with “What’s the word for cat?”.
- Be patient. Months of listening without answering are a normal and important stage.
What matters in a bilingual kindergarten
Bilingual kindergartens differ mainly in how much English your child really hears. You will find most answers on a kindergarten’s website, and the head teacher will be happy to tell you the rest on a visit.
- The English-speaking teacher is with your child for as many hours a day as possible and talks with them during everyday activities.
- English is included in the monthly fee, so you pay nothing extra for it.
- School preparation is in Slovak, following the state curriculum, so your child is ready for a Slovak school.
- The class is small, so the teacher has time for every child.
What is worth asking at any kindergarten is covered in our article How to choose a kindergarten: what is really worth asking on a visit.
Won’t my child mix up Slovak and English?
Children who hear two languages every day sometimes mix them in one sentence, for example “Ja mám jacket”. This is a normal stage of bilingual development and it passes as their vocabulary grows. Slovak remains the main language of the class and of school preparation. We write more about this in our article Bilingual kindergarten: will my child mix up the languages?
Who our bilingual kindergarten suits
- Families who want their child to pick up English naturally, as a second language of the day, without drills or homework.
- Children who don’t speak English yet. They learn most of what they need right here at kindergarten.
- Families who speak a language other than Slovak at home. Children from Ukraine also come to Sovička. If your child doesn’t speak Slovak yet, in the first weeks we communicate with them in English, with pictures and gestures. Step by step we bring them into both the Slovak and the English environment.
If you are looking for an intensive language course with assessments and tests, our kindergarten won’t offer you that. Here, English is part of the ordinary day and of play.
Frequently asked questions about our bilingual kindergarten
How will my child learn English with you?
Your child learns English during an ordinary day. Every kindergarten has an English-speaking teacher from morning to afternoon who talks with the children while they get dressed, eat, play and spend time outdoors. Your child listens to English and repeats it, much as they learnt their first language.
Does my child need to speak English before starting?
No. If your child has never heard English before, they will pick it up gradually during the day.
Won’t my child mix up Slovak and English?
If your child sometimes mixes Slovak and English in one sentence, that is a normal phase that passes with age. We do school preparation in Slovak, so your child will be ready for a Slovak primary school.
Come and hear what English sounds like at Sovička
On a visit we show you the classrooms and tell you what your child’s day would look like. The visit is free of obligation, and we fit the time around you.
