Kindergarten from age 2: is your two-year-old ready?
Kindergarten from age 2 is possible and a good choice for many children, as long as your child can cope with a short separation from you, can show what they need and the kindergarten lets them get used to it gradually. Being out of nappies or speaking fluently is not a condition. State kindergartens in Slovakia admit two-year-olds only if they have free places, so parents often look for a private kindergarten that expects children from age 2.
You rarely decide to send a two-year-old to kindergarten on a whim. You are about to go back to work, the parental allowance is ending, or you feel your child needs more stimulation and other children around them. In this article you will find what Slovak law says, how a two-year-old develops, how to tell your child is ready and how to plan the first two weeks so that both you and your child get through them well.
What the law says about kindergarten from age 2
Under the Slovak Education Act (Act No. 245/2008 Coll.), kindergartens normally admit children aged three to six. A kindergarten may exceptionally admit a child from age two if it has free capacity and suitable conditions. In Bratislava this means state kindergartens rarely admit two-year-olds, because they are already full with three-year-olds.
From the 2025/2026 school year, children have a right to a kindergarten place from age three. This right does not apply to two-year-olds. If you are going back to work earlier, the options are a private kindergarten, a children’s group (detská skupina) or a childminder. We describe what to do if a state kindergarten turns you down in No place in a state kindergarten?
How a two-year-old develops and why it matters
Between the ages of two and three, a child changes faster than at any time later. When you know what is going on inside them, you will read their reactions to kindergarten more calmly.
Separation and trust
Separation anxiety, the fear a child feels when their parent leaves, is common at this age and does not mean your child is not ready for kindergarten. Your child is only just learning that a parent who has left will come back. Repetition helps: the same morning, the same goodbye and the same pick-up time. After a few weeks children usually build up this sense of security.
Speech
Two-year-olds talk very differently. Some put together short sentences, others use a handful of words and point. For kindergarten it matters more whether your child can show that they are hungry, thirsty, tired or that something hurts. A teacher who works with young children understands a gesture, crying and a tug on the hand as well.
Playing side by side
Two-year-olds play alongside each other more than together. Shared play with rules comes later. So do not expect your child to make friends straight away. At first it is enough that they enjoy being among other children and watching them.
Self-care
At this age children start to eat with a spoon, drink from a cup, undress and put on simple shoes by themselves. They do not have to do it perfectly. At kindergarten these skills develop faster, because your child sees the other children and wants to be able to do it too.
How to tell your two-year-old is ready
Readiness cannot be measured with a single test. It is more like a puzzle. The more pieces fit, the easier the first weeks will be.
| Area | What helps (most of these is enough) | What is not an obstacle |
|---|---|---|
| Separation | Can manage an hour or two with grandma, a childminder or at a playroom without you | Crying at goodbye that passes within a few minutes |
| Communication | Shows hunger, thirst, pain, a need for a nappy change | Few words, if they can make themselves understood with gestures |
| Food | Eats at least part of a meal with a spoon, drinks from a cup or a spouted bottle | Fussiness, smaller portions |
| Sleep | Naps during the day or can rest in bed for a while | Shorter or irregular daytime sleep |
| Hygiene | Lets an adult change their nappy and wash their hands | Nappies |
| Other children | Takes an interest in children, watches them, copies them | Not yet playing together with others |
| Health | Is healthy and vaccinated as your paediatrician recommends | Getting ill more often in the first months |
Nappies are not an obstacle
Most two-year-olds still wear nappies, and a good kindergarten expects that. Potty training often goes faster at kindergarten, because your child sees the other children using the toilet. More in Nappies, potty training and kindergarten.
Benefits and risks of kindergarten from age 2
| Benefits | What to watch for |
|---|---|
| Among other children, your child quickly copies speech and self-care | Settling in may take longer than for a three-year-old |
| A regular routine: meals, time outdoors, rest | More illnesses in the first year in a group |
| More stimulation than you can manage at home alongside work and housework | A big class or a rushed start can overwhelm your child |
| You go back to work knowing your child is in good hands | You need a plan for the days when your child is ill |
What matters most is which kindergarten you choose. With a two-year-old, the deciding factors are the number of children in the class, whether you can be with your child at the start and the way the teacher talks to young children.
Kindergarten, children’s group or childminder for a two-year-old
When a state kindergarten does not admit a two-year-old, parents usually choose between three options. Each suits a different family.
| Private kindergarten | Children’s group | Childminder at home | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of children | A class with several children and a teacher | A smaller group of children | One child or siblings |
| Programme | Curriculum, pre-school preparation, clubs | Care and play, programme depends on the setting | As agreed with the childminder |
| Moving to kindergarten at three | Your child stays in the same place | Another settling-in period | Another settling-in period |
| When your child is ill | Stays at home | Stays at home | The childminder can stay with them |
| Contact with other children | Every day | Every day | You have to arrange it yourself |
If you plan for your child to go to kindergarten at three and four as well, the advantage of starting at two is that they settle in once and stay among familiar teachers and children in the following years.
What you go through as a parent
Most writing on settling in looks at it from the child’s side. But many mums and dads say the hardest morning was hardest for them, not for their child. Feeling guilty as you walk away from a crying two-year-old is common and does not mean you made the wrong decision.
It helps to be clear in advance about why you are choosing kindergarten: going back to work, more stimulation for your child, time for a sibling or for yourself. When doubts come in week three, these reasons will be useful. It also helps to agree with the teacher that after the first days she will send you a quick message or tell you how your child calmed down after you left. Most children stop crying within a few minutes of their parent going out of sight.
Your child picks up your nerves very precisely. A short, calm goodbye helps them more than long comforting at the door.
The first day at kindergarten step by step
- The evening before, pack the bag together with your child: indoor shoes, spare clothes, pyjamas, a favourite toy for nap time. Your child can “pack” it themselves.
- In the morning, get up with time to spare so you do not have to rush. Have breakfast at home, even a small one.
- When you arrive, help your child change their shoes and put their things away. Show them their symbol or cubby.
- In the classroom, stay as agreed with the teacher. Let your child explore and do not pull them back to you.
- The goodbye is short and the same every day: a hug, a kiss, a sentence about when you will come. Then leave.
- At pick-up, be there exactly at the agreed time. Ask the teacher how your child ate, whether they drank and how they settled.
- At home, expect your child to be tired. An earlier bedtime and a quiet afternoon help.
You will find a list of things for the first day in What to pack for kindergarten.
What to ask on a visit when your child is two
Go on the visit with your child and choose a time when the kindergarten is not full. Your two-year-old can try out the toys in peace and the head teacher will have time just for you. You do not need a long list. With such a young child, these five questions tell you the most:
- Are the children in the class of a similar age, or are two-year-olds and five-year-olds together?
- What will my child’s first days look like, and can I be with them?
- How will you help with nappies and the potty?
- How will I find out how my child’s day went, when they cannot talk yet?
- What will you do if my child cries and cannot be comforted?
Look up the rest, such as opening hours or start dates, on the website beforehand. You will find more on preparing for a visit in How to choose a kindergarten: what is really worth asking on a visit.
A plan for the first two weeks when you are going back to work
The most common mistake is starting kindergarten on the day you go back to work. Your child then goes through two changes at once and you have no room to respond. If you can, allow at least two weeks for settling in before you start work.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 2 – 3 weeks before the start | Talk about kindergarten, walk past it, read a book about kindergarten, practise the morning ritual. |
| Days 1 – 2 | A short stay, ideally with you. Your child gets to know the space and the teacher. |
| Days 3 – 5 | A short goodbye and leaving for an hour or two. Pick-up exactly at the agreed time. |
| Week 2 | Your child stays for the morning snack, outdoor play and lunch. Rest time depending on how it goes. |
| Week 3 onwards | Gradually the whole day. If something gets worse, a step back is fine. |
Settling in takes a different length of time for every child. You will find a detailed plan, including what to do when things do not go as expected, in How long does settling in at kindergarten take.
What you can practise at home now
- Short separations. Leave your child for an hour with grandma or a friend. Always say goodbye and come back when you promised.
- Eating with a spoon and drinking from a cup. Let your child eat alone, even if they get messy.
- Undressing. Your child takes off their jacket and pulls off their socks by themselves. Getting dressed comes later.
- Washing hands. Wash your hands together before meals and after the toilet. With a song it becomes a game.
- Daily routine. Move the morning, lunch and rest to the times they will be at kindergarten.
- Words for needs. “Eat”, “drink”, “wee”, “hurts”. A gesture is enough too, if your child always uses it the same way. If your family speaks a language other than Slovak or English at home, tell the teacher the words your child uses.
How to talk to a two-year-old about kindergarten
A two-year-old does not understand explanations of why you have to go to work. They understand short sentences repeated the same way every day. Try, for example:
- “Now you’re going to kindergarten. Mummy will come after lunch.”
- “Your teacher will help you when you’re thirsty.”
- “I’ll give you a kiss and go. I’ll come for you after your nap.”
Avoid sentences that promise something you will not deliver (“just for a little while” when you are leaving for the whole day), and do not slip out secretly. A child who finds out that mum vanished without saying goodbye becomes more afraid. We write about morning tears in more detail in Your child cries at kindergarten drop-off.
When things do not go as you expected
The first days are often easier than you expect. The crisis usually comes in week two or three, when your child understands that kindergarten will be every day. This is normal. Talk to the teacher about changing the plan if:
- even after four to six weeks your child keeps crying throughout the day,
- your child does not eat or drink at kindergarten for a long time,
- at home their sleep gets much worse, or they go back to behaviour they had already outgrown, and it does not improve.
Sometimes a shorter day for a few weeks helps. Other times your child just needs more time. If you are worried about their health or development, talk to your paediatrician.
How we do it at Sovička
Your child can start at Sovička from the age of two, at any time of the year when we have a free place. They will be in a class of 7 to 15 children with one teacher, who has time to notice what they need right now. In the first days your child will stay only for a shorter time, and we extend it once we see they are doing well. If it helps your little one, you can be with them at the beginning.
If your child still wears nappies, that is fine. We will gladly help with potty training. From home you bring only nappies and wet wipes. We provide a towel, bed linen, a toothbrush and a cup. If your child will attend Kramáre and is under three, you pay a lower monthly fee of €399 for a full day. You will find the prices for the other kindergartens on the Prices page.
If you are considering kindergarten for your two-year-old, come and have a look together at a time when the kindergarten is not full. Your child will see the classroom where they would play, and we will talk about settling in right there with them. You can book a visit here, and you will find how admissions work on the Admissions page.
Questions on this topic
From what age can a child go to kindergarten in Slovakia?
Does a two-year-old have to be out of nappies before starting kindergarten?
How long does settling in take for a two-year-old?
Is a two-year-old ill more often at kindergarten?
What if my two-year-old does not talk well yet?
How much does a private kindergarten cost for a two-year-old?
head teacher, Mgr. (master’s degree), pre-school and primary education
Reviewed by: Zuzana Marynčáková