Starting kindergarten mid-year and moving from a state to a private kindergarten

Starting kindergarten mid-year is common in Slovakia, and your child does not have to wait for September. According to slovensko.sk, the Slovak government portal, a child can be admitted to a kindergarten during the school year if the kindergarten has room. If you are moving from a state kindergarten to a private one, you agree a start date with the new kindergarten, end attendance at the old one in writing and plan calm first days for your child. Below you will find when is a good time to start, how a move works step by step, and what to keep in mind if your child is five and in the compulsory pre-primary year.

Why parents look for a kindergarten in the middle of the year

Life does not follow the school calendar. Parental leave sometimes ends in January, a family moves to the other side of Bratislava, or a child does not get a place at the municipal kindergarten in spring. Families also arrive in Slovakia for a new job at any time of year. Another common reason is that after a few months parents realise the first kindergarten does not suit their child. The class is large, the child cries in the morning for longer than they should, or the family wants their child to hear English every day.

All of these reasons are ordinary and you do not need to apologise for them. What matters is that the move to a new kindergarten goes calmly and your child has time to get used to it. If your child did not get a place at a municipal kindergarten, have a look at our article No place in a state kindergarten? It explains what you are entitled to and what to do after a rejection.

Is starting mid-year harder for a child?

Many parents worry that their child will join a class where the other children already know each other. The worry is understandable, but in practice it is often the other way round. The other children already know the daily routine. They know when snack time is, when everyone goes outside and when it is time to rest. A new child picks up a lot by watching them, and settles more easily in a class where nobody is crying at the door any more.

Settling in during the year also differs from September because your child is not one of many newcomers. In September lots of children are settling in at once. When a child starts in November or February, the teacher can give more of her attention to your child.

Getting used to kindergarten still takes time, whatever the month. Some children are happy after a few days, others need several weeks. Both are normal, because every child has their own pace. How settling in usually goes, week by week, is described in How long does settling in at kindergarten take?

When is a good time to start

There is no perfect date, but some moments are better than others. These three situations will help you plan.

• Before you go back to work. If you are returning to work, plan your child’s first day two to three weeks ahead. In the first days your child will spend shorter time at kindergarten, and you will be able to fit your day around them until they settle.
• Away from big changes at home. If you are expecting a baby, moving house or your child is just coming out of nappies, try to plan the start before the change or after it. Several big changes at once are harder for a child.
• When your child is well. If your child is ill or still recovering, move the first day back. A sick child would pass the illness on to other children and the teacher, and would link the new place with feeling unwell.

If a new brother or sister is on the way, you may also find Preparing your child for a new sibling helpful. We look at starting kindergarten there as one of the big changes.

Moving from a state to a private kindergarten, step by step

A move can be done in a few weeks. Most parents go in this order:

1. Check the vacancies. Private kindergartens usually publish where they have places and for which ages. This saves you phoning kindergartens that are full.
2. Come for a visit with your child. Ideally at a quiet time, when the kindergarten is not busy. The head teacher will have time just for you, and your child can try out the toys in a calm classroom. How to prepare for a visit is covered in How to choose a kindergarten: the questions worth asking on a visit.
3. Send the application. Get a health confirmation from your paediatrician. The kindergarten needs it to know your child can be in a group with other children.
4. Agree the first day and a plan for the first days. Tell the teacher what calms your child, how they fall asleep and what they like to eat. The first morning will then be no surprise to anyone.
5. End attendance at the old kindergarten. Tell the head of the old kindergarten in writing. You will find the exact procedure and notice period in its school rules. The place is then freed for another child who is waiting.
6. Let your child say goodbye. If possible, let them say goodbye to their friends and teacher at the old kindergarten. It helps them close one chapter and look forward to the next.

If your child is five: compulsory pre-primary education

In Slovakia, children who turn five by 31 August have compulsory pre-primary education in the year before primary school. According to slovensko.sk, they complete it by attending regularly on working days, for at least four hours a day, for one school year. From September 2027 it will also be compulsory for four-year-olds.

When moving, keep two things in mind. The new kindergarten must be authorised to provide compulsory pre-primary education, otherwise your child would not be completing it there. And there should be no long gap between leaving the old kindergarten and starting at the new one, because absence from compulsory education has to be excused. The simplest way is to arrange for the first day at the new kindergarten to follow straight after the last day at the old one. More detail is in Compulsory pre-primary education in Slovakia.

How to prepare your child for a new kindergarten

A child who has been to kindergarten before knows the morning goodbye and the shared lunch. Even so, a new kindergarten is a new place with new people. It helps when they know what to expect.

• Tell them about the change a few days ahead. Simple words are enough: “From Monday you’ll go to a new kindergarten. There’ll be a new teacher and the toys you already saw when we visited.”
• Do not criticise the old kindergarten in front of them. They had friends there they liked. If they heard that the kindergarten was bad, they would be confused and find the change harder to accept.
• Pack a favourite toy. Something familiar from home reminds them in the first days that you are not far away.
• Keep morning goodbyes short. A long goodbye makes the crying last longer too. We explain how in My child cries at kindergarten drop-off.
• Expect tiredness. In the first weeks your child may be more tired or tearful after kindergarten. The new place takes a lot of energy, and at home the tension comes out.

If your child is angry or defiant at home after kindergarten, it does not have to mean they dislike the new kindergarten. We explain why it happens in Why is my child grumpy and defiant after kindergarten?

What to sort out before the first day

You will need a few things before your child starts. When they are ready in advance, the first morning is calmer for you and your child.

• a health confirmation from your paediatrician, including vaccination details,
• the signed contract with the kindergarten,
• a list of people allowed to collect your child,
• information about any allergy or special diet your child has,
• a bag with indoor shoes, spare clothes and pyjamas.

What else to put in the bag is listed in What to pack for kindergarten.

The first week at the new kindergarten: what to expect

The first day is often surprisingly good. Your child is curious, everything is new and there is no time to be sad. On the second or third day they sometimes burst into tears at the door, because now they know you are going to leave. It does not mean the new kindergarten was a mistake. Your child has simply realised the change is for good.

When you collect your child, the teacher will tell you how they calmed down after you left, what they ate and who they played with. In the first days these short updates help more than long conversations. If you need to talk something through in more detail, arrange a time with the head teacher so the teacher does not have to leave the children.

At home, give your child more calm than usual. An earlier bedtime, a simple dinner and time with just you help them recover the energy they spent on new experiences during the day. If you can, put visits and after-school clubs on hold for the first weeks. When your child sees that mornings and afternoons have their regular order, they will feel safe at the new kindergarten sooner.

It also helps to talk about the new kindergarten warmly and specifically. Ask about simple things: “What did you have for lunch?” or “Who did you play with outside?” Asked “How was kindergarten?”, small children often just say “fine”, while a specific question helps them remember something that happened.

When your child talks about the old kindergarten

Some children talk about their old friends in the first weeks, or ask why they do not go to the old kindergarten any more. This is natural. It is how a child makes sense of what has changed. Answer calmly and truthfully, for example: “Now you go to the new kindergarten because it’s closer to home.” If they would like to, you can meet an old friend at the playground at the weekend.

If after several weeks your child still does not want to go to the new kindergarten, cries for a long time in the morning, or their sleep or appetite changes at home, talk to the teacher. Together you will find what helps. If you are worried about their health or behaviour, speak to your paediatrician as well.

How we do it at Sovička

Your child can start at Sovička at any time of year when there is a free place. We take children aged two to six in Kramáre, Ružinov and Vrakuňa. You can see current availability on our Vacancies page. If the kindergarten you choose is full, we will put your child on the waiting list and the head teacher will call you when a place for their age becomes free.

First, come and see us with your child at a time when the kindergarten is quiet. You can look round the classroom in peace and the head teacher will have time just for you. Then you fill in the online application in the Kinderio parent app, where you also sign the contract and enter the people allowed to collect your child. After the application you receive an invoice for the registration fee of €100. It is a one-off payment and is not deducted from the monthly fee.

In the first days your child will spend shorter time with us, and we will extend it once we see they are doing well. If your child needs it, you can stay with them at the beginning. If your child is five, they can complete compulsory pre-primary education with us, because Sovička is authorised to provide it. How admissions work is explained on our Admissions page, and you will find the fees on our Prices page. You can arrange a time through the Book a visit form.