Getting a 2 year old to learn German

I've read just about every thread re child care, schools, and kindergartens - and I still don't know what I'm supposed to be looking for...

Our daughter is 2 1/2. We want her to learn German, so I'm not looking for "English speaking schools". I am going to need someone to watch her while I take my German lessons. It would also be nice to have a few uninterruped hours so I can take care of household matters. I thought a setting of 2-3 days a week, a few hours each day would be appropriate.

Do I want a kindergarten, do I want a pre school, do I want a day care, something else, state or private... ??? It's all a bit overwhelming really. She doesn't need a curriculum, but she does need to be kept busy. Should I just hire a German speaking babysitter and be done with it (as opposed to filling out applications and sitting on waiting lists)?

I may have missed it, but is there just a simple glossary of terms for the different educational/child care options? That would be nice.

Thanks,
Yandi

Sounds to me like you want a Tagesmutter.

In Ismaning, the city organizes a Tagemutterprojekt- meaning the private day care is all done through them. It's also much cheaper than if you got somebody privately to babysit. Plus you can find a Tagesmutter that looks after other little kids and your kid will pick up some German.

Edit: But you should also probably check out the Kindergartens.

My son is 2 1/2 years and goes to a bilingual kinderkrippe...he started in July and already has picked up lots of german words and songs...

Thanks Lotty, but what is a kinderkrippe? I think that literally translates to a child crib. Is it a day care or more like pre-school? Is it something that has a set schedule, or would I be able to choose days/hours?

A Kinderkrippe is a creche where kids go before they start at Kindergarten at age 3. If you cant get a place, then find a tagesmutter who has a whole bunch of kids. Both of mine started that way and picked up German there and English at home.

Mini-cinzia (age 15 months) goes twice a week to "Kinderbetreuung" (group child care) for about three hours each time, at a local "Muetterzentrum." The center is partially supported financially by the city, so the cost is quite reasonable.

And it's sign-up, drop-off child care. You don't pay if you don't go. These Muetterzentrums also typically have play groups, when a parent attends with the child.

Your profile says you live in Schwabing. According to my copy of Muenchen: Stadt fuer Kinder, there is a Muetterzentrum at Seidlvilla, Nikolaiplatz 1b, phone 089.39.82.99.

Thank you very much for those replies, they are quite helpful. I now feel like I am on the right track. I'm eager to get started, if only that darn Thanksgiving/Christmas holiday season wasn't in my way

(or is this something I should start arranging now for January?)

Again, big thanks,
Yandi

Just wanted to add that if you hunt around you may find other playgroups, but sometimes you need to ask around. I found the playgroup (betreute, eg someone looks after the kids and you get some free time) my daughter now attends (tuesday/wednesday, 14:30-17:30) because another mother at the playground mentioned it to me. I had actually looked at the website of the facility where its held, but hadn't seen anything, because its a couple of private people running it who rent the space and they don't advertise as they fill the groups through word-of-mouth. Its for 18 months - 3 years.

I have heard that there is an Eltern-Kind Zentrum in Schwabing with an open cafe several days a week and maybe also an English-language playgroup (with parents) on Friday mornings -- that would probably be a great place to go and ask around, maybe they have attended playgroups as well. I have never been there but found this information in an old email:

It is in the Shraudolphstrasse 10, very near Schelling strasse. Best u-bahn is Universität, then down the Schellingstrasse (it only goes one way from the u-bahn station), then one street past the Barer Strasse. Or take the tram line 27 , to the stop Schellingstrasse, and the Schraudolphstrasse is the next parallel street west of the stop. I believe the bus 154 goes too, but am not sure. Their telephone is 2781 8974.

Also, you can look for an "Eltern-Kind Initiative" co-sponsored by the city. Most of these are less time per week than an actual daycare/preschool (Kinderkrippe or Kindergarten) and require some participation by the parents...

It wouldn't be a bad idea to start looking now for January -- the morning playgroups in my area (Moosach, a bit north of you) are all full-up now and have waiting lists...

A full-fledge "Krippe" , i.e. daycare center, won't be an option at all for a few days a week -- spots are almost impossible to come by, waiting lists with hundreds of kids for each facility...I think the situation is better for Kindergarten

When your daughter is 3 she will be eligible for a place in a local Kindergarten. To be sure she gets one you need to register her now. Find the addresses of local Kindergartens in the phone book and ask them for appointments so you can visit and have a look around. Ask if they have places available and remember you can register with more than one, which is a good idea if they are not offering a definite place. Kindergartens do vary a lot and it's worth asking how much experience they have with kids who don't speak German already.