Private Kitas in Berlin – Are they An Option?

19 April 2022 | Kita Search | By Lisa H

We regularly get the question whether there are any private Kitas in Berlin that might have a spot more quickly for families.

First off, private Kitas is a bit of a confusing term since there are Kitas run by the city of Berlin (Eigenbetriebe) and all the rest are “private” Kitas, meaning they are run by organizations not affiliated with the city. However, they still require the Kita-Gutschein and extra fees are capped at €90 per child, per month (see our article on "How Much Does a Kita Cost in Berlin").

In terms of truly private Kitas that operate outside of the system, there’s only a couple plus some that run an in-between model.

Here’s an overview (in no particular order):

Berlin Cosmopolitan School (Mitte (age 2-6), bilingual German-English)

Berlin Cosmopolitan School runs a Kindergarten and School in Mitte, which is bilingual (German-English).

Kita-Gutschein accepted? Yes, parents have to apply for the Kita-Gutschein.

Fees: Based on parents income. (We were unable to confirm this with BCS but we have been told that the fees are capped at €450 per month.)

How to get a spot? Fill in the online form.

What’s special about this Kita? Berlin Cosmopolitan School Kindergarten and Preschool hosts approximately 320 children from different backgrounds in 18 groups. In each Kindergarten and Preschool group there are children who were born in the same year. At least one teacher per group speaks German and English.

Learn more on their website: https://www.cosmopolitanschool.de/en/learning/kindergarten-preschool/early-years/

Villa Luna (Charlottenburg, 1-6 years, bilingual English-German)

This is a small bilingual Kita with spots for 70 kids in 4 groups.

Kita-Gutschein accepted? Yes – if you don’t have one yet, you can pay the amount out of pocket.

Fees: €300-450 per month, depending on your Gutschein/hours.

How to get a spot? Unfortunately, the waitlists for this Kita are also very long :( Fill in the contact form on their website to get on their waitlist and receive more information.

If and when they have an open spot, they will invite 2-3 families to visit the Kita to see if it is a good fit. One family will be lucky enough to get the spot. They contact families mainly based on the age and gender of their child, preferring those that keep in touch regularly (tip: contact them at the end of each month to let them know you’re still interested).

A full-time Kita voucher is a nice to have but not a prerequisite at this Kita.

What’s special about this Kita? In addition to the “regular” German speaking teachers, the Kita also employs an additional native English speaker. (Kids are not required to speak English or German when they start.) What’s more, they freshly prepare all healthy meals for the kids in-house.

Learn more on their website: https://villaluna.de/berlin/kita-berlin/

Check back to see if any reviews have been posted about this Kita: https://www.kietzee.com/kitas/kita-villa-luna-berlin

be smart academy (Alte Seifenfabrik (Mitte, 2-6 years old) and Villa Heimat (Friedrichshain, 1-6 years old)

Be smart academy is a bilingual, English-German Kindergarten with 180 families from 40 nations. They have two locations in Berlin.

Kita-Gutschein accepted? Yes.

Fees: Fees are around €350 per child, per month.

How to get a spot? Fill in the online form for the Kita you are interested in

Learn more on their website: https://besmartacademy.com/

Kant Kindergarten (Wilmersdorf, Steglitz (1-6 years) and Dahlem (3-6 years, bilingual English-German)

This small "chain" has three locations in Southwest Berlin.

Kita-Gutschein accepted? Yes – otherwise you have to pay out of pocket (€60 per child, per day).

Fees: We were unable to find out the exact amount but it is under €200 per month.

How to get a spot? Fill in the request form for the Kita you are interested in, sign it and send it to the Kita via post or email (Grunewaldstrasse, Bundesallee, Lentzallee/International)

We heard from one mom who was lucky to be offered a Kita spot for her two (older) kids very quickly but are unsure if this is the norm.

What’s special about this Kita? The international/English-German bilingual Kant Kita in Dahlem is on the same campus as Berlin International School, for which they are a feeder Kita.

Learn more on their website: http://www.kant-kindergarten.de/

We have a very positive review for the Kant Kita Bundesallee: https://www.kietzee.com/kitas/kant-kindergarten-bundesallee-186-187

Check back to see about any new reviews for the other Kitas: Kita Grundewaldstrasse, Kita Lentzallee/International

Dickenskita (Westend, part of Berlin British School, bilingual, 2-6 years old)

Kita-Gutschein accepted? No.

Fees: Current annual fees (as of April 2022) are as follows:

Toddler - Half Day EUR 6,300 | Full Day EUR 10,520
K1 - EUR 11,420
K2 and K3 - EUR 14,070

How to get a spot? Fill in the request form and follow the steps on their website.

What’s special about this Kita?This Kita is part of the Berlin British School. Their curriculum is based on a blend of the Foundation Stage Curriculum of England and Wales, the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme and the Berliner Bildungsprogramm. Every group is supported by an English-speaking teacher or teaching assistant and a native German-speaking Erzieher/in. They seem to offer a pretty structured approach – you can learn more in their handbook.

Learn more on their website: https://www.berlinbritishschool.de/school-sites/early-years

Check back to see if any reviews have been posted about this Kita: https://www.kietzee.com/kitas/dickenskita

Kita Schaukelpferd (Prenzlauer Berg, 6 months - 3 years old)

Kita-Gutschein accepted? No.

Fees: Current fees (as of April 2022) are €900 per month for 7-9 hours a day, including meals.

How to get a spot? Send an email to Ms. Natalie Dörner: [email protected] stating all the relevant details (see our article on application letter) – I would also recommend stating that you understand the fee structure for this Kita andere fine with it.

What’s special about this Kita? This Kita is for kids up to 3 years of age – currently (as of April 2022), they only accept babies aged 6-10 months old. Information for this Kita is available in both English and German.

Learn more on their website: http://www.schaukelpferd-berlin.de

Check back to see if any new reviews have been posted about this Kita: https://www.kietzee.com/kitas/kita-schaukelpferd

Phorms Berlin (Mitte Nursery (age 2-6) Süd Nursery (age 1-6) in Zehlendorf)

Phorms runs private Kitas and schools in five German states, including two in Berlin. Both are bilingual (German-English).

🗓 In August 2023, a new Phorms Kita is opening up in Prenzlauer Berg. Learn more, put your child on the wait list or attend an upcoming information session.

Kita-Gutschein accepted? Yes, parents have to apply for the Kita-Gutschein.

Fees: Between €135 and €349 per month based on parents income (as of 2022). See details.

How to get a spot? Fill in the online form for Phorms Mitte or for Phorms Süd. Learn more about the admission criteria and process.

What’s special about this Kita? Their concept includes native English speaking educators and staff who work in the kindergarten groups in addition to the legally required educator-child ratio, advanced training for bilingual education and targeted activities and preparations for starting Primary School.

Learn more on their website: Phorms Mitte | Phorms Süd

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