What is the Einschulung?
The Einschulung takes place on the first Saturday after the standard school term begins (which is changeable, but this year it's the 5th September) and is for children beginning first grade. It is a special event to welcome the new children who will be joining the school and gives the children and their families the chance to celebrate this big step in their lives. No actual classes take place on this Einschulung day, just the celebration and introduction to the school.

What to bring to Einschulung
Based on what I've seen before, your child won't need to bring their school bag, it is however tradition for children to receive a Schultüte on the first day of school. 

The Schultuete
You may have well seen these colourful cones around the city and wondered what they are (I know I did up until a few years ago!) These cones are called a Schultüte. They come in different sizes, colours and types. Some are covered in fabric, others use card or wrapping paper. Many stores across the city sell these incl. traditional toy stores (look for the ones with them hanging in the windows) as well as many supermarkets, Karstadt, McPaper etc. Handmade ones can be bought from Dawanda or, if you are feeling crafty, there are plenty of tutorials online for making your own. Here are a few of my favourites:
Red Ted Art Schultuete
San Diego Family Schultuete
Voyage Kids Schultuete

If you need to find the supplies to make your own school cone, you can go to Idee Creativmarkt, Modular, McPaper or one of the many smaller crafts shops.

The contents of the school cone can also vary of course. Traditionally, they would be items that the child can use for their first year of school such as pencils, colouring pencils, a notepad, a little purse etc and a few sweet things. From what I have heard, more and more sweets / candy have become a big part of the contents in these cones but I must admit that I am going down the more traditional route for my son and am choosing little school-related items that particularly suit him such as a Lego pencil sharpener, notepad, multicoloured pen etc. For those of you who also have younger children, it is common for a mini 'sibling Schultüte' to be given with a few items inside. 

The Ceremony
I am guessing that the ceremony's differ, but they usually occur at the school itself (although some schools hold theirs elsewhere so check the location with your child's school to be sure). Extended family members are often invited to join the direct family for the ceremony but some schools will give a maximum limit on how many people can join, so do clarify this with them to avoid disappointment. During the Einschulung I experienced, the new children entering the first year were invited to sit at the front of the school hall with the family members sat through the rest of the space. There was then a talk by the school head teacher and then a short performance by some children who already attend the school. There were a couple more speeches from other school teachers and then the children were called in to their new school class groups and their teachers took them to their school classrooms whilst the family members waited in the hall. They were then returned to us a while later.

The Celebration
It is traditional for many to hold a celebration for the child after the ceremony. Some make this a major event whilst others will do something a little more simple (as I will!) with a family gathering with cake and drinks and a chance for everyone to chat and celebrate together. Depending on where you live, there is a good chance that many popular cafes and the like will be booked up for this particular day but if you have somewhere in mind, it is worth contacting them and asking if they have a table you can reserve. 

So that's it, a guide to the first day of school in Berlin. I think I have covered everything but do let me know if there is any information missing. You can see further school-related posts here.

I am certainly not an expert in this field. My son will be experiencing the Einschulung the first time himself in September, however, we did go to his cousin's Einschulung last year, so I will write about what we experienced there to give you a bit of a guide. The experience may of course vary from school to school. ​

I am certainly not an expert in this field. My son will be experiencing the Einschulung the first time himself in September, however, we did go to his cousin's Einschulung last year, so I will write about what we experienced there to give you a bit of a guide. The experience may of course vary from school to school. ​

I am certainly not an expert in this field. My son will be experiencing the Einschulung the first time himself in September, however, we did go to his cousin's Einschulung last year, so I will write about what we experienced there to give you a bit of a guide. The experience may of course vary from school to school. ​

 The first day of school is an exciting and nerve-wracking experience for both child and parents alike, and in Germany it is a Big Deal. When I was a child, I remember having the typical 'first school uniform photograph' taken and then, off to school I went. It is done quite differently here however and so I thought I would write a post to give you an idea of what to expect for those of you who haven't experienced it first hand...

If your child is due to start school (1st year / grade) then they will be expected to attend an school enrolment checkup (Einschulungsuntersuchung). In this post, I will explain what the 'Einschulungsuntersuchung' is, how you get your appointment and what you can expect at the appointment. 

Whether your child is starting in the first year of Elementary / Primary school (Grundschule) or joining the school at a later year / grade, here is a guide to what you should expect to pack in your child's school bag to prepare them for the Grundschule. Each school is different, so it is good to discuss specifics with them directly, however this should give you a good overview...

Starting first school (Grundschule) can be as equally daunting for the parent as it is for the child and working out what you need to do to prepare can be a nightmare. A number of wonderful Berlin parents are helping me come to grips with the whole system (which is new to me too) and so I am collating and passing on the knowledge for other parents whose children are starting school in Berlin. 

This post is specific to the matter of school bags. If you have any other tips to add, please do let me know in the comments section or via the BFATF Facebook page.

Whether your child is starting school this year or you've recently moved to Berlin and they are beginning at another point in their school life, it is useful to be prepared with what your child will be expected to have. This is the first in a selection of posts that will hopefully make your own preparations for your child's school start simpler. 

For those of you considering bilingual school for your child(ren) in Berlin, here is a list of Berlin's English/German bilingual schools both public and private.

Whether you are in the early stages of considering your childcare options or are desperately searching for somewhere for your child, it is good to understand the options available to you. There are three main options for childcare in Berlin: Kita (nursery/daycare), Tagesmutter (childminder) or a nanny/au pair. The three options will be explained further in this post...

Before I moved to Berlin, I had never heard of a Forest Nursery/daycare (Waldkita) but, over the years, I have had many a conversation about them and their concepts.  

Whilst a majority of the forest kitas are based on the edges of the city, there are also a few that are based more inner-city that also follow the concept by either transporting the children to a forest or using a nearby park. 

For those of you who have never heard of Waldkitas and are unsure of how they work, there's a good English article on one that recently opened in London, that explains the idea behind them. You can check that out here.

The details of Berlin's forest kitas can be found below, along with contact details and more info about the amount of children and ages of children that they take...

This is one of the many Berlin for all the Family posts relating to finding childcare in Berlin and explaining the system. This post focuses on the Tagesmutter, what it is, how it works and how to find and apply for one...

Here is a post detailing the childcare system in Berlin, with details on the differences between Kita and Tagesmutter, how to get a Kitagutschein and more.