Like in many other German cities, it can be challenging to find a Kita spot in Düsseldorf as there are fewer daycare places than are needed. But here are some tips on how to navigate the system and find the right spot for your family.
Jenna Davis and Catherine Chevalier contributed to this article with their in-depth knowledge of the local system.
Jenna is the founder of Life in Düsseldorf, which is a treasure trove for internationals moving to the city. She is also a mom of two.
Catherine is a Mütterpflegerin (postpartum doula) and organizer of Düsseldorf play dates.
If you need more information about how daycare in Germany works in general read our article regarding this topic.
Where to start
Our first tips is to start looking for a Kita spot as early as possible.
Keep in mind that new kids usually start daycare (especially in public institutions) on 1 August. Places are sometimes, but more rarely, available at other times of the year. (This is also good to know if you’re still planning your Elternzeit and return to work.)
The following options can be used to find and apply for your favorite daycare in Düsseldorf. Often a combination will bring the best results for your family.
The Düsseldorf Kita-Navigator
The most important instrument to find the right place for the care of your child is the Düsseldorf Kita-Navigator.
The allocation of places for a public Kita or Kindergarten (not for Tagesmütter) is managed by the municipal Jugendamt with the help of the Kita-Navigator. In the Navigator, you will find daycare facilities that are run by the city, welfare organizations, the church as well as parent initiative Kitas.
In the Navigator, you can choose as many as 15 Kitas and afterwards you can apply for the registration of your child. To be able to do so, you have to register your family once in the Kita-Navigator System (only possible after choosing daycare centers). Places for an August start are assigned in February.
As a tip from Catherine: If you apply to a Kita on the Kita Navigator and wish to remove it later on, the only way to do so is by contacting the Kita Navigator’s team by email: [email protected]
Also, it will likely not be enough to register with the Kita-Navigator as it only covers public Kitas. It is therefore recommended to also apply to privately run daycare centers additionally if you have the financial means as they tend to be a lot more expensive – more on this below.
You can often do so via the Kita’s website via an application form. You could also drop by your favorite Kitas in the afternoon so the Kita can get to know you.
Other contacts and options for finding a place
Most Kitas host an Open Day (Tag der offenen Tür) during which they take pre-registration (sometimes on an iPad, sometimes just on a piece of paper to keep track of which family actually attended the Open Day). This is a great way for you to get a feel for the Kita and it is possible that those Kitas give the Kita Navigator spots only to people who made the effort to visit them on Open Day.
Kind e.V. organizes the training of Tagesmüttern and -vätern. If you are looking for such care, you can contact the association directly.
Lilovii is a website that supports the search for childcare places throughout Germany, including spots in Düsseldorf. The website mostly displays Tagesmütter and -väter and some KiTas and Kigas.
The Jugendamt also provides a list of private facilities. These are often multilingual daycare centers. You can contact them directly.
Search engines with corresponding search terms are also a helpful way to get an overview and then contact the organization directly. Taking the initiative and contacting the organization directly is always a good idea.
Of course, you can also contact the Jugendamt directly to enquire about specific childcare options or to clarify other relevant issues.
If you’re unsure what type of Kita is right for you, you can read our article about different pedagogical concepts.
Childcare costs
Parents have to contribute to the childcare costs at a public daycare center if their child is under 3 years old. The exact amount depends on their income and the daily hours.
(Private Kitas usually charge significantly higher fees – up to €1000 per month.)
Here is what you need to know about the fees at public daycare centers:
Fees are calculated based on the parent's gross income (“Brutto-Einkommen”) as well as the number of hours your child will spend at daycare.
As of 2024, the parental contributions for a child that is not yet 3 years old, range from €0 per month to €400 per month. You can check the costs according to your income on the Landeshauptstadt Düsseldorf website.
Families receive their bill for the parental contributions from the city of Düsseldorf and the city then pays the daycare center.
Daycare for children aged 3 and over is free of charge until they start school.
For public Kitas, a distinction must be made between the parental contribution (Elternbeitrag – see above) and additional costs.
The additional fees are usually charged for meals as well as sometimes for the daycare center's support association.
Frequently asked questions about the fees to public institutions are answered here.
How your fees are calculated
The fees will be calculated based on your gross income in the previous calendar year (1 January - 31 December). The current income tax assessment notice is required as proof.
If no tax assessment notice is available, the highest parental contribution will be set according to the type of childcare. It is best to contact the city directly to find out which documents are required.
You can later declare the costs for childcare in your tax return. To do this, the tax office needs the notice from the city about the contributions to be paid.
