Childcare Zurich – Find Available Spots & Suitable Care
Finding a suitable daycare or nursery in Zurich is challenging for many parents. Demand is high, available spots are limited, and the differences between providers are significant.
Awina helps parents in Zurich find the right daycare or nursery quickly and transparently – tailored to location, care needs, and educational concept.
Child Day Cares in Zurich for you
What Daycares and Nurseries are Available in Zurich?
Nurseries (Kitas)
Full-time and part-time care
Mixed-age groups
Bilingual childcare
Nature and movement-oriented programs
Childcare Costs in Zürich – What Parents Should Know
The costs of childcare in Zürich vary depending on the extent of care, the child's age, and the provider.
For a full-time spot with five care days per week, parents in Zürich pay on average between CHF 2,400 and CHF 3,400 per month. For part-time care, for example three days per week, the costs are correspondingly lower.
Subsidies in the city of Zürich
The city of Zürich offers financial support to families with childcare costs. Whether and how much support a family receives depends on income and assets. The amount of the subsidy is calculated individually.
The subsidy is paid directly to the childcare center. For parents, this means they only pay the reduced parental contribution. Depending on the situation, this can provide noticeable relief in everyday life.
The city of Zürich provides several calculation examples that help parents easily check their possible entitlement.
Important: The subsidy must be requested before childcare begins. Retroactive support is not possible. The regulation applies only to residents of the city of Zürich.
Opening hours of childcare centers in Zürich
The opening hours of childcare centers in Zürich are aligned with the everyday life of working parents. Most facilities offer full-day care and are reliably open during the week.
Typical framework at a glance:
- Earliest opening: from 06:30–06:45
- Latest closing: until 19:00
- Usual operation: approx. 06:45–18:15 or 07:00–18:30
- Weekdays: Monday to Friday
Many childcare centers cover typical working hours well. Some offer extended opening hours into the evening, while others start slightly later in the morning.
Important to know: Most childcare centers are closed on public holidays. In addition, there are often operational closures, for example between Christmas and New Year or during individual weeks in summer. These times vary from center to center.
On Awina you can view the exact opening hours of each childcare center directly on its profile. That way you quickly find care that fits your everyday life.
How to Find Available Daycare and Nursery Spots in Zurich
Define care days and workload
Determine neighborhood or workplace
Compare childcare centers
Make inquiries early
Discover Districts in Zurich
Explore daycare centers in specific districts of Zurich for more targeted results
Zurich City
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Winterthur
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Uster
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Dietikon
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Wetzikon
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Quality and certifications of childcare centers in Zürich
When choosing a daycare or nursery, quality plays a central role. But how do you recognize whether a center meets high standards? Official certifications and licenses offer good guidance.
Some of the childcare centers listed on Awina in Zürich hold recognized quality labels:
QualiKita
The Swiss-wide recognized quality label for childcare centers. Certified centers are regularly reviewed in various areas, for example pedagogical work, care, and organization.
Purzelbaum
This label stands for childcare centers with a particular focus on movement and healthy development in everyday life.
Fourchette verte
A distinction for balanced and child-friendly nutrition in the childcare center.
Regardless of additional labels: Every childcare center in Zürich needs an official operating license from the city. This ensures that basic requirements such as staff-to-child ratio, personnel qualifications, and facilities are met.
When visiting a childcare center, it is worth asking specifically about such quality features. On Awina you find much of this information directly on the profile of individual centers.
Find the right daycare for your child – right near you.
Frequent Questions
Finding a suitable Kinderkrippe in Zürich is easy with Awina. Enter your postal code or your district – whether the city of Zürich, Winterthur, Dietikon or Uster – and discover suitable Kitas and Kinderkrippen near you.
With the Kita comparison tool you can compare several Kinderkrippen directly, for example by opening hours, educational concept or facilities. A non-binding spot request is free and possible without registration.
As spots in Zürich are often taken quickly, it's worth starting your search early. Many parents begin as much as 6 to 9 months before their desired start of care.
A Kinderkrippe supports children and parents in everyday life in many ways. Children learn early on to play with others, be considerate and build social relationships. At the same time, shared activities and daily interaction promote language development and independence.
Many children also benefit from good preparation for kindergarten through attending a Kinderkrippe. Thanks to structured daily routines and contact with peers, the later transition is often easier.
For families, a Kinderkrippe offers more flexibility in everyday life. In Zürich in particular, many facilities have long opening hours and various care models that combine well with work and family.
Awina connects you with carefully selected daycare centers in Zurich that focus on quality, trust, and individualized care. Our platform gives you a clear overview of various daycare profiles, their educational approaches, hours, and available spots. With transparent information and a simple online request process, we make your search easier.
We also guide you throughout the entire selection process—from research to contacting the daycare. This way, you don't just find care but real support for your family life.
The right daycare in Zurich depends on your family’s needs—proximity to home, care hours, language programs, or educational philosophy. On awina.ch you’ll find key info on each daycare’s profile: opening hours, spoken languages (e.g., German/English), and special offers like forest days or kids' yoga.
Every family is unique, and so is every daycare choice. Our platform shows you suitable options at a glance.
To use all features and send a placement request directly, we recommend creating a free family profile.
No registration is required to submit a placement request directly. As soon as you enter your details in the contact form, a guest profile is automatically created for you.
This allows you to:
- save your favorites
- compare daycare centers
- send and manage placement requests – all in one place
The earlier, the better. Many daycares in Zurich have limited capacity, especially in popular neighborhoods. We recommend starting at least 6–9 months before your desired start date. With Awina, you can request a spot early and check availability.
Starting early increases your chances of securing your preferred daycare and reduces stress. You’ll also have enough time for visits, questions, and settling in. Plan the daycare start with confidence—Awina is here to help.
In addition to location and hours, the educational concept, staff, and atmosphere matter. Ask yourself:
- Does the care concept match our values?
- What does the daily routine look like?
- What qualifications does the team have?
- Is there enough space for play, movement, and development?
Group size, care ratio, and communication with parents are also important. Look for regular parent talks, clear settling-in phases, and open communication. A visit helps you get a feel for the environment.
Awina provides detailed info for each daycare in Zurich so you can make confident, informed choices.
Our platform gives you verified and transparent info about many Zurich daycares. All details come directly from the providers and are regularly updated.
Each daycare profile includes:
- Concept and care philosophy
- Available spots and pricing
- Hours and age groups
- Languages, nutrition, and special programs
- Location, access, and contact
You’ll often find photos, team bios, and educational highlights like bilingual or nature-based care. It’s a complete picture with just a few clicks—no stress, no detours.
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