💡 In Polish kindergartens children are brought by nine: in the szatnia (cloakroom) they change, you hand the child over to the wychowawczyni (teacher) and briefly say how the night was.
💡 The teacher tells you about food (jadł), sleep (spał), play (bawił się) and mood; the question Jak minął dzień? is standard at pick-up.
💡 At kindergarten you bring ubranie na zmianę (spare clothes), kapcie (slippers), a kubek (mug) and sometimes a poszewka (pillowcase); everything is labelled with the child's name.
💡 Alergia pokarmowa is a food allergy, dieta a diet, zaświadczenie od lekarza a doctor's certificate; allergies are reported to the teacher and kitchen in writing.
💡 The child is picked up only by persons with a written upoważnienie (authorisation) from the parents; a new person is entered on a list and shows ID.
💡 If you are late phone the kindergarten: that way educators know whether to wait.
💡 In Polish przedszkola there is a leżakowanie (rest time on cots) after lunch; older children may rest with books instead of sleeping.
💡 Teachers report conflicts between children calmly: it is part of development; do not scold the child, but talk to it about rules and about using words instead of hands or teeth.
💡 In Poland there are often days off for the przedszkole between a holiday and the weekend; check the closing calendar ahead and ask about the dyżur (duty group).
💡 A sick child is not brought in: illness is reported in the morning by phone or in the register; for a contagious disease (choroba zakaźna) you must say what it is.
💡 After illness the child returns when healthy and no longer contagious; for contagious diseases a doctor's certificate (zaświadczenie lekarskie) is often required.
💡 Contagious diseases (ospa wietrzna chickenpox, wszy lice, szkarlatyna scarlet fever) are reported to the kindergarten at once: this is needed to protect other children.
💡 Head lice (wszy) must be reported to the przedszkole; the child comes back after treatment with a pharmacy product; the treatment is repeated as the instructions say.
💡 With vomiting or diarrhoea the child is picked up at once; it usually returns two days after the last symptoms; check the exact rules in the nursery's statute.
💡 The nursery gives medicine only with the parents' written consent and the doctor's instructions: you need the form, the original packet, the dose and the time; ask the nursery about its rules.
💡 Admission (rekrutacja) to public kindergartens takes place in spring through the city's electronic system; you submit an application with several kindergarten choices and wait for results.
💡 In public kindergartens the basic programme (podstawa programowa) is free, beyond it there's a fee per godzina (hour); wyżywienie (meals) are paid separately every month.
💡 For enrolment you usually need: the application, the child's PESEL, a parent's ID, sometimes proof of work or address; admission has kryteria (criteria) and points.
💡 Enrolment to a przedszkole (rekrutacja) takes place online on set dates in many cities: you fill in the application and choose several nurseries in order of priority; you need the child's PESEL and the parents' details.
💡 At a dzień otwarty (open day) ask about the group, the schedule, food and language; places in nurseries are often scarce, so register in time.
💡 In the talk before admission tell them about your child's habits: what it likes, what it eats, the language at home, any allergies; do not be shy that your child does not know Polish yet.
💡 Adaptacja is gradual settling-in: in the first days the child stays an hour or two, a parent may be nearby; it usually takes several weeks.
💡 You get the wyprawka (list of things) at the kindergarten: slippers, spare clothes, mug, hat, sometimes pencils and paper; everything is labelled.
💡 The zebranie z rodzicami is a parents' meeting, usually in the evening; the Rada Rodziców (parents' council) is elected, festivities and fundraising discussed.
💡 A rozmowa indywidualna is a personal talk with the teacher about development; it covers speech (mowa), movement (motoryka) and relations with other children.
💡 The settling-in (adaptacja) takes several weeks: time without the parents is increased gradually; stay nearby and reachable so that you can come quickly if needed.
💡 A przytulanka is a soft toy for comfort; the child's things are labelled with its name, otherwise they get lost.
💡 The rada rodziców (parents' council) consists of elected parents who pass wishes to the nursery and help with parties; you can help without that role too, and it is appreciated.
💡 Photos of children at a nursery are used only with the parents' written consent (zgoda na wizerunek): you can allow only part, for example an internal album without publication online.
💡 At home it is best to speak the language you know best: it helps your child's development; it learns Polish in the nursery among the other children.
💡 In kindergarten on a birthday people often bring a treat for the group (fruit, a small cake); ask the teacher what is allowed, especially regarding allergies.
💡 Mikołajki (6 December) is a holiday when children receive small gifts from St Nicholas; the kindergarten often arranges a show and sweets.
💡 For excursions and trips a zgoda rodzica (written consent) is requested; read where and when the group goes, what to bring and what it costs; ask if anything is unclear.
💡 A bal karnawałowy is a ball with costumes, przebranie a costume; children usually come dressed as fairy-tale characters or animals.
💡 Dzień Babci i Dziadka (21 and 22 January) is a celebration where the children perform for their grandparents; invite your relatives, bring flowers or a drawing; check with the teacher beforehand what to bring.
💡 Besides the fee for time beyond the free programme you pay the stawka żywieniowa (meal money) separately; in the transfer you give the child's name and the month.
💡 Dzień Dziecka (1 June) is a big celebration for children: the nursery often has a picnic or games; parents are asked to bring fruit, sweets or come to help.