In Sønderborg Municipality, kindergartens are far more than just a place where children are looked after while their parents are at work. This is where your children truly discover community life, practice making friends and enjoy a day filled with play, learning and experiences that prepare them for starting school.
Sønderborg Municipality offers a large selection of kindergartens, each with its own profile. Some of the municipality’s kindergartens are forest kindergartens, where nature is a fixed part of the day and children learn to use their bodies, explore nature and solve tasks together outdoors – whatever the weather. Other kindergartens take a more traditional approach, focusing on creativity, language and motor skills in a safe, indoor setting. Whichever profile you choose, your children will be met by pedagogical staff who work purposefully to support each child’s development and wellbeing.
All kindergartens in Sønderborg Municipality operate in line with the roles on minimum staffing ratios, meaning there are no more than 6 children per member of pedagogical staff. This ensures there is enough time and capacity to see each individual child, follow their development and step in whenever adjustments are needed. Staff are trained pedagogical professionals who continue their education on an ongoing basis, helping to ensure a high standard of quality in day-to-day kindergarten life.
If your child needs a more specialised form of support, Sønderborg Municipality has three kindergartens offering special provision for children with physical, psychological or behavioural challenges – in Broager, Nordborg and Sønderborg respectively. There is also a municipal day-care facility for children with a permanent, significant reduction in physical or psychological functioning. A place in one of these special provisions is allocated through an assessment process carried out in collaboration with parents and a pedagogical consultant, rather than through standard booking. You can read more about the specific provisions, contact persons and requirements on Sønderborg Municipality’s page on kindergartens with special provisions.
The municipality also focuses on the language development of bilingual children. Where needed, children undergo a language assessment, and those who require it can attend a language stimulation programme to strengthen their Danish skills before starting school.
When choosing a kindergarten, you can view all of the municipality’s facilities on the interactive map and book a place directly online as soon as your child has been issued a CPR number. You can book several years in advance, place your child on the waiting list for a specific kindergarten and follow the entire process digitally. Visit Sønderborg Municipality’s page on registering for a place, view the location of kindergartens on a map, or read more about the rules for enrolment and withdrawal.
The first years of a child’s life are about closeness, security and the small steps toward independence. In Sønderborg Municipality’s nurseries, the youngest children get a good start in community life, while there is still enough time and expertise to meet each child where they are.
For many families, municipal childminding is the most home-like start to life outside the four walls of the home. In Sønderborg Municipality, childminders are spread across the local areas, so there is often a childminder close to where you live – and where your children are cared for in small, calm surroundings with a consistent adult nearby throughout the day.
The thought of relocating to a new country — with different rules, unfamiliar surroundings, and new routines — can feel overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be complicated. Keep reading to discover how easy it can be to start a new chapter in Sonderborg — and explore the many advantages that can make this city your new home.