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Frankfurt Relocation Checklist for Families with Young Children

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Before You Arrive

• Confirm your child's age on the planned start date — toddler group (from ~12 months) or kindergarten group (3–6 years)
• Contact TIMS early to ask about current availability for your child's age group
• Gather documents likely to be requested: passport/ID copies, birth certificate, vaccination record
• Ask your employer or relocation consultant whether childcare support is part of your relocation package
• Research housing near Oberursel, Bad Homburg, Kronberg or Frankfurt with a manageable commute to the kindergarten
• Check whether your health insurance will be valid in Germany from day one

Your First 30 Days in Frankfurt

• Register your address (Anmeldung) at the local Bürgeramt — usually required before other administrative steps
• Arrange a personal visit to TIMS to see the classrooms and meet the team
• Submit your kindergarten application once you are ready to proceed
• Set up local health insurance and register with a paediatrician
• Learn the walking/S-Bahn route between your home and the kindergarten
• Introduce your child to a few basic German words and routines they'll encounter day to day

Enrolling in Kindergarten

• Tell TIMS about your family, your child's age, and your preferred starting date
• Ask about current availability for the relevant age group
• Attend a personal visit
• Complete and submit the application
• Confirm the starting date and any settling-in ("Eingewöhnung") process the school follows

Quick Reference: Childcare Terms

• Kinderkrippe — childcare for children under 3
• Kindergarten / Kita — early-years care and education before primary school
• Preschool — the term international families often use for ages 3–6, called Kindergarten in Germany