• Nurseries
  
• Short-term Nurseries
  
• Pre-school
• Day Care Mothers
• Babysitting, Nannies and Au Pairs

Schooling

Children with Special Needs
Activities with Children

• Action and Play
  
• Holiday Camp
  
• Language + Online teaching sites
  
• Music
  
• Playgroups
  
• Ski Schools
• Toddlers' Groups

General Information

• For information on documents for expat-children born in Switzerland, please check our visas & identification page.
• Expat-Moms-In-Switzerland Yahoogroup - A great multinational forum for moms to ask and get answers to all sorts of questions concerning living in and having children in Switzerland, and of course also for dads!
• Genève Famille - Information in French on a wide range of topics, from pregnancy and health, to leisure activities with children, support for families, work, and more.
• Having a baby in Switzerland (Angloinfo)
• Mothering Matters - Is a bi-monthly journal for parents living in Switzerland
• The New Stork Times - Magazine published 10 times annually as a source of information for English speaking parents with a focus on Switzerland. Also has a Calendar of Events for kids in Switzerland.

There are different types of child care available for children under 6. Here are links to help you familiarize yourself.

• CERN Child Minding - Information on facilities
• CERN Welcome Brochure - Information on crèches, day centers and nurseries
• Children's day-care centre at Champs-Fréchets - CERN HR/Service contributes to the funding of a crèche in Meyrin and has 20 places reserved for CERN personnel.
• Child Care Centers in Geneva - from the Geneva Welcome Center
• Bringing Up Toddlers in Geneva (Angloinfo)
• BIPE - Bureau d'Information de la Petite Enfance
  Information service on different childminding facilities for young children in Geneva (including registration). Only for parents who are living in Geneva.
  Telephone hours: Mon 14.00 – 17.00, Tue to Fri 9.30 – 12.00 and 14.00 – 17.00
  Opening hours: Mon 12.00 - 18.00, Tue to Fri 12.00 – 17.00
  rue du Cendrier 8, Geneva - +41 22 321 22 23
  Languages spoken: French, English, Spanish, Chinese
• CERN Social Affairs
  Ask for a detailed paper on Child Minding Facilities for children from 0 - 6 years in Geneva and the Pays de Gex. They are located in Building 33, on the first floor, office 038
  Tel: +41 22 767 42 01 - Social.Affairs@CERN.ch

A crèche is a day-care center for young children from around 2 months to around 4 years.
At all crèches, there are long waiting lists – always register as soon as possible.
They are either public or private. The cost for the public ones is based on the parents’ salary and will only allow you to register your child if you either live or work in the community where the crèche is located.
CERN contributes to the funding of a crèche in Meyrin and has 20 places reserved for CERN personnel.
Contact CERN HR/Service for details.
There are at least two more private crèches in Geneva that will accept your children if you live outside the community or in France. These are:

In addition, at many crèches in France you can bring your child for two or three mornings or afternoons a week. This service is often available with shorter waiting lists – you can call a few days ahead. If you only need a couple of hours of child care per week, this might be an option for you. Please ask at your local crèche.

Crèches Familiales is a mixed form of child care – the children are taken care of by certified “day-care mothers” (assistantes maternelles) in their homes, but they also spend a certain amount of time per week at the crèche (together with the assistante maternelle). There are two in Geneva:

Espaces de Vie Enfantine (EVE) are day-care institution for small children from a couple of months up to the age of kindergarten.

“Garderies“ and “halte-garderies” are institutions for the temporary care of young children until around 4 years. You can usually bring your child for up to 3 mornings or afternoons a week.

“Jardins d’enfants” and “garderies” in Switzerland normally accept children from 2 to 5 years for part-time care – conditions vary with each institution.

The French “école maternelle” accepts children from 3 to 6 years. The child has a right to a place in the public école maternelle of the community where it lives, and the schools are free of charge. Ecole maternelle is not compulsory, but the big majority of French children do attend. If your child will attend a French primary school from the age of 6, the attendance of école maternelle is highly recommended. Note that in many French schools, Wednesdays are free, or school takes place only in the mornings while on the other days it would be until around 4.30 pm.

In Switzerland, 4 to 6 year old children can attend pre-school. In the canton of Geneva, one year of pre-school is compulsory. Pre-school is free of charge, children are accepted at the pre-school nearest to their home.

CERN has a Nursery School/Kindergarten (jardin d’enfants) for children between 2.5 and 6 years. Moreover, they offer a Day Nursery for children between 2 and 4 on three mornings a week (currently Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings).

In France, you will receive a list of active assistantes maternelles at your local town hall (mairie). In St. Genis-Pouilly, Ferney-Voltaire and Gex, there are also helpful coordination service offices:

In Switzerland, there are associations that will assist you in looking for an appropriate family.
For the Meyrin area, please contact:

Au Pair Fly
French au pair agency in Lyon - +33 437 65 70 83 - aupairfly@neuf.fr

Bébé Nounou
A French search site where you can place ads and search for babysitters, nannies, au pairs, mamans du jour etc.
To see full details, you need to register.

Nannily
Agency placing qualified nannies within the UK and Switzerland. Enquiries within Switzerland at +41 76 586 07 66.

Classifieds: Babysitters sometimes posts ads - you may want to check KiddieClub, World Radio Switzerland or
Information on Babysitting and Au Pairs (in French)

• CERN HR Services explains education systems in France and Switzerland
• CERN Welcome Brochure also has information on school systems
• Education fees: CERN pays staff members and fellows education fees for each dependent child – see conditions and details
• School Holidays - CERN observes Swiss holidays, so if your children attend school in France, your vacations schedules will not always be the same.

France

See Education and Schooling in France (Angloinfo) for information on the French school system, including: enrollment, qualifications, placement, vaccines, school lunch programs, vacation schedules.
Primary school
Children aged 6 through 10 will automatically be enrolled in the public school in your community. It is free of charge. All lessons will be in French.
Secondary education
is split into two phases - Collège for children aged 11 to 15, and Lycée for ages 15 to 18.

• The Lycée Collège International in Ferney-Voltaire has a special agreement with CERN: children of CERN personnel will automatically be admitted, the level will be based on exams taken once you arrive.
• The private school Institution Jeanne d'Arc in Gex is not very expensive. It offers a bilingual program (French/English) from 12 years on.

Switzerland

Swiss public schools are free of charge and will take your children in the middle of a school year.
Geneva also has many private schools, often with an English program. They are quite expensive.
Most of them will admit your children regardless of whether you reside in Switzerland or France.

• Education and Schooling in Geneva (Angloinfo) explains the Swiss schooling system
• List of Schools in the Geneva area (AngloInfo)
  
• List of International Schools in the Geneva area (EasyExpat)

• Collège du Léman
  Route de Sauverny 74, Versoix +41 22 775 55 55
• Geneva English School
  Provides primary education for English speaking children between 4 and 11.
  Route de Malagny 36, Genthod +41 22 755 18 55
  
• International School of Geneva
  The International School has three independent campuses - please check the homepage for detailed information.
  
• Institut International du Grand Lancy
  avenue Eugène-Lance 24, Grand-Lancy + 41 22 794 26 20
  
• Mésanges Bilingual Montessori Preschool
  Veigy, France - just outside Geneva. Contact Chantal Detournay, Director

• ASK - All Special Kids
  Geneva-based support group for parents of children with special needs and learning difficulties.
  ASK offers the following support programs and services:

• Yahoo-group for parents living in Switzerland who have children with
  Special Needs, whether emotional, educational, behavioural, neurological, physical...
  The goal of the group is for the parents to find support from each other as well as to share
  information on resources.

Croque loisirs lists activities and events for children and youth in Geneva, Annemasse, the Pays de Gex areas. You can also get their magazine for free at all townhalls (mairies) and in all tourist offices in the Pays de Gex.
AngloInfo lists various activities for kids in the region. We've categorized some of these below:

Action and Play

• Baby Gym
  Offers a wide range of activities for babies and children from 0 - 10 years, such as baby massage, baby sign, music, dance, art, gymnastics, yoga and more (in French). They also offer holiday activities for 4 - 8 year olds and holiday adventure camps for kids from 6 - 10. Sites in Carouge, Geneva, in Eaux-Vives, Geneva, and in Vich. Please check the website for contact details.
  
• Espace Junior At the Geneva Palexpo, Hall 7, Grand-Saconnex. Play area for children aged 2 to 12 years old, with games, inflatable castles, a car track, trampolines, playhouses and more. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Open Wednesday to Sunday from 13:30-18:30. Open Mondays and Tuesdays during the school holidays and on public holidays. Entry CHF 12, free for accompanying adults. Tel: +41 79 213 29 26.
• Forest Land
  Outdoor adventure park - also has indoor activities - in Divonne-les-Bains, France.
• Gymboree
  Play, musical and artistic classes from 0 to 5 years 23 rue Sonnex, Grand-Saconnex - +41 22 920 92 00 - info.geneva@gymboree.ch
• Ludothèques - Toy Libraries
  Ludothèques promote play as an active leisure time pursuit - you can go there and play or rent out toys and games. For a list of addresses in the Geneva area consult their webpage, or look here.
• Mubabil's Music and Creative Programs
  Workshops for children from 3 months to 12 years and their parents
  Nicolas Gisiger - rue J.-A. Gautier 18, Geneva - +41 79 332 03 59
  
• The New Stork Times - has a Calendar of Events for kids in Switzerland.
  
• Working in Geneva - Just 4 Kids page lists: Attractions and Toy Stores
• Yatouland
  Indoor funpark for kids from 0 to 10 years. Filled with 5 or so huge inflatable bouncy/sliding/climbing structures, a huge version of the McDonald's type climber, and other hard plastic playhouses. There is a gated-in baby area with smaller, tamer toys. There is also a little track where kids can drive very slow-moving and apparently easy to control jeeps for a small additional fee, paid in tokens. Entrance fees only for kids – adults get in free!
  12 CHF for over 3-year-olds, 8 CHF for under 3.
  Open every Wed, Sat, and Sun from 11.00 - 18.00 and every day during Geneva school holidays.
  chemin des Batailles 22, Vernier - +41 22 341 40 00

• Village Camps Programmes
  Excellent International summer camps for 7 - 18 year olds. Focus on education and recreation with a wide range of programs such as languages, activity, sports, creative arts, leadership training, film academy and much more. They also offer Geneva Day Camps for children from 4 - 13. Rue de la Morache 14, Nyon - +41 22 990 94 00
  

• Alphabet Club - specializes in teaching languages to children
  
• Le Français en Famille - Language courses with children 1 to 10 years old in Chêne-Bougeries
  While you are being taught by an experienced French teacher, your children are immersed
  in a French environment of songs, games and books.
  Contact: Maria and Catriona at lefrancaisenfamille@hotmail.com
  +41 22 300 01 74 or +41 22 301 05 80
• The Language Center, Ferney-Voltaire offers English and French language classes and personalized training for children and adults. They have been helping people pass English and French exams for 18 years in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere.

Online language teaching sources for children

• Progressive Phonics - multi-language site
• Reading A - Z - English. Yearly membership required.
• Starfall - fun place for pre-schoolers to learn English
• Le Point du FLE - French

• German children's choir (CERN Women's Club)
  Every Wednesday from 4.30 - 6 pm at the group room (Room R-020), Restaurant 2, after the entrance down the corridor on your right, last door.
  Contact Elke Händly-Schulhof at jeanchoule@yahoo.com

• La Bulle d'air
  Musical activities from 12 months onwards
  chemin du Pommier 14, Grand-Saconnex - +41 22 788 36 22

• Mubabil's Music and Creative Programs
  Workshops for children from 3 months to 12 years and their parents
  Nicolas Gisiger - rue J.-A. Gautier 18, Geneva - +41 79 332 03 59

• Note by Note
  Music centre serving the International Community of Geneva, Vaud and the Pays de Gex,
  music groups and private lessons for children and adults
  Contact Sue Lake at suelake@notebynote.eu
  Divonne-les-Bains - +33 450 20 40 13
  

• Kiddie Club
  Offers playgroups and activities for children from 8 months to around 4 years together with their parents at
  route de Chêne 66, Geneva - Tel: +41 22 736 43 92

• Playgroup Programme in Ferney-Voltaire, France
  The Playgroup Programme (PGP), founded in 1987, is an entirely voluntary-run non-profit association that offers structured English-language Playgroups and Literacy Classes for children ages 6 months to 10 years.
  Located 2 mins from the Swiss border, free parking. Contact the Registrar at pgp-registrar@hotmail.com or at +41 22 743 1901 (after 6pm) to set up a free trial session for you and your child. 

• CERN Toddlers’ Group
  Mums and dads with their toddlers are welcome! We are open every Tuesday and Friday from 10 – 12 in
  Room R-020 (same building as Restaurant 2). After the entrance turn right - it's down the corridor, last door on your right. Contact: Jessica Benelli by email or call +33 450 56 41 37

• German toddlers’ groups in Geneva
  Toddlers’ groups and PEKiP-groups in German as well as a nature/wood playgroup in German and French for 0 to 3-year-olds. Also offers for German-speaking mums such as monthly dinner meetings or Aerobic.