Kindergartens

In Bulgaria, the term detska gradina (??τ??? ???????) refers to the schooling children attend from 3 to 6 years of age. It is followed by a mandatory pre-school class, which is attended for a year before primary school (at 5 or 6 years of age). Kindergartens are regulated by Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science.

Nurseries

There are public and private nurseries. Public nurseries accept children between 10 months up to and 3 years of age. Some of the private ones accept children younger than one year, but most of them take children who are 2 years old. If the children are under one year they should be able to walk and eat unstrained food.

Public and Private Kindergartens

There are public and private kindergartens in the country. Usually parents apply for a place in a public kindergarten shortly after their child is born, especially in the cities. If your child is older and you have not already registered for a public place then the alternative private kindergartens or part time babysitting centers are a good alternative.

If your choice is private kindergarten, check its license in the Ministry of Education Register. There you can check the license of every educational institution at the territory of the country,
and it depends on the different services provided, so it pays to compare several alternatives
The range in prices is large before making a final choice. Some of the private kindergartens have English-speaking or other language speaking staff and offer cares suitable non-Bulgarian speaking children. Usually the groups are 10 to 15 children, divided according to their age – from 2 to 6 years old.

Their services include all or half day care, as well as part-time children cares (8.00 - 22.00 h), seven days a week.  Door-to-door transport. Some Kindergartens organize children parties and care for the pupils during vacations.
Children’s program includes Music, Art lessons and Physical Education, learning foreign languages is optional and additional service in public and private kindergartens.
 
Facilities

There are strict requirements for the necessary facilities for both types of gardens. Thus most of them are equipped with places for games, study, entertainment, painting and applied art activities; music room or at least musical instruments piano, accordion, inner courtyard with lawn and specially equipped play corners.  In some cases there are gyms with facilities for developing the physical abilities and strengthening the children’s health, tennis courts, football and volleyball playgrounds or swimming pools (With swimming pools are equipped some of the public kindergartens).
Summer Vacations 

Most of kindergartens public and private are closed during summer months. Public kindergartens are usually open until the end July and closed in August. Vacation in some private kindergartens is even longer, but other provide services during the whole year, including Saturdays and Sundays. 

 
Useful Links

Ministry of Education

Ministry of Labour and Social Policy

Regional Health Inspection Sofia (RIOKOZ)