Our daycare centers in Hamburg – right near you

If your child attends daycare 8 hours a day, the City of Hamburg covers most of the costs. Depending on income, parents pay a contribution between €11 and €191 per month. The hot lunch is already included in this amount. Despite the long hours of care, daycare remains affordable for all parents and provides noticeable relief for families.

A daycare spot with 10 hours of care per day in Hamburg also costs parents only a tiered co-payment. Depending on income, this currently ranges from €16 to a maximum of €204 per month. This includes all essential services, such as the daily hot lunch. The generous funding from the City of Hamburg ensures that even such long hours of care remain affordable for all families.

All families in Hamburg with children from their 1st birthday until they start school are entitled to a daycare voucher. This means every child receives at least five hours of care per day free of charge—regardless of whether the parents are employed. If you need more hours of care per day, you can apply for a voucher for additional hours. Depending on need (for example, due to employment), 6, 8, 10, or even 12 hours per day can be approved and heavily subsidized.

Any Hamburg family with a child over one year old can get a daycare voucher. For five hours of care per day, the city covers the full cost, so this basic care is free for all children. Since 2025, there has been the XL daycare voucher, which remains valid from the first application until the child starts school and saves parents from having to submit annual follow-up applications. Longer hours of care are also possible with the voucher if there is a corresponding need (e.g., due to employment).

In Hamburg, five hours of daycare per day (including lunch) are free for parents because the City of Hamburg covers the costs. However, an income-based parental contribution is due if families need longer hours of care. Despite this co-payment, daycare in Hamburg remains very affordable. No child has to miss out on a daycare spot for financial reasons.

You apply for the daycare voucher at the youth welfare office (Jugendamt) of your responsible district in Hamburg. The easiest way is via the city’s online service portal, where you can submit the application conveniently from home. It’s important that you apply for the voucher in good time: around three months before the desired daycare start is recommended. Once you have the voucher, you can redeem (submit) it at the daycare of your choice and sign the childcare contract there.

Many parents register their child about a year before the desired daycare start. Demand is particularly high in popular neighborhoods. At the latest three to six months before care begins, you should apply for the daycare voucher—because without a voucher you won’t get a spot. The earlier you start looking, the better the chance your child will get a loving place on time.

It’s best to start looking for a daycare spot for your child as early as possible so you can get a place at your preferred daycare. Many families begin their search a year before care starts. Of course, families can also look around during pregnancy and, for example, sign pre-contracts with Stadtküken. But it’s also completely fine if you only get in touch with us after the birth—those first months are meant to be enjoyed as a family, nice and relaxed. You should submit the daycare voucher application no later than three months before the start. That way, you can make sure a spot is ready for your child in good time.

In Hamburg, there are over 1,100 daycare centers run by different providers. These include public providers (municipal daycares), non-profit organizations such as churches or welfare associations, as well as private daycare providers and parent initiatives. Many providers have their own educational focuses. Stadtküken takes its own holistic path: As a private daycare provider in Hamburg, nature education is at the heart of what we do. We don’t just give children regular breaks in the green—we shape everyday learning so that nature, mindfulness, and genuine participation become fixed parts of their development.