Kindergarten and After-School Care

Kindergarten in Norway

Kindergarten is an offer for children aged 1 to 6 years. Almost all Norwegian children attend kindergarten. The municipality is responsible for kindergarten places.

Important words

• barnehagen — the kindergarten
• avdelingen — the group the child belongs to
• pedagogen — the qualified teacher
• assistenten — the assistant who helps the teacher
• levere barnet — to drop off the child in the morning
• hente barnet — to pick up the child in the afternoon

Useful phrases

• Barnet mitt heter Sofie — My child is named Sofie
• Jeg vil søke om barnehageplass — I want to apply for a kindergarten place
• Når er barnehagen åpen? — When is the kindergarten open?
• Barnet mitt er sykt i dag — My child is sick today
• Hva koster barnehagen per måned? — How much does kindergarten cost per month?
• Kan jeg snakke med pedagogen? — Can I speak with the teacher?

SFO — After-School Care

SFO is a service before and after school hours for children in grades 1 to 4. Children are safe here while parents are at work.

Important words

• SFO — after-school care programme
• fri lek — free play
• leksehjelp — homework help
• redusert pris — reduced price

Useful phrases

• Barnet mitt går i 2. klasse — My child is in 2nd grade
• Jeg ønsker SFO-plass — I would like an SFO place
• Har dere leksehjelp? — Do you offer homework help?
• Jeg henter barnet klokken fire — I will pick up my child at four o clock
• Kan vi søke om redusert pris? — Can we apply for a reduced price?

Applying for a place

You apply for a kindergarten place on the municipality website. The main intake is in March every year.

• Gå til kommunens nettside — Go to the municipality website
• Klikk på barnehagesøknad — Click on kindergarten application
• Fyll ut skjemaet — Fill out the form
• Du får svar i april — You will receive an answer in April