Berlin is a city that deeply values children’s education as a fundamental right. Since August 2018, daycare for children over one year old has been made completely free of charge under the Berlin Senate’s “Kostenfreie Kita” policy ([Reference 1]). This commitment ensures that financial circumstances do not limit access to early education.
Berlin also implements the “Berliner Bildungsprogramm” ([Reference 2]), a comprehensive curriculum guideline that emphasizes not only language acquisition but also personal development, creativity, and social skills. Recognizing the city’s cultural diversity, many Kitas offer bilingual programs, particularly German-English and German-Turkish.
In addition, the “Kita-Sozialarbeit” initiative ([Reference 3]) places trained social workers within kindergartens to support families facing social challenges.
The approach to early childhood education in Berlin is holistic: children are nurtured not only academically but socially and emotionally. They are encouraged to explore, to express themselves freely, and to develop a strong foundation for lifelong learning.
As a kindergarten manager, I find Berlin’s model inspiring—a society-wide commitment to supporting every child’s growth, regardless of background, is a principle we should all strive to embody.

References:

• [1] Berlin Senate Department for Education, Youth and Family: “Kostenfreie Kita” Initiative (2018)

• [2] Berliner Bildungsprogramm für Kitas und Kindertagespflege (2021 Edition)

• [3] Kita-Sozialarbeit Berlin Project Overview

ベルリンは、子どもたちへの教育を「社会の基本的な権利」として深く位置づける都市です。2018年8月より、1歳以上の子どもに対して保育料が完全無償化されました（ベルリン市教育局「Kostenfreie Kita」施策）。これにより、経済状況に関わらず、すべての子どもたちに教育の機会が開かれています。
また「ベルリン教育プログラム（Berliner Bildungsprogramm）」により、言語習得のみならず、創造性や社会性の育成にも力が注がれています。多様性を重視するベルリンでは、ドイツ語と英語、ドイツ語とトルコ語のバイリンガル教育も盛んです。
さらに「キタ・ソーシャルワーク（Kita-Sozialarbeit）」を通じて、幼稚園に社会福祉士が常駐し、困難を抱える家庭をサポートしています。
ベルリンの幼児教育は、子どもたちの学びを知識だけでなく、心の成長にも重きを置く全人的なアプローチです。すべての子どもが、その可能性を存分に伸ばせる環境づくりに取り組む姿勢は、私たちにとっても大いに学ぶべきモデルです。

Located on Denmark’s western coast, Esbjerg uses its maritime heritage and natural landscape as the foundation of early childhood education. Kindergartens here prioritize outdoor, nature-based learning. Rain or shine, children venture outside—to beaches, forests, and dunes—to explore the living world. The proximity to the sea inspires curriculum themes around marine biology, weather systems, and environmental care. Preschoolers may collect shells, observe sea birds, or build shelters from driftwood. The city encourages a “friluftsliv” (open-air life) philosophy, where nature is not just a backdrop but an active teaching partner. Risk-taking, resilience, and sensory exploration are integral parts of learning. Teachers support inquiry-led education: instead of giving answers, they ask questions that prompt deeper discovery. Esbjerg’s children grow up confident in their bodies and curious about the natural world—a perfect blend of freedom, responsibility, and wonder.