Nursery in Saska Kępa — from age one, what to know | Blog

The decision to send a 1- or 2-year-old child to nursery is one of the harder parenting choices. The same questions keep returning: „Is the child too young? Will they manage without me? Will I choose the right place?”. At our nursery in Saska Kępa we’ve been caring for children since 2009 — and this article was written from the answers we most often give parents on their first tour.

From what age can a child join

At Siedmiu Krasnoludków we accept children from age 1 (12 months). It’s the lower threshold at which a child typically:

Sits independently, crawls or starts walking
Drinks from a cup (with a spout or straw)
Tries to feed themselves (fingers, spoon)
Reacts to people outside the immediate family

Most children join us aged 14-20 months — the typical moment when the mother returns to work after a full year of maternity leave and a short holiday. But we also accept younger children (when a parent decides to shorten leave) and significantly older (up to age 3 — the upper nursery age limit).

Aktywnie w żłobku subsidy — what you actually pay

Parents of children aged 1-3 using a nursery, children’s club, or registered day-care provider can use the Aktywnie w żłobku programme (PLN 1,500/month subsidy). The application goes through ZUS, with a decision in 2-4 weeks. We operate as a day-care provider in the City of Warsaw register — meeting the subsidy requirement.

In practice, at our nursery:

Base tuition: 2200 PLN/month
Aktywnie w żłobku subsidy: −1500 PLN/month
Your actual cost: 700 PLN/month

The price includes: 4 meals daily (breakfast, two second breakfasts, lunch, snack), diapers, hygiene products, all in-house activities. No hidden costs. No enrolment fee. No charges for holidays when the child isn’t there. Full current pricing with all options is on the pricing page.

We help with the paperwork and the PUE ZUS application.

Adaptation — the hardest moment, but time-limited

Adaptation is the first 1-3 weeks at nursery, during which the child gradually gets used to the new place, caregivers and daily rhythm. It’s also the hardest moment for the parent — tears at separation are the rule, not the exception.

Our adaptation schedule (adjusted individually):

Day 1-2: Parent with child in the room for 1-2 hours. The child explores the space, meets caregivers and other children — feels it’s a safe place, because mum or dad is there.

Day 3-4: Parent leaves the child for 1-2 hours but stays nearby (e.g. having coffee next door), ready to return. First attempt at independence.

End of week 1: Child stays 3-4 hours, including lunch. Often the moment of tears at goodbye — and joy at pickup.

Week 2: Child stays through afternoon nap and a bit longer (after snack).

Week 3: Full day, if the child is ready. Some children need longer — we respect every pace.

The most common question: „what if my child cries all 3 weeks?”. Answer: it’s rare. Most children after week one start coming willingly, though they may still cry at separation — those are two different things. If adaptation is exceptionally hard, our coordinator meets with the parent and together we adjust the plan (e.g. shorter stays for a longer period, presence of a favourite toy, individual support from our psychologist).

What a day looks like at nursery

The daily rhythm in our 1-3 nursery (approximate hours, adapted to children’s needs):

7:00-8:30 — drop-off, free play, breakfast for those who didn’t eat at home

8:30-9:30 — organised activities in small groups: sensory, movement, singing, object manipulation

9:30-10:00 — second breakfast (fruit, yoghurt)

10:00-11:30 — outdoor time (own garden / walk) — daily, weather permitting

11:30-12:00 — getting ready for lunch, hand washing, hygiene

12:00-12:30 — lunch

12:30-14:30 — afternoon nap (most 1-3-year-olds need 1.5-2 hours of sleep)

14:30-15:00 — waking up, snack

15:00-17:00 — free play, individual activities, rhythm class (3× a week)

17:00-18:00 — pickup; if a parent is late — nobody is left alone

The native speaker is present during the day — accompanying children at play and meals, speaking English. Not „lessons”, just natural listening exposure.

What our nursery offers that a public one doesn’t

We don’t want to demonise public nurseries — many are excellent. But concrete differences:

Caregiver-to-child ratio — in public typically 1:8, with us 1:4-5 (two caregivers per group of 10 children). More hands = more individual attention, faster help, less stress.

Stable team — in public, frequent turnover (holidays, sick leave, shift changes). With us most caregivers have worked 5+ years.

Availability — in public Praga-Południe nurseries, enrolment is point-based (social criteria), waiting lists long. With us you can join mid-year if there’s a spot.

Individual diet — allergies, intolerances, vegetarian diet — hard in public, our own kitchen solves it.

On-site therapy support — speech therapist, psychologist available „on site”. In public the child usually has to be referred to a psychological-pedagogical clinic.

What’s worth being aware of

Nursery also means more infections. That’s reality, not a promise that „only healthy children attend us”. The first semester at nursery typically means:

1-3 colds with fever in the first 2 months
Possible gastrointestinal infections (rotavirus, norovirus)
In extreme cases — strep throat or ear infection

That’s natural — the child’s immune system is learning new pathogens. After the first semester things stabilise and nursery children start getting sick less often than those who spent their first 3 years exclusively at home.

The second risk: the child will want more parental attention in the evening („excessive clinging”). It’s a sign of missing — respect it, give attention after work, leave the phone aside. This period passes in 2-4 weeks.

How to start

The simplest path:

Call (+48 510 915 565) or write (biuro@siedmiukrasnoludkow.pl) — we’ll check availability and have a preliminary conversation about your child.
Book a tour — we’ll show you the room, introduce the staff, answer all questions (from price to menu).
Sign the agreement — typically 2-3 weeks before planned adaptation start.
Submit Aktywnie w żłobku application — through ZUS, we have a step-by-step guide.
Begin adaptation — the first day is set flexibly.

If you live in Saska Kępa, Kamionek, Grochów or Praga-Południe generally — we’re „close at hand”. Address: ul. Irlandzka 7. Open 7:30-18:00 (Mon-Fri). We’re here.

Nursery in Saska Kępa — from age one, what to know