Swiss local schools are (in)famous for their long holidays, free afternoons, and extended lunch breaks, which can present challenges for working parents. In this blog post, we will discuss some of the available lunch and after school childcare in Basel for children attending a local kindergarten or primary school.

Lunch programs in Basel

Local schools typically finish at 12.00, with afternoon classes once or several days a week depending on the child’s age. When school finishes at 12.00, children either go home for lunch or join a lunch program. Catered school lunches are not standard practice in Switzerland, and parents are required to sign up and pay a fee.

In and around Basel, there are several lunch options available:

• Internal lunch programs (Schulinterne Tagesbetreuung) are at or near the school.
  
  
• External lunch programs (schulexterne Tagesbetreuung, Kita Mittagstisch) are at a nearby daycare center that may include a pick-up service for children attending kindergarten.
  
  
• Community center or church lunch programs (Mittagstisch).
  
  
  

Tagesstrukturen in Basel

In Basel-Stadt, school lunches, as well as before- and after-school care, are offered by Tagesstrukturen/Tagi. Tagesstrukturen are facilities are supervised by qualified staff, offering lunch, sports, homework assistance, and playtime.

Parents are required to book at least four childcare modules at the beginning of the school year and commit for the entire year. Fees are income-dependent, and families not eligible for reductions pay around CHF 15 per day (lunch and care) from 12.15 until 14.00 and around CHF 22 per day for afternoon care from 14.00 until 18.00.

For more information about lunch and after-school care in Basel, visit the officials Basel-Stadt website here and search for Tagesstrukturen.

Municipalities in Basel-Landschaft offer similar programs, and you can get all the information at your local municipality (Gemeinde).

We recommend parents planning to work full-time carefully review the local Tagesstruktur‘s availability and logistics, as well as associated costs, before enrolling in a local school.

Lunch and after-school programs at private and international schools

Private and international schools, by contrast, are day schools, offering daily hot lunches, extracurricular activities and sports programs on site until around 18.00, making them more convenient for working parents.

Do you have questions about lunch and after-school childcare in Basel?

If you’re relocating to Basel and have questions about after-school childcare, Summit Education can help.

Our team of education consultants can provide guidance on all available options and help your family find the best childcare option. 

Contact us to learn more or read our latest magazine, the Summit Family Guide – Basel, here.

We look forward to meeting your family.

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