preschool
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preschool
An educational institution for children in the last year before starting school, intended to prepare them for the demands of elementary school through play.
Unsere Tochter geht jetzt in die Vorschule, um sich an den Schulalltag zu gewöhnen.
Our daughter now goes to preschool to get used to everyday school life.
The word is easy to understand if you look at its parts: 'Vor-' means 'before' and 'Schule' means school. So 'Vorschule' (preschool) is the institution you attend before actual school.
Die Anmeldung für die Vorschule muss bis März erfolgen.
Registration for preschool must be completed by March.
Pay attention to the case after the preposition 'in'. You say 'in die Vorschule gehen' (to go to preschool, accusative) for movement toward it, but 'in der Vorschule sein' (to be in preschool, dative) for being there.
Mein Sohn geht ab September in die Vorschule.
My son is going to preschool starting in September.
In connection with 'Vorschule' (preschool), the verbs 'besuchen' (to attend), 'gehen in' (to go to), and 'anmelden' (to register/enroll) are often used.
Wir möchten unser Kind in der örtlichen Vorschule anmelden.
We would like to enroll our child in the local preschool.
kindergarten
Der Kindergarten cares for and supports children over several years before they start school. Die Vorschule, by contrast, is for children in the final year before starting school and specifically prepares them for elementary school. The key differences are therefore the timing and the special preparation for school.
Im letzten Jahr vor der Einschulung besucht Mia die Vorschule.
Mia attends preschool during the final year before starting school.
Mit vier Jahren besucht Mia den Kindergarten.
Mia attends kindergarten at the age of four.
