Page 1 2 
go to...
post new...
search/find
notification...
help...
reply to this topic
  
  login/join up 
LisaAnn
Posted
My family will be staying in Madrid for about 3 months in 2008 (June - August). We have a 9 and 3 year old girl. I found a summer camp at Enforex and Don Quijote for the older one, but that doesn't start until July.
Any suggestions for daycare for either age? My husband and I plan on being in spanish classes and working, so we are looking for full time care, and hope the girls will learn some spanish also.
 
Posts: 17 | Location: Florida, USA | Registered: 21 July 2007Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
mariposita
Posted Hide Post
Hi Lisa--
I don't think you are going to be able to find anything organized in June for the nine-year-old, since kids that age are required to be in school, which runs until the last week of June (I'm guessing, but probably until June 20 next year).

You might be able to get her into an afterschool program, however. School (at least at my son's school) goes until around 3:00 in June (the rest of the year, it goes until 4:30).

If you need something for the whole day, your best bet would be to look for a nanny for those weeks, I would think...

The three-year-old could go to a private guardería. Some schools also run camps (campamentos de verano) in July that include littler kids (age 3-5; I know for sure that a lot of public schools do this, not sure about private or bilingual ones). I don't think any of these types of programs run in August, since most kids spend this month with their parents or extended family.
 
Posts: 1070 | Location: Madrid | Registered: 10 December 2002Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
LisaAnn
Posted Hide Post
Thanks - I was aware we would be hitting the end of the school year and we are considering shifting the time we come there (we can range anywhere from May - September, but are hoping to hit about 3 months time there). I had wondered about August - I have found some camps for July, but not much in August!
 
Posts: 17 | Location: Florida, USA | Registered: 21 July 2007Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
mariposita
Posted Hide Post
I've never found anything good for my son (who is five now) for August. All of the fun day camps seem to end in July and then afterschool stuff starts back the second week of September when school starts again... There are some cool camps where kids stay in the mountains, beach, country, etc. I know some companies also provide/subsidize camps for employees who have to work for during this time (maybe they have extra slots for non-employees...). If I hear of anything in Madrid, I'll post it here.

On a positive note, I'll bet there will be a lot of canguros (babysitters) available since so many families go away for August.

One board member here (Chica) sends her son to an English language guardería/escuela infantil... Maybe she'll chime in about whether there's anything that runs all summer for the 3 and under set.
 
Posts: 1070 | Location: Madrid | Registered: 10 December 2002Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Chica
Posted Hide Post
Did I hear my name?? smiler

Actually, we stopped sending little Angelito (18 mos) to the English daycare back in January and have had him enrolled in a Spanish daycare since then.

Right now we are in the States until the end of next week. Unfortunately I am not well versed on what is available for the under 3 set since I have forced vacations in August. frowner

I do know that there are some Spanish guarderias that are open in August. I will have to dig around for them ... I had seen them advertised.

LisaAnn, what part of the city will you be living in? That will help narrow the search for a daycare.

saludos!


____________________
Tired of dining alone?
http://www.tiwd-club.com
 
Posts: 1376 | Location: Madrid | Registered: 24 March 2002Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Val
Posted Hide Post
Hi,

If you will be living in the center, SEK (a very good private school) has day camps based in the Atocha area (Santa Isabel school) for the month of July. My son has gone to the Spanish sections for five years, but I have also seen that they offer Spanish as a second language sections which could meet your needs for your 9 year old (3 may be too young).

For August, Casa Encendida (run by the main savings bank - Caja Madrid) has two week day camp sessions throughout the entire summer (very cheap as subsidised and for the full day). However, they are in Spanish only and you must sign up on set days or there are no spots left. This would, also, only be for the 9 year old. I plan to do this for my son for 2 weeks next summer. The two week sessions run the whole summer break; I don't know if the same child may attend more than one session. This program is also based in the Atocha area.

Good luck and let us know what you finally decide to do!

Val
 
Posts: 144 | Location: Chicago, USA (living in Madrid, yeah!) | Registered: 05 September 2002Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
mariposita
Posted Hide Post
Hey Val--
Thanks for the info on the Casa Encendida--I love that place. We're definitely going to check that one out when Oscar turns 7. Here's the link:

http://www.lacasaencendida.com/LCE/lceCruce/0,0,73537_0...16%24P1%3D16,00.html

It says you have to show proof of being inscribed in Social Security... I wonder if they allow you to use private health insurance instead:

quote:
Criterios de selección
Tanto presencial como por Internet, según orden de llegada entre los inscritos con la documentación imprescindible correcta: ficha de inscripción con foto, documento justificativo de edad, ficha médica y fotocopia de la cartilla de la seguridad social.
Se reserva un 5% de plazas para menores con discapacidad.
 
Posts: 1070 | Location: Madrid | Registered: 10 December 2002Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
LisaAnn
Posted Hide Post
Wow - thanks everyone for the information. I will definately look into Val's suggestion for the spanish as a second language camp for the 9 year old.

I think I have given up the idea of finding something (other than possibly a nanny) for August. We had planned to travel Europe some while we were there anyway - might just make that during August.

We are not sure where in Madrid we will live. Living in the center sounds best (no need for a car much), but we probably will wait until we get better ideas on what to do with the children in case that points us to a certain area.

It seems as if finding guarderias for the 3 year old is not too hard??? I am used to over here where you have to book daycare a year in advance to get a spot!
 
Posts: 17 | Location: Florida, USA | Registered: 21 July 2007Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
mariposita
Posted Hide Post
LisaAnn--
Public school in Spain starts the year when kids turn three, so I don't think it's all that hard to find private places to take them, since most kids are already in the public or concertado system at that age.

I don't know a whole lot about how many guarderías are open during the summer, but I can try to ask around. I know some parents in the "centro" with kids around that age. Could your daughter handle a 100% Spanish environment?
 
Posts: 1070 | Location: Madrid | Registered: 10 December 2002Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
LisaAnn
Posted Hide Post
The three year old has very little (really no) spanish, but I have no problem putting her in an all spanish school. I think when they are that small they pick up it very quickly. We have friends from Madrid staying the summer here (also going to help us find places) and they put their 2 & 4 year old in all english daycare here. it is amazing how fast they have learned (I am jealous - wish it was so easy for me!!)
 
Posts: 17 | Location: Florida, USA | Registered: 21 July 2007Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
LisaAnn
Posted Hide Post
I almost forgot - don't go to much trouble asking around. We have lots of time and will probably visit once at least before moving. I was hoping to get some ideas of what it was like on this forum and the responses have been a huge help already!

I looked up the SEK school and it looks amazing...
 
Posts: 17 | Location: Florida, USA | Registered: 21 July 2007Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
mariposita
Posted Hide Post
They do pick it up... but it would really help to prepare them vocabularly-wise as much as you can ahead of time via videos and books and whatever other means you have at your disposal.

My experience is that it's not quite as simple--particularly from a social standpoint--as many make it out to be. Yes, they are little sponges and soak it all up, but even for really small kids, it can be frustrating to not be able to express themselves as well as other kids, understand what is happening, and ask for help when they need it. Whatever you can do to prepare them ahead of time will pay off a lot.
 
Posts: 1070 | Location: Madrid | Registered: 10 December 2002Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
LisaAnn
Posted Hide Post
We do try to read to her in spanish, and we just found a new babysitter who speaks spanish, so hopefully it wont be too scary to start. This is one of the few times I wish mine were closer in age so they would at least be able to go to the same place.

What do people think about the possibility of finding a nanny that would take care of both the 3 & 9 year old? One of our goals from this trip is they start to learn spanish - I wonder if they would from a nanny (but that might be less intimidating than being dumped into a spanish-speaking school)?

This is all new to us, it is our first time to live abroad as a family (my husband has lived abroad for short periods before). But they don't teach languages in the school systems early here (when it is easier for children to learn) and I really want my children to speak more than English!
 
Posts: 17 | Location: Florida, USA | Registered: 21 July 2007Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
The Nanny
Posted Hide Post
If you can afford it I'd say it could be an ideal solution to both your problems. I'm currently in France teaching English privately to the same three children I worked with last year and I can see the difference. Even though I have private classes with them everyday, the daily interactions outside of the class reinforce what they learn.

However hiring a nanny isn't something you can arrange very far in advance, in fact I'd be surprised if you're able to do it till you get here unless one of you comes over first, or if you know of someone.

Best of luck,
Bonnie
 
Posts: 435 | Location: Italy | Registered: 25 November 2003Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
Chica
Posted Hide Post
Hi LisaAnn,

When I get back to Madrid I will try to dig through my files to find the daycares that I came across open in August.

If you are considering a nanny, you could try posting something on Craigs List, which has a section for Madrid, as your travel dates get closer. I also recommend Canguro En Casa. We found our first sitter through the website who cared for our son from 7 weeks to 6 months. We were very pleased with her.

Good luck as you organize your plans!


____________________
Tired of dining alone?
http://www.tiwd-club.com
 
Posts: 1376 | Location: Madrid | Registered: 24 March 2002Reply With QuoteEdit or Delete MessageReport This Post
 Previous Topic | Next Topic powered by eve community Page 1 2  
 


 

 

the best of spain in English - check out THE monthly Spain magazine
rent a cell phone for your stay in spain. Academia =elemadrid= Proudly Sponsors multimadrid.com, Please Visit Them.
sponsor multimadrid, click here to send me an e-mail