Raising Global Kids in Switzerland. What I Wish I'd Known Before We Started
A version of this piece was first shared as part of an interview with Csilla Language Lab, a wonderful multilingual education resource based in Zurich. I'm sharing it here in full, in my own words, because so many of you have asked about our schooling journey.
When people find out I have three kids growing up in Switzerland, all in a multilingual household they often ask me the same thing: How does it work out? What school did you choose? Was it hard?
The honest answer is: it has been a journey. One with a lot of decisions, some doubt, and a few things I'd do differently if I could go back. So I want to share all of it here.
A Little About Our Family
I'm Greek, and my husband is Italian. Before we ever set foot in Switzerland, our home was already a mix of three languages, Greek, English, and Italian. When our children were born in Zurich, German quietly joined the menu. That made four.
Our three kids are now 10, 11, and 12. And while they've grown up under the same roof, each of them experiences their languages and their world in a completely different way. What they do share, though, is a foundation I'm deeply proud of, it came from a bilingual German-English kindergarten near our house that turned out to be one of the best decisions we ever made as a family. They picked up German fast, and their English stayed strong. By the time they entered primary school, they were local kids, genuinely, confidently local.
Our First Schooling Decision: Going Local
When it came time to choose schools, we enrolled all three in the Swiss public school. That was a deliberate choice. We didn't want our children growing up in an expat bubble, moving through Switzerland without ever really being from here. We wanted them to have local friends, to feel part of the community, to belong.
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The language was a concern, of course, German was still their weaker language compared to English. But the DAZS program (German as a second language, offered within Swiss public schools) made a huge difference. By second grade, each of my children was comfortable speaking and writing in German. And at home, we made sure they were surrounded by it too, local sports teams, music classes, friendships where they moved between German and English naturally.
What Surprised Me About the Swiss School System
A few things about the Swiss public school genuinely impressed me.
The first was the emphasis on independence. Field trips were a regular part of school life, not just outings, but proper practice in navigating buses and trains, following rules, being responsible in public spaces. My children came home from those trips more capable, more confident. That sense of self-reliance has stayed with them.
The second was the crafts curriculum. Swiss schools dedicate real time to making things with your hands, woodwork, sewing, and building. It might sound old-fashioned, but I've seen the effect it has. My kids are not afraid to fix things or create from scratch. That creativity and can-do spirit is one of the gifts of those early Swiss school years.
The third thing that struck me, and this one is more nuanced, is the relationship between school and parents. In the Swiss public system, there's a certain distance. Communication is professional and intervention has boundaries. I accepted that as part of the culture, but it's worth knowing going in, especially if you're coming from an international school background where parent involvement is much more encouraged.
The Turning Point: Considering International Education
The shift came when our eldest finished fifth grade. It was decision time, which academic path would she take next?
In the Swiss system, the next steps were either the Gymnasium entrance exam or Secondary School. In the international school, she'd be entering middle school, a period with more flexibility, more space to explore who she is and what she loves before committing to a direction.
That breathing room mattered to us. We wanted her to have time to discover herself, not rush toward an academic track before she was ready. So we made the switch. And that same year, the other two children followed.
Public vs. International: The Real Differences
Looking back across both systems, a few comparisons stand out.
Parent involvement. In the private international school, there's a genuine partnership between families and teachers. Communication is two-way and ongoing without stifling the responsibilities of the children. That was a noticeable shift from the Swiss public system, and one we appreciated.
Flexibility and portability. The international school offers internationally recognised credentials such as IB and AP which travel with a child anywhere in the world. If your family relocates mid-education (as many expat families do), this matters enormously. The Swiss system, as excellent as it is, is designed for children who will complete their education and build their careers here. It's optimised for Switzerland, which is a strength, but also a constraint if your future is uncertain.
Vocational pride. One thing I deeply respect about the Swiss system is how it treats non-academic paths. Choosing to work after Secondary School, pursuing a trade or apprenticeship, is not stigmatised here. It's valued. The entry-level salaries for skilled professionals in Switzerland reflect that. That's a healthy message for young people, and one I hope my children carry with them regardless of which path they ultimately take.
What I'd Tell Every Family Moving to Switzerland
If I could sit down with a parent who's just arrived here, or is planning to, here's what I'd say:
Give the local school a real chance. The first two to four years of primary school in the Swiss public system are genuinely valuable. Your children will learn German, make local friends, walk to school independently, and feel at home in Switzerland in a way that's hard to replicate from inside an international school bubble. That sense of belonging is worth protecting.
Keep German going, no matter what. Even if you later move to an international school, keep German alive. Language is how children build real friendships with local kids, friendships that go deeper than the expat circuit and last longer than any school placement.
Start language preparation before you arrive. If your children haven't had exposure to German, start before you relocate. The smoother their integration into the language, the more open they'll be to the community around them, and the richer their Swiss experience will be.
Think about your family's timeline. How long do you plan to be here? If the answer is ten or more years, the Swiss system is exceptional and the investment in it pays off. If your children have strengths or weaknesses that can no longer be catered by the public school due to lack of personalization in the educational approach, or if frequent relocation is possible, the international pathway gives your children more flexibility.
At Momizen, I built a platform to help parents find quality activities for their kids, because I know firsthand how much the right experiences outside of school shape a child too. Whether your kids are in Swiss public school or an international programme, what they do with their afternoons, their weekends, their summers, that matters just as much.
A Practical Guide to Schooling, Childcare, and Family Life in Switzerland
Sharing our story is one thing, but I know many of you are still weighing up your own options. So here's a closer look at some of the questions I get asked most often, with the practical details I wish someone had handed me when we first arrived.
Homeschooling in Switzerland: What Requirements Apply
If you're considering teaching your children at home, the first thing to understand is that there is no single national rule. Education in Switzerland is managed by the cantons, so your experience depends heavily on where you live.
Here's what you need to know before you start:
It varies hugely by canton. Some cantons are quite open to homeschooling, while others allow it only in exceptional circumstances. A few, like Ticino, generally don't permit it at all.
Teaching qualifications are often required. Around 20 of the 26 cantons ask for a recognized teaching diploma. Cantons like Bern, Aargau, Geneva, Vaud, Jura, and Neuchâtel have historically been more relaxed, while Zürich, for example, allows homeschooling for up to one year without a teaching qualification, after which a recognized diploma for the relevant school level is needed.
Your curriculum must match the public school. Wherever you are, your teaching usually needs to follow the cantonal curriculum and meet the same learning outcomes as local schools.
You'll need to teach in the official language. With very few exceptions, lessons must be delivered in the official language of your canton, German, French, or Italian. This is one of the biggest hurdles for international families.
Expect annual inspections. Inspectors typically visit once a year to check that your children are meeting the canton's standards. You may also need to submit detailed lesson plans, timetables, and teaching records.
There's an east-west divide. Homeschooling is far more common in western (French-speaking) Switzerland than in the east. Bern and Vaud have the highest numbers of homeschooling families.
A friendly tip: rules change often, and several cantons have tightened their requirements in recent years. Always check directly with your cantonal education department before making plans, and consider speaking with an education consultant who specializes in homeschooling.
Bilingual Curriculum Options for Families Moving to Switzerland
One of the loveliest things about raising children here is how naturally they pick up languages. If you'd like to nurture that, you have several schooling paths to choose from:
Full immersion bilingual schools. Lessons are often but not necessarily split between two native-speaker teachers, for example, half in English and half in German. These schools aim for genuine fluency in both languages and often align with the Swiss curriculum in the early years before opening up to options like the bilingual Swiss Matura or the International Baccalaureate.
Partial immersion in public schools. Some public schools teach subjects such as math, science, or history in two languages. This is especially common in linguistically mixed regions and tends to appear in the Gymnasium years.
International schools with bilingual tracks. Many international schools offer programs such as English-German or English-French for younger children, adding further languages as kids grow. These can keep your options open if you might switch to a local school later.
You can also do a great deal at home to support bilingual learning:
Create a bilingual environment by labeling household items and offering books in both languages.
Try the "one parent, one language" approach for natural, balanced exposure.
Make reading together a daily habit, and switch on German, French, or Italian audio on Netflix.
Choose after-school activities and playdates that encourage your child to use both languages.
Lean on language-learning apps like Duolingo for a fun, gamified boost.
Raising Children in Switzerland: What to Expect
Switzerland is a wonderful place to raise a family, and there are a few things that make daily life here feel special:
Safety and independence go hand in hand. Children here are encouraged to be self-reliant from an early age. It's common to see young kids walking to school or hopping on a tram, supported by an environment built around their safety.
A multilingual world is the norm. With four national languages and a large international community, your children will grow up surrounded by different cultures and languages, a gift that stays with them for life.
The schooling structure rewards belonging. From bilingual kindergartens to strong local schools, the system helps children feel genuinely part of their community. Programs like German as a second language (DaZ) give newcomers extra support to settle in quickly.
Life moves at a child-friendly pace. From accessible public transport to abundant outdoor spaces, much of everyday life is set up to help families thrive.
Crèche in Switzerland: Childcare for Your Youngest
If you're moving here with little ones, you'll quickly come across the word crèche (or Kita in German-speaking regions, short for Kindertagesstätte). Here's what it means in the Swiss context:
What it is. A crèche is a daycare center offering structured, supervised care for young children, typically before they start kindergarten.
Typical age range. Most crèches welcome children from around three months up to school age (about four years), though this varies by provider.
How registration works. Demand is high, especially in and around Zurich, so spaces fill up fast. It's wise to register early, sometimes during pregnancy or as soon as you know your move dates. You'll usually apply directly to individual crèches or through your commune, and some cities run central waiting lists.
What it costs. Childcare in Switzerland is an investment. Fees are often calculated based on your family income and the number of days per week your child attends, and many communes offer subsidies for eligible families. It's worth asking your local commune what support might be available to you.
A gentle word of encouragement: the registration process can feel daunting at first, but a quick call to your commune's family services office will point you in the right direction. Many families find that crèche becomes a warm, social first step into Swiss life, for both their children and themselves.
Wherever your family's path leads, whether that's local school, an international program, homeschooling, or your first crèche days, what your children do beyond the classroom shapes them just as much. That's exactly why I built Momizen: to help you discover quality activities, camps, and experiences that let your kids learn through play, connect with others, and feel truly at home here.
