Six weeks of summer holidays 2026: plan childcare, camps and babysitters in time — with costs, registration deadlines and tax tips for working parents.
Helpful Folks Redaktion
Family and childcare experts
April 16, 2026
The big holidays are just around the corner — and with them, 40 to 45 days when no school, no after-school club and often no afternoon programme are there to take care of your children. For working parents, that usually means juggling vacation days, shift schedules, and a guilty conscience every time an iPad afternoon has to save the day again. The earlier you plan now, the calmer your summer will be. This article shows you which childcare options really exist, what they cost, and how to secure those coveted spots before they are gone.
Most German federal states have six to seven weeks of summer holidays. The average employee gets 24 to 30 days of paid leave per year — and a portion of those must also cover illness, bank holiday bridge days, and other breaks. The math is simple: two working parents rarely manage more than three weeks of combined holiday time. The remaining three to four weeks are the real challenge.
Anyone who starts planning in early July will find that all the good spots are long gone. Municipal holiday programmes often open registration as early as February or March. Popular holiday camps are fully booked by April. Even private babysitters block out their summer weeks early. Mid-April is not a premature planning moment — it is the latest sensible one.
Another reason for early planning: many offers are income-adjusted and subsidised, and those applications need lead time. Employer subsidies and tax deductions are not automatic either — more on that later.
The Conference of Ministers of Education set these dates far in advance. Somewhere in Germany, summer holidays run between June 29 and September 14, 2026 — staggered so that travel does not pile up too heavily. During the week of August 3 to 7, all 16 federal states are simultaneously on break.
| State | Start | End | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland | June 29 | Aug 7 | ~40 days |
| North Rhine-Westphalia | July 20 | Sept 1 | 44 days |
| Baden-Württemberg | July 30 | Sept 12 | 45 days |
| Berlin, Brandenburg | July 2 | Aug 15 | 45 days |
| Bavaria | Aug 3 | Sept 14 | 43 days |
Why this matters to you: many cross-regional camps accept children from all federal states, so it is worth looking at offerings in neighbouring states — especially if your own state starts early or late, giving you more booking flexibility.
The biggest problem in holiday planning is not the selection, but the timing. Every city and municipality runs its own system, and the deadlines vary drastically:
The consequence: you cannot rely on a single nationwide German date. Your city or county website is the most important source. Bookmark the holiday pass link and set yourself a reminder — many popular offers are sold out within hours, especially in larger cities.
Insider tip: Subscribe to the newsletter of your municipal youth office or family centre. These offices typically send advance notice one or two weeks before registration opens. You often learn the booking start earlier than through the public website.
There is no single "summer holiday childcare", but rather a mix of different building blocks. Most families combine two or three models to cover the entire period.
| Model | Suitable for | Typical duration | Cost range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal holiday care | Primary-school age (6-12) | Week-by-week, 1-2 weeks | €20-100 / week |
| Holiday camp / residential stay | From age 6, often up to 14 | 4-14 days with overnight stay | €270-800 / week |
| Day camp (multisport, art, tech) | From around age 5 | Daily or weekly | €150-350 / week |
| Private holiday babysitter | Any age, including younger children | Flexible, hourly or daily | €12-20 / hour |
| Borrowed grandparent (Leihoma) | Younger children, regular visits | 2-4 hours, 1-2x per week | €15-21 / hour |
The cheapest spots are almost always municipal holiday programmes — but that is where demand is highest. Holiday camps cost significantly more but offer a complete package including accommodation and meals. For the weeks in between and for younger children, private babysitters or a Leihoma are often the only solution. Anyone looking for a qualified babysitter in your area can find verified profiles with local reviews on Helpful Folks.
Almost every German town above a certain size runs its own holiday programme for primary-school children. The terms are often surprisingly good if you are on time:
Prices typically fall between €12 and €25 per day — a fraction of what commercial providers charge. The special thing: holiday care is usually bookable by the week, so you can cover exactly the weeks you cannot take off yourself. Almost all programmes include lunch and a varied programme of outings, crafts, sports and water games.
One restriction you should know: these offers are generally only for children who live in the respective city or attend school there. Neighbouring towns sometimes cooperate, but that is the exception. Anyone moving or commuting should clarify this early.
Holiday camps are the premium option. Your child spends a week or more with professional counsellors, often with overnight stays, and comes home with new friends and stories you will hear about for months. The range is huge:
The average price for a camp from age 8 is around €776 per week according to listings on heymundo. That is a lot of money, but it is not just for childcare — your child experiences a holiday adventure that you as a working parent could never organise yourself. Calculate the hourly rate, and you often land below what a normal babysitter would charge.
The good news: a large part of your childcare costs is cushioned by tax benefits and possible employer contributions. The three most important levers:
1. The tax-free employer subsidy for emergency care: Since 2015, employers may grant up to €600 per calendar year tax-free as a subsidy for short-term childcare — for example during holidays when regular care is not available. Requirement: the child is under 14, the subsidy is paid on top of the salary, and it is an exceptional situation like holidays or illness.
2. Childcare costs as special expenses: Up to 80% of costs (maximum €4,800 per child per year) for children up to age 14 can be claimed as special expenses on your tax return. This also applies to holiday camp costs, if the child is actually being cared for there — not for pure sports or language courses without a care element. You need an invoice and a bank transfer; cash payment is not recognised by the tax office.
3. The education package for families on social benefits: If you receive benefits, the education package covers costs for holiday activities and partial day trips. Apply at the job centre or social welfare office — ideally before the holidays begin.
Practical tip: Ask your employer specifically about the €600 subsidy. Many companies do not actively offer it, but will pay on request — especially in the current debate around family friendliness, it is a low-threshold benefit that is easy to introduce.
Not every family has grandparents around the corner. For everyone else, there are Leihomas and grandparent services — people, usually retirees, who regularly look after one or two children and almost become a second family. In many German cities, church or municipal organisations arrange such contacts, partly on a voluntary basis, partly for a small expense allowance.
Hourly rates nationwide are between €15 and €19. In expensive big cities like Munich you pay €16 to €21. If the Leihoma is arranged through a volunteer association, often only travel costs apply — but the waiting lists there are longer.
For summer holidays, a Leihoma is an especially good solution if you have younger children who do not want to go to a mass camp, or if you need relief for individual afternoons rather than full care. Important: a Leihoma is not classic full-time childcare but rather a relaxed togetherness with games, reading and walks. For a structured daily routine, you still need another solution — for example a verified babysitter from your area.
So you do not fall into the trap of losing track, here is a compact roadmap:
The more you handle by end of April, the calmer the weeks before holidays become. Last-minute solutions usually cost more, offer less quality, and put you in stressful situations that are avoidable.
Six weeks of summer holidays are not a recovery period for working families, but a major logistical task. Anyone who starts planning now in April has the choice between the best municipal offers, affordable holiday camps, and reliable private caregivers. Those who wait until June get the leftovers — and often pay double for half the quality. Use the tax tailwind through employer subsidies and special-expense deductions, and combine several care building blocks instead of betting everything on one card. On Helpful Folks you will find verified babysitters and caregivers in your region who can also step in at short notice.
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