The Prague early years market
Prague's English medium early years market has expanded sharply in the past decade. Three structural drivers have pushed up supply. First, the major international schools, including International School of Prague, Park Lane, Riverside and Prague British International, all opened formal preschool and early years departments to anchor their primary admissions. Second, a new generation of English medium baby and toddler nurseries opened across Vinohrady, Smichov and Holesovice, catering to the dual income professional families in those districts. Third, the Czech state materske skola system was joined by a small but growing cluster of bilingual Czech English preschools, including those linked to the Duhovka Montessori network.
The result in 2026 is a city with around thirty serious English medium or bilingual early years settings, plus a much larger universe of Czech state preschools that take children from age three on a subsidised basis. The split between full international preschools, attached to a large through school, and standalone nurseries is roughly even by count, but the through school feeders dominate by enrolment because they typically run larger classes and longer waitlists.
Illustrative example nurseries
Four illustrative Prague early years settings, each playing a different role in the system.
International School of Prague Early Childhood sits inside the main ISP campus in Nebusice and runs nursery from age three and a half through to kindergarten at age five, then continues seamlessly into ISP Primary. The setting follows an IB PYP early years approach with American influenced practitioners and a strong outdoor and arts focus. Annual fees sit around EUR 17,000 to EUR 18,500 for full day Early Childhood, broadly in line with the lower primary years.
Park Lane International Preschool runs in Vlasska in Mala Strana, feeding directly into Park Lane Primary at Hellichova. The setting takes children from age three on a half or full day basis with a small class size and an early years curriculum derived from the English EYFS. Fees CZK 280,000 to CZK 340,000 a year for full day.
Riverside School Prague Early Years at the Karlin campus runs from age three and a half through to Year 1, with the IB PYP early years framework and a particularly strong outdoor learning component. Fees around EUR 9,000 to EUR 11,000 a year, materially cheaper than ISP or Park Lane.
Bambinario, English Preschool Prague and similar standalone settings serve the Vinohrady, Smichov and Vrsovice districts with smaller English medium nurseries accepting babies from twelve to eighteen months. Fees from CZK 140,000 a year for part time to CZK 280,000 for full day, well below the through school preschools.
Shortlisting Prague nurseries and preschools?
Take our five minute school finder quiz. We shortlist three Prague nurseries against your child's age, your start date, your residential corridor and your budget, with a focus on which settings feed into the major international primaries.
Fees, half days and the all in cost
Prague international nursery and preschool fees split into three bands. The entry band, CZK 140,000 to CZK 220,000 a year, covers smaller English medium baby and toddler nurseries on a part time or full day basis. The mid band, CZK 220,000 to CZK 320,000, covers most standalone English medium preschools and the Riverside Early Years fees. The premium band, EUR 11,000 to EUR 18,500 a year, covers the through school preschools at ISP and Park Lane. Half day options at around 60 to 70 per cent of the published full day price are widely available at standalone nurseries but rarer at the through school preschools.
Above tuition expect a one off registration fee of CZK 5,000 to CZK 30,000, lunch and snacks of CZK 30,000 to CZK 55,000 a year, occasional excursions and material levies of CZK 3,000 to CZK 8,000, and uniform if applicable at the British style settings. Some employers offer a nursery contribution as part of expatriate packages, particularly at the larger multinationals. See our Prague school fees guide for the wider picture, and compare with peer cities in the fees tool.
Admissions, waitlists and feeder routes
The Prague international early years market runs on rolling waitlists rather than fixed annual entry points. ISP Early Childhood and Park Lane Preschool require applications twelve to eighteen months ahead of the intended start for the September entry. Sibling priority is standard. Smaller standalone nurseries can accept children at much shorter notice but the most central settings in Vinohrady and Mala Strana often fill September places by April. Feeder status into the primary is a major reason families choose a through school early years department, particularly at ISP and Park Lane, where preschool enrolment effectively secures a Primary place. The Czech state preschool system runs separate spring registration windows and is heavily oversubscribed for Czech residents.
Where early years families live
Prague international early years families are spread across the city, with three notable clusters. Prague 6, particularly Nebusice, Hanspaulka and Dejvice, hosts ISP Early Childhood and a number of supporting English medium nurseries. Mala Strana and Vinohrady cluster Park Lane Preschool and several standalone English medium nurseries. Karlin and Holesovice in Prague 7 and 8 host Riverside Early Years and a growing number of independent baby and toddler settings catering to younger professional dual income families. For the wider residential picture see our Prague expat neighbourhoods guide and the moving to Prague with children checklist. The curriculum index, the school finder tool and the Prague city guide cover the wider city picture.
Frequently asked questions
From what age can children start international nursery in Prague?
Most English medium settings in Prague accept children from age two, with a handful taking babies from around twelve months. International School of Prague Early Childhood, Park Lane Preschool and Riverside Early Years all start at age three. Bambinario and the smaller English medium baby nurseries accept from twelve to eighteen months. The Czech state preschool age starts at three; before that, families rely on private nurseries.
How much do international nurseries in Prague cost?
International nursery and preschool fees in Prague run from CZK 140,000 a year at the smaller English medium baby nurseries to EUR 14,000 a year at International School of Prague Early Childhood and Park Lane Preschool. Most settings fall in the CZK 200,000 to CZK 320,000 band, broadly EUR 8,000 to EUR 12,800 a year. Half day options are common at around 60 to 70 per cent of full day fees.
When should we apply for nursery in Prague?
Apply twelve to eighteen months in advance for the most popular settings. International School of Prague Early Childhood and Park Lane Preschool maintain published waitlists for September entry, with priority for siblings of existing pupils. Smaller English medium nurseries can sometimes accept children at shorter notice, but September places often fill by the previous April. Mid year starts are easier in smaller community nurseries than in the large international schools.
Are nursery fees subsidised by the Czech state?
Czech state preschools, materske skoly, are heavily subsidised and effectively free for Czech residents from age three. International English medium preschools are private and receive no Czech state subsidy. Some employers in Prague offer nursery contributions as part of expatriate packages, particularly for posted staff at the larger multinationals. Czech tax law allows parents to deduct certain preschool fees up to an annual cap.
Do international preschools in Prague feed into the primary schools?
Yes. International School of Prague Early Childhood feeds directly into ISP Primary at kindergarten entry. Park Lane Preschool feeds into Park Lane Primary at Year 1. Riverside Early Years feeds into Riverside Primary. Sibling and feeder priority make the preschool route a strong way to secure a place in an over subscribed primary, although feeder status is not an absolute guarantee.
