Kindergarten Registration in Tel Aviv: Timeline and How It Works

Registration for municipal kindergartens in Tel Aviv usually opens in the winter, for the school year that starts the following September. Miss the window and you are left with whatever is still open. Here is the timeline, the documents and what happens if you do not get your first choice.

The short answer on timing

For compulsory-age kindergartens (ages 3 to 6), the municipality runs an online registration period that typically falls in January and February. The exact dates change every year, so the safe move is to check the Tel Aviv municipality education portal at the start of January and set a reminder.

How registration zones work

Tel Aviv assigns kindergarten places partly by registration zone, based on your home address. You are most likely to be placed in a kindergarten near you, but the system lets you list preferences, and placement also depends on capacity and siblings already in the framework.

Knowing which kindergartens sit near your address before you register helps you list realistic preferences. You can see every kindergarten and its exact location on the TLV Parents map.

Documents to have ready

• The child's identity details and the parents' ID numbers.
• Proof of address in the city, since placement is address-based.
• Any custody or special-needs documentation, if relevant.
• A payment method, for frameworks that charge or hold a registration fee.

If you do not get your first choice

It happens often, and it is not the end of the road. There is usually an objection or transfer window after the first placement round, where you can ask to move. Spots also open up over the summer as families change plans. Keep an eye on your email and respond quickly, since these openings move fast.

Not sure which type of kindergarten to aim for? Our comparison of municipal, Naamat, WIZO and private breaks down the differences in cost and hours.

See kindergartens near you

580+ kindergartens and daycares in Tel Aviv and Ramat Gan, with ownership, licensing status and contact details.