Thank you, dear kindergarten teacher: notes for the goodbye, and how long kindergarten lasts in each canton
Two years of kindergarten, that’s the Swiss norm, or so it seems. The cantonal survey of Switzerland’s education directors shows something else: in Lucerne, 32% of first graders had just one year of kindergarten; in Ticino, around 80% go for three years; and in the Grisons it isn’t compulsory at all, yet 98% attend for two years. That’s what the ConvivaPlus Kindergarten Comparison shows for all 26 cantons. How long the teacher walked alongside your child therefore belongs in the card. Plus 40+ ready-to-copy thank-you notes, for the goodbye before first grade, the end of the year or dictated by your child.
📝 Thank you note kindergarten teacher: by occasion and tone
On the last day, a kindergarten teacher often gets a whole stack of cards at once. The ones she keeps name a moment only that family knows: the day the child walked in without tears for the first time, the song that has been sung at home ever since, the thing said over snack time.
Pick the occasion, then the tone. Enter the teacher’s name and your signature at the top and the generator fills the gaps. «Next» shows more variants, and at the top you can switch recipient if the card is for a school teacher or the midwife.
🧰 Thank-you generator: recipient → tone → ready text
ConvivaPlus.chChoose recipient, occasion and tone, copy the text or print it as a PDF. Swiss German templates with their region.
The last day of kindergarten: the school bag is already bought, and the woman who stood at the door every morning stays behind. This card can be longer.
👋 Kindergarten goodbye: thanks before first grade
Leaving kindergarten is often the first big goodbye in a child’s life. For the teacher, a whole class leaves, and she will see most of the children only in the playground after that. So this card can be longer than the others: it tells her what became of the child who stood at the coat hooks two years earlier.
That time isn’t the same length everywhere. In Lucerne, 32% of first graders had only one year of kindergarten; one year is compulsory there, two are offered. Saying thank you after one year means thanking her for a shorter stretch of the road, not a smaller one.
- 💗 The woman at the door
«Dear … Every morning you stood at the door, and every morning … walked in a little braver. You found the shoes, dried the tears and hung up the drawings no one else would have understood. Now school begins, and we know the first step towards it was taken with you. Thank you. … and …»
- 💗 Our child became a schoolchild
«Dear … When … came to you, he couldn’t write his name and wouldn’t go to the coat hooks without Mum. Today he counts the days until school and writes his name on every sheet of paper in the house. In between there was you, with patience, songs and the line «Try it one more time». Thank you for these two years. …»
- 🎩 Thanks at the transition
«Dear Ms …, As our daughter’s kindergarten years come to an end, we would like to thank you warmly. You supported … attentively and prepared her well for school. We particularly valued your open conversations with parents. Kind regards …»
- 🎩 On behalf of the parents
«Dear Ms …, On behalf of all the parents in the class, we thank you for our children’s kindergarten years. You created a place where they could play, argue, make up and learn. We wish you just as much joy with your next class. On behalf of the parents …»
- 😄 Final kindergarten report
«Dear … Report after two years: 1 child, about 400 snacks, 3 lost slippers, 1 lantern walk in the rain, countless songs we now know by heart too. The child is ready for school. The parents are still working on it. Thank you for everything! …»
- 📱 Short, for the last day
«Thank you for two years in which … grew up so much. We won’t forget you! 🎒»
✨ Short messages: for the card or the back of a drawing
The shortest thank-you fits on the back of a child’s drawing. It needs no rhyme, just a sentence that belongs to the picture: what it shows, and why the child drew it for her.
- 📱 Short, for the last day
«Thank you for two years in which … grew up so much. We won’t forget you! 🎒»
- 📱 With the school-bag photo
«The school bag is packed, the heart a little heavy. Thank you, dear …, for the best start. 💛»
- 📱 Just before the holidays
«Thank you for a wonderful year! Happy holidays, dear … ☀️»
- 📱 With a drawing
«… drew this for you. Thank you for this year! 🖍️»
- 📱 After the first week
«First week done, thanks to you! Thank you, dear … 🌱»
- 📱 No tears today
«No tears at drop-off today. Thank you for making that possible! 💛»
- 📱 One line from the child
««…», says …. And we say: thank you! 💛»
- 📱 To trace
«THANK YOU …! ❤️ (in capitals, for your child to trace)»
Grisons doesn’t make kindergarten compulsory, yet 98% of children attend for two years. Lucerne: 32% just one year (ConvivaPlus Kindergarten Comparison, EDK survey 2024/25).
🎁 Gift for kindergarten teacher: what fits and where the rules are
Same gift, different canton, different rule. At a state school, the kindergarten teacher is a teacher, and her employer’s rules for school staff apply to gifts: usually the canton’s, in some cantons the municipality’s. We read them at the source for six cantons: only two name a franc amount at all, and the highest is four times the lowest, CHF 200 against CHF 50. Every source is in the Gift Limit Check, not repeated on this page.
For kindergarten, that means in practice: small, joint, after the last day. What brings the most joy costs almost nothing.
- A little book with a drawing or a sentence from every child in the class. It stays long after the flowers have wilted.
- A class photo with the names on the back, framed or as a card.
- Something for the break: coffee, tea or chocolate for the staff room, so the assistant gets some too.
- A pot of flowers or seeds painted by the child. It keeps growing when the child is already at school.
📊 Is kindergarten compulsory in Switzerland: the ConvivaPlus Kindergarten Comparison
Two years of kindergarten count as the Swiss standard, and the HarmoS agreement counts them as primary level. But they are compulsory in only 18 cantons. Appenzell Innerrhoden, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Schwyz, Uri and Zug require one year, Grisons requires none. And the requirement says little about how long children actually go: in the Grisons, with no requirement at all, 98% attend for two years; in Lucerne, despite a two-year offer, 32% of first graders had just one; in Ticino, around 80% go for three years.
The ConvivaPlus Kindergarten Comparison puts the three cantonal tables of the EDK survey 2024/25 side by side: what children must attend, what municipalities must offer, and how long children actually go. The survey gives no reasons for the differences, so we don’t claim any. Where a canton only gives an approximate value, it appears as given, with «approx.» or «at most».
| Canton | Compulsory attendance | Municipalities must offer | only 1 year | 2 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grisons | none | 2 years | 1% | 98% |
| Lucerne | 1 year | 2 years | 32% | 68% |
| Obwalden | 1 year | 1 year | 24% | 76% |
| Schwyz | 1 year | 2 years | approx. 10% | approx. 90% |
| Uri | 1 year | 2 years | approx. 5% | approx. 90% |
| Zug | 1 year | 1 year | at most 5% | at least 95% |
| Nidwalden | 1 year | 2 years | 4.3% | 95% |
| Appenzell Innerrhoden | 1 year | 2 years | approx. 2.5% | approx. 97.5% |
| Fribourg | 2 years | 2 years | at most 2% | at least 98% |
| Bern | 2 years | 2 years | 1% | 93% |
| Thurgau | 2 years | 2 years | < 1% | approx. 99% |
| Neuchâtel | 2 years | 2 years | 0.96% | 99.04% |
| Zurich | 2 years | 2 years | 0.56% | 95.3% |
| St. Gallen | 2 years | 2 years | 0.5% | 87.4% |
| Basel-Stadt | 2 years | 2 years | 0.3% | 95% |
| Aargau | 2 years | 2 years | no data | — |
| Appenzell Ausserrhoden | 2 years | 2 years | 0% | 99% |
| Basel-Landschaft | 2 years | 2 years | 0% | 100% |
| Geneva | 2 years | 2 years | not applicable (4-year cycle) | — |
| Glarus | 2 years | 2 years | 0% | 100% |
| Jura | 2 years | 2 years | 0% | 100% |
| Schaffhausen | 2 years | 2 years | almost 0% | almost 100% |
| Solothurn | 2 years | 2 years | 0% | 100% |
| Ticino | 2 years | 3 years | 0% | 100% (of which approx. 80% three years) |
| Vaud | 2 years | 2 years | not collected | — |
| Valais | 2 years | 2 years | almost 0% | almost 100% |
ConvivaPlus Kindergarten Comparison, as of 19.09.2026. Data: EDK/IDES cantonal survey A11, school year 2024/25: question 2, compulsory attendance, question 4, compulsory offer, question 5, actual length of attendance (all in German/French). Question 5 refers to all children in the first year of primary school; shares don’t always add up to 100%, partly because repeat years, new arrivals and private kindergartens aren’t assigned. Fribourg reports by language area (1% and 2%), hence «at most 2%». No figure on length of attendance for Aargau, Geneva and Vaud. St. Gallen’s figures only count children who attended their whole kindergarten in the canton. Only in Ticino does the survey give a share for three-year attendance (approx. 80%); Basel-Stadt, Glarus and Zurich mention a third year as an exception or option, without a share.
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🌱 First day of kindergarten: thanks after settling in
The thank-you nobody expects doesn’t come at the end, but after six weeks. The teacher knows how many mornings at the coat hooks were hard. A short card on the day it suddenly works tells her that her patience made it all the way home. If your child comes straight from daycare, the messages for the team are at Thank you, daycare, and for the first weeks after birth at Thank you, midwife.
- 💗 The first wave without tears
«Dear … The first weeks were hard for all of us: … clung on at the coat hooks and we went home with a lump in our throats. This morning … waved and simply walked in. We know who made that happen. Thank you. …»
- 💗 For the patience in the mornings
«Dear … Thank you for never making us feel we’d stayed too long at the door in those first weeks. You took …’s hand, gave us a nod, and at lunchtime told us how the morning had really gone. That’s how we learned to let go. …»
- 🎩 Thanks for settling in
«Dear Ms …, Thank you for the careful support in the first weeks of kindergarten. Your calm manner and your short updates made the start much easier for … and for us. Kind regards …»
- 🎩 After the first parents’ evening
«Dear Ms …, After the first parents’ evening we would like to thank you for the clear information. We now know how a day with you works, and at home … tells us what he experiences. We feel well included. Kind regards …»
- 😄 New favourite person
«Dear … We have to confess something: since kindergarten started, all we hear at home is «But my teacher said…». We’ve lost the battle and we’re grateful anyway. …»
🇨🇭 Swiss German: thank you in dialect, the «Chindsgi»
That Zurich kindergartens speak dialect is not a custom but the law: on 15 May 2011, Zurich voters approved the popular initiative «JA zur Mundart im Kindergarten» (yes to dialect in kindergarten). Since August 2012, dialect has been the language of instruction there in principle; standard German is kept for rhymes, songs, role play and media.
In German-speaking Switzerland kindergarten is often called «Chindsgi», and in many cantons children and teachers still speak dialect there. If your child’s teacher is Swiss German, a card in dialect will sound like the everyday life of her class.
These templates stay in dialect, untranslated: that is exactly what makes them valuable. The region (Zurich, Bern, Basel, Lucerne, St. Gallen) is given for each.
- 🇨🇭 Zürideutsch: Tschüss Chindsgi · ZH
«Liebi … Zwei Jahr Chindsgi, und jetzt gaht … i d Schuel. Merci, dass du jede Morge da gsi bisch, au wänns grägnet hät und d Finke wieder verschwunde sind. Mir vermissed dich jetzt scho. Herzlich, …»
- 🇨🇭 Bärndütsch: Merci für d Chindergartezyt · BE
«Liebi … Jitz isch d Chindergartezyt verby, u … geit gly i d Schueu. Merci viumau für aus, wo du ihm zeigt hesch, für d Lieder, d Gschichte u d Gedoud. Mir nä di i gueter Erinnerig mit. …»
- 🇨🇭 Baseldytsch: Scheeni Summerferie · BS
«Liebi … Merci vylmol fir das Johr im Kindergarte. … verzellt jede Oobe vo dir und vo dr Chaschperlibühni. Mir winsche dir scheeni Summerferie und freie is uff s zweite Johr. …»
- 🇨🇭 Sanggallerdütsch: Merci för s Johr · SG
«Liebi … Merci för das schöne Johr im Chindsgi. … goht jede Morge gern zu dir, und das isch för üs s Wichtigscht. Gnüss d Ferie! …»
- 🇨🇭 Luzärnerdütsch: De Start esch gschafft · LU
«Liebi … Merci vöumou för di erschte Woche im Chindsgi. Am Afang het … jede Morge bbriegget, und jetzt goht er fröhlech. Das esch dis Verdienscht. …»
- 🇨🇭 Zürideutsch: Für d Geduld am Morge · ZH
«Liebi … Merci, dass du so gedultig gsi bisch i de erschte Wuche. … gaht jetzt gern in Chindsgi, und mir chönd am Morge wieder schnufe. …»
- 🇨🇭 Zürideutsch: Wie s Chind redt · ZH
«Liebi … Das hät … für dich gseit, mir händs nur ufgschribe: «…» Mir säged au merci! …»
- 🇨🇭 Bärndütsch: Diktiert vom Chind · BE
«Liebi … … het gseit, mir söue das so ufschribe: «…» Merci viumau vo üs aune! …»
- 🇨🇭 Sanggallerdütsch: Du hesch as glaubt · SG
«Liebi … Merci, dass du a … glaubt hesch, wos nöd eifach gsi isch. Ohni dich wär er nöd det, wo n er hüt isch. …»
- 🇨🇭 Baseldytsch: Merci fir dy Hilf · BS
«Liebi … Merci vylmol, dass du … so guet understitzt hesch. Mir hän gmerggt, wie wichtig dir jedes Kind isch. …»
- 🇨🇭 Luzärnerdütsch: Merci em ganze Team · LU
«Liebs Chindsgi-Team Merci vöumou för di zwöi Johr. Ehr hend … so guet begleitet, jedi uf ehri Art. …»
- 🇨🇭 Baseldytsch: Merci em Team · BS
«Liebs Kindergarte-Team Merci vylmol fir die zwai Johr. Ihr hän … so guet begleitet, und mir hän gspiirt, dass ihr zämme schaffe. …»
🖍️ Child dictates: the card in their own words
The best card is written by the child, and most of the time the child can’t write yet. So they dictate. Don’t ask «What shall we write?» but «What did you like doing with her most?», and write the answer down exactly as it comes, even if it doesn’t sound perfect. Nobody makes up a five-year-old’s sentence.
If your child already knows a few letters, write THANK YOU in capitals for them to trace, and let them draw next to it.
- 💗 In their own words
«Dear … … dictated this letter to you and I didn’t change a word: «…» There’s nothing to add, except our thanks. …»
- 💗 Three things I learned with you
«Dear … Here’s what I learned with you: 1. … 2. … 3. … Thank you for being my teacher! Your …»
- 🎩 Child’s words, parents’ lines
«Dear Ms …, Our daughter wanted to tell you something herself. We wrote it down: «…» We join her in this thanks and thank you for a wonderful kindergarten time. Kind regards …»
- 🎩 To go with the drawing
«Dear Ms …, … made this drawing for you. When asked, he explains: «…» We thank you warmly for your work with our son. Kind regards …»
- 😄 Uncut
«Dear … We asked … what to put in the card. Answer, uncut: «That you’re the best and that next time I want the red bike.» We’ll sort out the second part internally. Thank you for everything! …»
🧑🏫 Thank you to the team: one card, every name
In the Grisons, the canton has no attendance requirement for kindergarten, yet 98% of children go for two years, according to the ConvivaPlus Kindergarten Comparison. Two years is time enough for a lot of names.
In a Swiss kindergarten several adults often work together: the teacher, a classroom assistant, a second-language teacher, sometimes a special-needs teacher. The child knows them all, parents often only one. A card to the whole team with every first name forgets no one.
- 💗 To everyone who helped
«Dear …, dear …, dear … In kindergarten, … wasn’t in good hands with just one person, but with all of you: in circle time, in the language lessons, at snack time and while tying shoelaces. Thank you for your teamwork, which parents don’t see but can tell from their child. …»
- 💗 For the assistant
«Dear … You were the one who helped … get dressed, settled the arguments and held the scissors at craft time. It isn’t written in any report, but it made his kindergarten years. Thank you! …»
- 🎩 Thanks to the team
«Dear kindergarten team, We thank you all for caring for and supporting … throughout kindergarten. The teamwork between the teacher, the assistant and the specialists gave our child a great deal. Kind regards …»
- 🎩 To the second-language teacher
«Dear Ms …, In your language lessons you gave … the words he now uses to join in, talk and laugh with the others. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Kind regards …»
- 😄 The response team
«Dear kindergarten team, Two years, 20 children, countless slippers, snack boxes and wet gloves, and you never lost track. We are impressed and grateful. Treat yourselves to a coffee, preferably a large one! …»
✍️ Writing the card: four steps
Not every kindergarten teacher had your child for two years: in Lucerne, 32% of first graders had only one year of kindergarten, followed by Obwalden at 24%. How long it was for you belongs in the card.
How to make the card personal, even if she gets a whole stack of them on the last day:
- The child first: ask what they want to tell their teacher and write the sentence down word for word. It is the heart of the card.
- A moment from the parents: the morning without tears, the parent meeting that helped, the song still sung at home.
- A look ahead: tell her what comes next, first grade, the second year, the new school bag. Teachers rarely find out how the story continues.
- The signature: from the child, as best they can, with their name or a drawing. And for a card to the team: every first name.
❓ Questions about thanking a kindergarten teacher
Card, gift, kindergarten years: the most common questions about thanking your child’s kindergarten teacher in Switzerland.
People also ask
Related questions from our magazine
Teachers are usually under a gift ban with exceptions. Of six cantons checked, two name an amount. Every source is in the Gift Limit Check.
Thank you, teacher →With a moment from the first weeks and a photo of the baby. The comparison also shows how often she comes in each canton.
Thank you, midwife →From invitations and weddings to bereavement: the overview lists every collection by occasion and recipient.
All thank-you templates →Our verdict: the child belongs in the card
On the last day the teacher gets many cards. The one she keeps carries a sentence only that child could have said. And how long she walked with your child, one year, two or three, depends more on the canton than most parents realise.
Saying thank you to others
More collections from the ConvivaPlus thank-you templates
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Grisons is the only canton where kindergarten isn’t compulsory, yet 98% of children attend for two years. In Lucerne, where one year is compulsory, 32% of first graders had just one. That’s what the ConvivaPlus Kindergarten Comparison shows, based on the EDK cantonal survey.
Discussion
8 voices from the community
Unsere Tochter hatte genau ein Jahr Chindsgi, und ich dachte, das sei überall so. Dass es im Tessin drei sein können, wusste ich nicht. Die Karte mit dem diktierten Satz hat sie selbst angemalt.
Danke, Sandra! Im Kanton Luzern ist ein Jahr Pflicht, die Gemeinden müssen aber zwei anbieten. Beides steht in der Tabelle, Kanton für Kanton.
Dass Graubünden gar keine Kindergartenpflicht hat, hat hier im Elternrat niemand gewusst. Gegangen sind trotzdem alle, zwei Jahre.
Danke, Reto! Laut EDK-Umfrage kann die Schulträgerschaft in Graubünden den Besuch für fremdsprachige Kinder trotzdem vorschreiben. Eine allgemeine Pflicht gibt es nicht, und 98 Prozent gehen trotzdem zwei Jahre.
Chez nous on dit 1-2P, et la maîtresse a reçu un petit livre avec un dessin de chaque enfant. Elle a pleuré, en bien.
Tre anni alla scuola dell’infanzia, e il giorno del saluto eravamo più commossi noi che i bambini. Il biglietto dettato è stata l’idea migliore.
Grazie, Martina! In Ticino circa l’80 % dei bambini frequenta tre anni: nessun altro cantone indica una quota simile nell’inchiesta CDPE.
Mir händ em ganze Team gschribe, au de Assistänz. Die het sich fascht am meischte gfreut.
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