Tirana - Post Report Question and Answers
Are preschools available? Day care? Are these expensive? What has been your experience with them, if any? Do the schools provide before- and/or after-school care?
There are a few preschools to choose from (Puzzles, TES, TIS). Our kids are at TIS and love it. The classrooms are beautiful and there is so much enrichment that happens each day. There are no day cares that I know of for English speakers, but TIS has opened a class for 18+months and there is a full-time option. - Apr 2018
There are several good choices for pre-school and kindergarten. - Aug 2016
There are a few wonderful options, all no more than 500 euro per month. The international school also has preschool; however, it is prohibitively expensive (around US$1100 per month). - Aug 2015
My son went to Puzzles Preschool, located immediately outside the Ridge gates. I cannot recommend this school enough. Daily half day rate is 20 euros, 5 half days/week are 300 euros/month, and full time is 400 euros/month. There is an English speaking and an Albanian speaking program. The English speaking teachers (one teaches preschool and another kindergarten) are the owners and are both fantastic. Babysitters charge US$5 (500 leke) per hour. There are some wonderful babysitters whom I would absolutely recommend, and others who will keep your children safe but pretty much let them do whatever they want. Albanians are not big on rules. Many of the babysitters speak English, but some do not. - Aug 2014
Some families have used local preschool and daycare. There is a place behind the embassy that some families have liked. Many families just hire a nanny. - May 2013
Both are available, but like most places, it is pretty expensive. I hear they are decent. There are options for English or Albanian-speaking classes. - Dec 2012
The Montessori school has daycare and preschool that appeared to be good. TIS has a preschool that we were very happy with. There is a local preschool with an international program called Topolino that was gaining popularity. There is also an Albanian daycare next to the embassy that some Americans use and seems to have mixed reviews called the Mike Center. The Mike Center planned to open another location with an international program in 2011. - Oct 2011
