NorgeStart
Family & children
Moving to Norway or just arrived? NorgeStart explains Norwegian bureaucracy, work, taxes, housing, healthcare and daily life in plain language — with an AI assistant that translates official letters and audits payslips.
Updated: 2026-07-06
Kindergarten (barnehage) — how it works & costs
- Children ~1–5 go to barnehage. Apply via your municipality's portal; the main intake deadline is 1 March for an August start. A child turning 1 by end of November has a legal right to a place that year.
- Price is capped nationally at about NOK 2 000/month (2025; lower/free in northern action zones and for low incomes; sibling discounts, 3rd child free) + food money (~300–600).
- Norwegian barnehage is outdoors-heavy — kids nap and play outside in most weather. Buy proper wool layers and rain gear; the barnehage will hand you a clothing list.
School & after-school (SFO)
- School is free, ages 6–16 (grades 1–10), enrolment via the kommune — newcomer children get intro classes with Norwegian support.
- SFO/AKS (before/after-school care for grades 1–4): 12 free hours/week for the youngest grades, full-time typically NOK 2 000–3 500/month with income-based discounts.
- School culture: little homework in early years, no grades until grade 8, everyone walks/cycles, and birthday rule: you invite the whole class (or all girls/boys) — never leave one child out.
Money from the state
- Barnetrygd (child benefit): ~NOK 1 800–2 000/month per child, usually automatic after registration; EU/EEA workers can often get it for children living abroad.
- Parental leave (foreldrepenger): 49 weeks at 100% pay (or 59 at 80%) if you worked 6 of the last 10 months; a quota is reserved for each parent. No work history → one-time payment (engangsstønad ~NOK 92k).
- Kontantstøtte: ~NOK 7 500/month for a 1–2-year-old NOT in kindergarten (conditions apply).
- Each parent gets 10 paid "sick child" days per year.
Raising kids, the Norwegian way
- Kids are raised independent early: walking to school alone from ~grade 1, sleeping outside in prams in winter — normal, not neglect.
- Physical punishment of children is strictly illegal and taken very seriously (Barnevernet — child services — investigates reports).
- Activities (fritidsaktiviteter): football, handball, ski clubs, korps (school band) — typically NOK 1 000–4 000/year, parent volunteering (dugnad) expected. BUA lends sports/outdoor equipment for free.
- 17 May (Constitution Day) = children's parades, ice cream and national costumes — the biggest family day of the year.