There is a growing group of English-speaking expat mothers, many of whom live in Prenzlauer Berg. Child-friendly activities in Berlin are endless, as little ones are welcome in places that are considered adult territory in other cities. Most museums are free for children, city parks are filled with them, and cafes are fair game. In fact, it’s hard to have a coffee in peace in some parts of Prenzlauer Berg without someone’s child using your leg as a jungle-gym.

A good idea is to find a network and set up play-dates, and check online communities for expat mothers. Tobamo (www.tobamo.de) offers organised events, parenting tips, a discussion forum and more. Associate membership, which comes with a newsletter, is free. Membership with access to other members, the discussion forum and all elements of the site is €24 per year, plus a one-off €19 administrative fee. A free alternative used by English-speaking parents is the Berlin-Charlottenburg English Playgroup (www.berlin-playgroup.org), which meets in Haus der Familie community centre. Parents with babies meet on Tuesday, 11:00 to 12:30: those with toddlers and kids, Tuesday 16:00 to 17:30.

There are a number of Kita, or daycare centres, specifically intended for bilingual children including Zebra Kita and Billabong (see Nurseries and Preschools). Aside from daycare services, there are weekend English-language children’s events; see The Center (www.thecenter-berlin.de), which offers theatre, dance, music and other workshops.