In short: in Cluj-Napoca, nine private institutions have told us they accept children under 2 — from 12 months (Brainy Kids, Tiny Hearts, Teddy Bear), 17 months (Hand in Hand), 18 months (Abbie Forest School, ELSA, LittleMe) and 22 months (Helen). The law lets a nursery take children from 3 months, but practice in the city generally starts around the first birthday.
If you are going back to work before your child turns 2, the question isn’t “which nursery is best” — it’s “who will take them at all”. This list answers exactly that.
What is the legal minimum age for nursery?
Nursery is the first level of early education — the antepreschool level, covering 3 months to 3 years. The methodology annexed to Government Decision 566/2022 organises antepreschool groups into three age bands:
| Group | Age |
|---|---|
| Infants | 0 – 12 months |
| Middle group | 13 – 24 months |
| Older group | 25 – 36 months |
So legally a nursery may take a child from 3 months. In practice, very few institutions in Cluj run an infant group: it requires a stricter adult-to-child ratio, a separate sleeping space and dedicated staff. That is why most private nurseries in the city start at 1 year or later.
Who accepts under-2s in Cluj
The table below contains only institutions that told us their minimum age directly — either by email or published on their own website. Nothing here is estimated.
| Institution | Minimum age | Neighbourhood | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brainy Kids Nursery | 12 months | Borhanci | own website |
| Tiny Hearts | 12 months | Mănăștur | confirmed by the institution |
| Teddy Bear Nursery | 12 months | Centru | confirmed by the institution |
| Teddy Bear (Str. Baladei) | 12 months | Gheorgheni | confirmed by the institution |
| Hand in Hand Montessori Nursery | 17 months (1 yr 5 mo) | Centru | own website |
| Abbie Forest School (Nursery) | 18 months (1.5 yrs) | Făget | confirmed by the institution |
| ELSA Nursery | 18 months (1.5 yrs) | Mărăști | confirmed by the institution |
| LittleMe Early Learning Center | 18 months (1.5 yrs) | Gheorgheni | confirmed by the institution |
| Helen Grupa Baby | 22 months (1 yr 10 mo) | Zorilor | confirmed by the institution |
For comparison, institutions that told us they start at 2 years: Researchers Schoolhouse Nursery (Borhanci) and Octofun Academy (Gheorgheni). Researchers noted they can take a child earlier if they walk unaided and have a single nap a day — a developmental threshold rather than a calendar one.
Important: this covers the institutions that have replied so far. Others almost certainly accept under-2s without having told us. Filter by “Minimum age” on the interactive map or in the nursery and kindergarten lists — the filter shows only institutions that gave us an age, precisely so we don’t assume anything on their behalf.
What “minimum age” means in practice
Three things worth settling on the phone, because no list will show them:
- Age at application, or age at actual start? Some institutions accept the file earlier but the child only joins once they reach the threshold.
- An age rule, or an independence rule? Walking unaided, one nap a day and eating at the table are the real thresholds for many young groups.
- Is there a separate group for the youngest? A 14-month-old in a 2–3 group has a completely different experience from one in a group of their own age.
Do state nurseries take under-2s?
Cluj-Napoca’s municipal nurseries run on the nursery administration’s own methodology, and criteria and age thresholds can change from year to year. We don’t publish a minimum age for state nurseries because we couldn’t confirm one at source — check directly on creseclujnapoca.ro, which also carries the calendar and the required paperwork.
If you want the full procedure, we’ve written about enrolling at a state nursery and about what to do when you don’t get a place.
How you can help complete this list
If you represent an institution that takes children under 2 and you’re not listed above, write to us: we’ll add the minimum age and you’ll receive the “Data verified by the institution” badge, free. If you’re a parent who learned a minimum age directly from a nursery, tell us — we’ll verify and update.
Frequently asked questions
From what age can a child attend nursery in Romania? Legally from 3 months: the antepreschool level covers 3 months to 3 years, and the methodology annexed to Government Decision 566/2022 organises groups into 0–12, 13–24 and 25–36 months. In practice, very few institutions in Cluj run an infant group.
Are there nurseries in Cluj that take a 1-year-old? Yes. Among the institutions that gave us a minimum age, Brainy Kids Nursery and Tiny Hearts accept children from 12 months.
Why is the list so short? Because it only includes institutions that told us a minimum age, by email or on their own website. We’d rather publish a short, accurate list than a long, assumed one.
Does the minimum age change from year to year? It can, particularly at private institutions, depending on which groups they manage to form. Always confirm directly before making plans.
Sources
- Early education methodology (Government Decision 566/2022) — the antepreschool level and group age bands
- Cluj-Napoca nurseries — municipal nurseries, calendar and paperwork
- Cluj County School Inspectorate — the school network
- The piticluj.ro directory — all 339 listed nurseries and kindergartens, each page stating its own data source
- How we verify our data — our methodology
- Our data sources — the full list
Conclusion
Under 2, the Cluj offer is real but narrow: nine institutions have confirmed they take children from 12–22 months. Check the threshold by phone, ask whether it refers to application or actual start, and use the “Minimum age” filter on the piticluj.ro interactive map as your starting point. Every institution page shows exactly where its data came from.