Bern’s autumn holidays begin on 19 September. The city’s registration deadline for public holiday care was 31 May. In Zurich, the deadline for official school care from 5 to 16 October passed on 6 September. Basel-Stadt closed its school holiday-care registration window on 23 August.
Those deadlines do not mean every activity or private option is full. They do mean that families with one pickup, two afternoons or a full week still uncovered need a different plan. Start with the exact dates and hours below, then search from the address where care will happen.
Close your holiday care gap
Dates checked 16 September 2026
Which days do you still need to cover?
Choose a canton, select uncovered weekdays and set the hours to prepare a care-gap plan.
2026 planning window
3 Oct 2026 to 18 Oct 2026
School or municipality variation
This is a principal planning window. Check the calendar for your child’s school before choosing days.
Confirm the dates with your child’s school. In several cantons, the municipality or school sets the exact calendar.
Open official sourceYour care gap
10 uncovered days90 hours in total
Your first selected day is used for profile search; check the remaining days separately. A search does not confirm childcare.
Use the care address to check each Helper’s service area. Each Flex request needs the Helper’s acceptance.
Autumn holiday dates for all 26 cantons
The national overview comes from the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education, EDK. It is a planning guide, not a substitute for your school calendar. In cantons marked “check locally”, municipalities, regions or individual schools may use different dates.
| Canton | 2026 autumn holiday planning window | Local check |
|---|---|---|
| Aargau | 26 September to 11 October | Check municipality or school |
| Appenzell Innerrhoden | 3 to 18 October | Inner-canton planning window; check Oberegg and the school locally |
| Appenzell Ausserrhoden | 3 to 18 October | Canton dates |
| Bern | 19 September to 11 October | Regional differences possible |
| Basel-Landschaft | 26 September to 11 October | General calendar excludes Regionales Gymnasium Laufental-Thierstein; check the school |
| Basel-Stadt | 26 September to 11 October | Canton dates |
| Fribourg | 10 to 25 October | Regional differences possible |
| Geneva | 19 to 23 October | Canton dates |
| Glarus | 3 to 18 October | Canton dates |
| Graubünden | 10 to 25 October | Main planning window; Moesano primary and lower-secondary schools: 31 October to 8 November |
| Jura | 3 to 18 October | Canton dates |
| Lucerne | 26 September to 11 October | Check municipality or school |
| Neuchâtel | 3 to 18 October | Canton dates |
| Nidwalden | 26 September to 11 October | Canton dates |
| Obwalden | 25 September to 11 October | Main planning window; Engelberg: 3 to 25 October |
| St. Gallen | 26 September to 18 October | Check municipality or school |
| Schaffhausen | 26 September to 18 October | Canton dates |
| Solothurn | 26 September to 18 October | Check municipality or school |
| Schwyz | 26 September to 11 October | Check municipality or school |
| Thurgau | 3 to 18 October | Canton dates |
| Ticino | 31 October to 8 November | Canton dates |
| Uri | 3 to 18 October | Check municipality or school |
| Vaud | 10 to 25 October | Canton dates |
| Valais | 10 to 25 October | Regional differences possible |
| Zug | 3 to 18 October | Canton dates |
| Zurich | 3 to 18 October | Check municipality or school |
The table keeps each principal planning window rather than merging regional calendars. Moesano and Engelberg dates and the Basel-Landschaft school exception were checked against official sources on 3 October 2026; other school dates still need local confirmation. Geneva shows the official school days, 19 to 23 October. The planner selects weekdays, because those are usually the days families need to cover. See Moesano’s official school calendar, Engelberg’s calendar and Basel-Landschaft’s school calendar.
Where to check remaining childcare options
Provider deadline facts below were checked on 3 October 2026. “Deadline passed” does not mean “sold out”; ask the provider about current spaces. This check does not refresh every date in the 26-canton planner.
| Area | Verified public information | Useful next move |
|---|---|---|
| City of Bern | Registration for autumn holiday care closed on 31 May. The holidays start on 19 September. | Ask the school care site whether anything changed, check the city’s Fäger activities, then cover individual gaps privately. |
| City of Zurich | Registration for school holiday care from 5 to 16 October closed on 6 September. | Check the city’s current holiday activities. Some listed activities have later deadlines or do not require registration. |
| Basel-Stadt | School holiday care runs from 28 September to 9 October. Its registration window closed on 23 August. | Check separately organised Tagesferien and verify current availability directly. |
| Vaud | The official canton dates are 10 to 25 October. | Check your commune or accueil de jour, then plan any remaining days in the finder. |
| Geneva | The official canton dates are 19 to 23 October. | Check your commune and programme provider because there is no single canton-wide booking deadline. |
| Ticino | The official canton dates are 31 October to 8 November. | There is more lead time, but local centres and activities set their own registration rules. |
Official status pages: Bern holiday care, Zurich school care deadlines, Zurich holiday activities, Basel-Stadt holiday care, Vaud school holidays, Geneva school holidays and Ticino’s school calendar.
Match the solution to the gap
| Your remaining gap | Usually worth checking first | Why |
|---|---|---|
| One pickup or one afternoon | Family network or home childcare | A full camp week may not match such a small gap. |
| One or two fixed days | Municipal activity, day programme or privately arranged home childcare | You can compare the exact hours instead of paying for days you do not need. |
| A full fixed week | Holiday care, camp or a regular home-care arrangement | A repeating schedule is easier to coordinate for the child and caregiver. |
| Siblings of different ages or irregular hours | Childcare at home | One person can follow different routines at the same address if the profile fits the ages and number of children. |
If you need cost planning for a longer period, use our summer childcare guide and cost planner. This page focuses on autumn dates and uncovered days, not a second price calculator.
Prepare the details for your childcare request
A clear childcare brief helps a caregiver decide whether the arrangement fits. Prepare these details before you send a request:
- Number and ages of the children. Check that the profile covers those ages and the number of children.
- Exact date, start time, end time and care address. Using two homes? Search each service address separately.
- What the day includes. Mention meals, naps, playground visits, homework or school pickup. Keep cleaning as a separate task.
- Allergies and medication arrangements. Explain what the caregiver must know and agree on responsibility before the visit.
- Authorised pickup adults and emergency contacts. Include who may collect the child and who can be reached throughout the day.
- Practical details. Mention pets, transport expectations, car seats and whether a parent will be working at home.
Read each profile’s experience, languages, availability and evidence badges. Profile details help you compare people; they do not confirm childcare. A Flex request needs the Helper’s acceptance.
Declared childcare, briefly
Paid childcare in your home is household employment. The household remains the legal employer. In general, wages must be declared for AHV and employees need occupational accident insurance. The official 2026 guidance includes limited contribution exceptions for some young workers earning no more than CHF 750 from one employer in a year, so use the AHV leaflet 2.06 and SUVA accident-insurance guidance for your situation.
If someone already helps in your home, choose Helpore Admin Light for monthly payslips, paperwork and calculations while you register and pay, or Helpore Admin for the agreed administration under your authorization. Your Helper does not need a public profile or a Helpore account. To find someone new, you can book childcare through Flex; the Helper must accept the request.
Start with the first uncovered day
Use the planner above or browse childcare profiles on Helpore. Keep the care address, dates and hours precise. Compare experience with your children’s ages, languages and minimum visit duration. Send a Flex request from the profile you choose; the Helper must accept it.
Frequently asked questions
When are the 2026 autumn school holidays in my canton?
They begin as early as 19 September in Bern and as late as 31 October in Ticino. The canton table and planner in this guide cover all 26 cantons. Some municipalities and schools set their own dates, so confirm the planning window with your child’s school.
What can I do if the holiday-care registration deadline has passed?
Check the municipality and provider directly for current activities and spaces. Published deadlines do not prove everything is full. You can book childcare through Flex; Light and Admin support a nanny you already employ.
Can I book a nanny for only one or two autumn holiday days?
Flex supports one-off requests as well as regular schedules, and the Helper must accept the request. For a nanny you already employ, compare Light and Admin now.
What should I tell a childcare Helper before the first day?
Share the number and ages of the children, the exact address and hours, meals, allergies, medication arrangements, permitted outings or pickups, emergency contacts and whether pets are present. Keep childcare and any household tasks clearly separated.
Does an autumn holiday nanny need AHV and accident insurance?
Paid childcare in your home is household employment and is generally subject to AHV contributions. Official 2026 rules include limited exceptions for some young workers earning no more than CHF 750 per employer per year. Occupational accident insurance is required for employees. Check the official AHV and SUVA guidance for your case.
What works well for siblings of different ages?
Home childcare can work well when siblings need one schedule but have different routines. Tell the Helper each child’s age, the maximum number of children, the day’s activities and any naps, pickups or meals before sending the request.