The pre-school institutions in the various linguistic regions have developed differently, as reflected in their respective conceptual approaches. A convergence has taken place in recent years. The kindergarten has been established in German-speaking Switzerland, the école enfantine in French-speaking Switzerland and the scuola dell'infanzia in Italian-speaking Switzerland. The scuola dell'infanzia differs from the pre-schools in the other linguistic regions, in that it already accepts children from the age of 3 and thus performs a broad range of family-supplementing childcare services; in the rest of Switzerland, other establishments provide such services.

The cantons and their municipalities are responsible for the organisation and financing of pre-schools. The municipalities are responsible for the establishment and maintenance of pre-schools. To date, pre-school attendance is not compulsory in all cantons: in just over half of the cantons, children must attend pre-school for 1 or 2 years. Nevertheless, almost 100% of children attend pre-school for at least 1 year. In general, the provision of pre-schools is compulsory; the cantons oblige the municipalities to run pre-schools. Accordingly, the children have a right to either 1 or 2 years of pre-school education, depending on the canton (3 years in the canton Ticino). Public pre-schools can be attended free of charge.
The minimum pre-school enrolment age varies between cantons. In most cases, enrolment is possible from the age of 4, but in some cantons from the age of 5. In the canton Ticino, children can already be enrolled in a scuola dell'infanzia from the age of 3.
For cantons which have joined the inter-cantonal agreement on the harmonisation of compulsory education (HarmoS Concordat), this concordat will entail 2 years' compulsory pre-school attendance (enrolment age is reached when the child turns 4).
It is becoming increasingly commonplace for the pre-school and the first primary school years to be considered as a single unit, in which the children's development of competences and skills is aided according to their developmental status and requirements. In several cantons, pilot projects on a flexible school entry level (Grundstufe or Basisstufe) are underway.

Family-supplementing all-day structures before pre-school
The establishments which provide family-supplementing childcare before enrolment in pre-school include daycare centres, daycare families and other institutions such as crèches or playgroups as formal institutionalised forms of care, as well as informal non-institutionalised forms of care such as care by relatives, acquaintances or paid private individuals.
Family-supplementing all-day structures before pre-school are generally organised within family policy and social policy. The services are provided on a voluntary basis. The use of such services is facultative. These services are generally the responsibility of the municipalities or private entities and are not part of the public education system. Although the range of establishments which provide family-supplementing childcare before pre-school is well developed, supply is still exceeded by demand in most cases. Various cantons - as well as the Confederation in a temporary support programme - have laid down legal foundations (or else political initiatives have been launched) to promote the development of family-supplementing childcare establishments (also including all-day structures during pre-school and compulsory education). These establishments support families, make it easier to combine family and career, and aid the integration and socialisation of children with educationally disadvantaged family backgrounds or immigrant backgrounds.