Healthcare & Family

SFO after-school care, the afternoon solution

Updated July 2026Reviewed July 2026
The one-line versionDanish school ends early, so most families use SFO (after-school care) for younger children. It runs from the start of school through roughly grade 3, for a monthly fee with income-based subsidies.

Why SFO exists

Danish school days finish early - often between noon and 14:30 - which does not cover a working day. SFO (skolefritidsordning), the after-school care attached to most schools, bridges the gap. Children move there when lessons end and stay until parents finish work.

How it works

  • Who: children from the start of school (grade 0) through roughly grade 3; older children move to a leisure club (fritidsklub).
  • Transition: children typically move from kindergarten into SFO around 1 August of the year they start grade 0.
  • Enrol: through your school/municipality; it is not always automatic, so confirm you have signed up.
Cost and subsidySFO carries a monthly fee (varying by municipality), lower than full daycare. As with daycare, income-based subsidies and sibling discounts apply, so lower-income families pay less. Budget for it alongside school if both parents work.

What children do there

SFO is play-based and social - outdoor time, activities, crafts and free play, not extra lessons. It is a valued part of Danish childhood and a good way for an international child to build friendships and pick up Danish informally.

Sign up when you enrol in schoolBecause SFO is not always automatic and the transition happens at a set point (around 1 August for new grade-0 children), sort it at the same time as school enrolment so there is no gap in cover.

Common questions

What is SFO for?
After-school care for younger schoolchildren, covering the gap between the early end of the school day and the end of the working day.
Up to what age?
Roughly through grade 3; older children move to a leisure club (fritidsklub), then a youth club later.
Does it cost?
Yes - a monthly fee lower than daycare, with income-based subsidies and sibling discounts as for daycare.

Verified July 2026 against official sources: lifeindenmark.borger.dk, sundhed.dk, the Danish Health Authority (sst.dk), Statens Serum Institut and municipal pages. Figures are 2026 levels and vary by region and municipality. General information, not medical advice.

← PreviousEnrolling Your Children in School