English Classes & Playgroups in Karlsruhe

Maintaining English Through Interactive Play

Play. WonDer. Learn.

The Discovery Place offers classes and playgroups for children of English-speaking families in Karlsruhe. Here your child has the opportunity to develop, activate, and maintain their English through interactive play and a variety of guided activities. A bonus? Parents can connect with other English speakers in the area. Come and join the fun!

Our Classes & Playgroups

The Discovery Place Karlsruhe, English for Children

Toddler Time

NEW GROUP on Tuesday afternoons, 15:25-16:10 Saturdays, 9:45-10:30

Feel like watching the mouse run up the clock, helping Humpty Dumpty to feel better after his fall, or dancing in the fairy garden? In Toddler Time, even the littlest ones can join the fun!

Little Learners

Tuesdays: Interested? Let me know!
Saturdays, 10:45-11:30

In this combination of playgroup and educational class for three- to five-year-olds, your child will have fun learning about the world around them through guided interactive play.

Get Ready

Tuesdays, 16:20-17:05
Saturdays, 11:45-12:30

This group for five- to seven-year-olds delves into the theme using a variety of activities such as role play, music, games, and creative movement while also introducing the children to simple maths and literacy concepts.

Discover More

Tuesdays, 17:15-18:00

Experimenting, creating, presenting, discussing, performing, and finding out why: That’s what this class for children in grades 2-4 is all about!

Why Join US ?

Experienced Native-Speaking Teacher

Holly Zimmermann, a primary school teacher from the U.S. with years of experience with bilingual children, leads all classes and playgroups.

Child-Centered Learning

With our small group size and themes and activities selected to capture your child’s interest, your child is at the center of what we do!

Your English-Speaking Community

Meet and connect with other English-speaking families in the Karlsruhe area.

Meet Holly Zimmermann

Hi, I’m Holly, a primary school teacher and mother of two originally from the USA. Teaching for a number of years in the USA, UK, and Germany has afforded me unique experiences leading to the founding of The Discovery Place. I absolutely love teaching, and through The Discovery Place, I’m able to create the learning atmosphere that I want–creative, energetic, and fun! One hour at a time, one group at a time, I work to help your child explore the wonder of the world around us.

Learn more about me and The Discovery Place

What Our Parents Say

“Thanks for providing this service, and doing it so well. I’m not sure you realize how much it means to the English speaking families, and how much it benefits their children. Especially in the early days of learning German, it was really good for [my son] to be able to join in an activity where he was able to follow everything and express himself fully.”

Steph, mother of “Toddler Time” and “Get Ready” children

“I just wanted to let you know how much all your hard work and preparation is appreciated. I love that you keep on sending these newsletters, especially since my daughter does not tell me anything about what she did in class :-). But what she does tell me is that she really enjoys coming to class…She is always happy after your sessions and was completely thrilled when I told her about the next theme!”

Linda, mother of a “Get Ready” child

“We’ve had a great experience; just four months ago our 3-year-old was speaking almost totally in German, and now she speaks a lot more in English, even with the other kids at the class. She looks forward to going each week, too, despite being pretty shy. Holly is a great teacher, and you can really tell that she knows what she’s doing. I highly recommend her class!”

Christiana, mother of a “Little Learner”

“Holly, I just wanted to thank you for your thoughtful preparation of the course. I have taken a couple of baby classes with [my first son], and I know what it is to pay for something that either wasn’t worth the investment, or something that just wasn’t the right fit for us. Well, your class is very well organized, it was educational for the kids while facilitating their need to run around and be loud. It’s so important at this age to help kids with gross and fine motor development and I think a lot of the activities you prepared engaged the children and addressed this need. It was really great. …I am really impressed. … Thanks so much for putting these classes together, it’s nice to have an English option for the kids“

Cindy, Mother of two “Toddler Time” children

“We love the way Holly organizes the English playgroup for toddlers. Each 5-6 weeks session has always a topic and carefully selected songs, activities and rhymes fitting the theme. The songs and games are ranging from active ones with a lot of movement and music to calm songs. For every verse, Holly has interesting and colorful props or moves in store that kids and parents can do. Some games and songs are accompanied with music instruments: to some we dance, to some there are appropriate toys. From what we can see, kids and parents alike are having tons of fun. The program contains a well-calibrated combination of familiar and new verses. The familiar structure and content works very well: our son knows the songs by heart and still has always something new to discover. English lessons become one of ours and our son’s favorite free-time activities, so much that we often have to negotiate who of the adults gets to tag along. Thank you, Holly!“

Olha, Mother of a “Toddler Time” child

“There’s no other teacher with whom our daughter is so impressed!“

Karsten, Father to a “Discover More” child

“Your classes definitely provide a needed service in Karlsruhe. Seeing [our daughter’s] vocabulary expand and hearing her sing your songs out of the class made it clear to me that she benefited a lot from your classes.“

Sarah, mother of a “Little Learner”

“We love your classes so much…My husband and I argue over who gets to take [our son] because we always know we’re going to have fun!”

Olha, mother of a “Toddler Time” child

“My husband and daughter really enjoyed their time in class and I enjoyed the one day I got to go. Very special.”

Lee-Ann, mother of a “Toddler Time” child

“Thanks very much for the brilliant lessons so far. We are looking forward to the next sessions already!”

Milena, mother of “Toddler Time” and “Little Learner” children

“[I] wanted to say that we had so much fun today– that time went so fast! …We like the hands-on activities.

He loved petting George and laughed when we ran around. And it was a joy watching them with the xylophone and bubbles! Really enjoyed the work and thought you put into each activity! So thank you!”

Coreen, mother of a “Toddler Time” child

“Check out Holly’s The Discovery Place!

Great opportunity for children to hear more English and Holly is so creative and has the best ideas as to what to do, play, and sing with them… Holly, thank you!!! You’re amazing!”

Birte, mother of a “Get Ready” child

“It’s so great you are putting in so much effort! My husband and I are very happy for our son to have found The Discovery Place, he really likes it! You are doing such wonderful work with the children! As we told you already: we are so happy we have found you and that he likes going to the classes so much!”

Conny, mother of a “Discover More” child

“I’m impressed with how much thought you’re putting into this. Thank you!”

Simone, mother of “Get Ready” and “Discover More” children

“Your classes have been great – thank you for the effort you put into preparing your classes.”

Sarah, mother of a “Little Learner”