German Chancellor Angela Merkel has announced that she will ease the lockdown on schools from May 4.
Mrs Merkel said some smaller German shops will be also allowed to open on Monday, with conditions.
But public gatherings such as religious services, festivals and football matches will remain banned.
Mrs Merkel set out her plan for the first steps of a cautious restart of public life after talks with Germany’s 16 state governors.
She said that for the first stage, social distancing measures will stay in place.
“We have made some progress but I do have to stress that this progress is fragile," Mrs Merkel said.
"This is a situation in which caution is the order of the day, and not foolhardiness."
Germans are also "strongly recommended" to wear face masks while out.
"We need to understand that we will need to live with the virus as long as there is no medication or vaccine," Mrs Merkel said.
Some state premiers and industrial groups have urged the government to move more quickly to prevent further economic damage, but they have been met with resistance from public health officials.
One expert has pushed for venues to stay shut for 18 months.
Germany has had more than 130,000 cases but only 3,592 deaths, far fewer than countries with similar caseloads.
Mrs Merkel said it also meant that the country’s health system had not been overwhelmed.
The EU announced that the resumption of travel to Europe from outside its borders will not be phased in until after internal restrictions are lifted.
