Questions / answers

A. We take your child’s safety very seriously. Children learn safety rules for being inside, on the playground, and travelling to and from the playgrounds. We do not allow any rough behavior which can lead to injuries or accidents. Our watchful staff ensures that all children are supervised.

A. Our staff actively guides the children in learning social skills. Some of the most important skills learned in playschool are making friends, how to be a friend, and how to be part of a group. Children learn to say what they want, express their wishes, and solve problems by talking.
We do not allow teasing and do our best to teach good behavior in a positive way. Children’s groups have discussions and stories about getting along and being friends. Our happy staff is an example to the children in how to get along with each other and how to enjoy the day.

A. The children have breakfast, a hot lunch and snack included in the fees. The menu follows the nutritional standards set by the City of Espoo. You may order special meals for your child at your cost.

A. Both of the playschools have fenced playgrounds next to the buildings.  The children do not have to cross busy  streets to get to the playgrounds. The playground equipment meets new EU standards for  child safety. The children also walk to public parks, the forest and the sea. Children have organized gym days, physical activities and games.
We also have policies and guidelines on the topics of health and cleanliness, food allergies, table manners, toys, labeling, and cultural values. During your visit, we will answer all of your questions.

A. Every year we replace broken toys, buy new children´s educational materials, books, and cd-roms.   The educational toys and materials are of high quality, imported from the USA, UK, France, or bought locally and chosen carefully for each age group.

A. The children´s rooms are rich, interesting environments, full of materials, activities and  busy children.  The rooms are designed with young children in mind. The children´s rooms are filled with sunlight, children´s art work, bright, cheerful colors, clean floors, sometimes floor heating, child size bathrooms, sinks,   and the correct size furniture for each age group. We have some imported learning carpets on the floors.
Children`s games, books and materials are on open shelves. Children are free to choose what they want to play with or make.

A. Congratulate yourself as a parent for giving your child, the gift of having learning a second language. Parents are often concerned that their children will forget English if the child does not continue in an English first grade. Our experience has showed that if your child has been with us for four years, the English seed has been planted and will be ready to grow again later.
Parents find ways to maintain their children’s English learning through classes, clubs, books, music, computers or friends.

A. Parents have the choice of sending their children to a Finnish first grade or to one of the five English primary schools in Espoo. Please visit the Espoo City web site for the names of these schools.

We help your children prepare for the entrance tests through we make no guarantees that your child will be admitted to an English first grade, though our success rates are very good.

More than 90% of children who go for the admission tests for the English grade 1 pass the tests. We will be happy to give you all of the information we have on English education in Espoo.

A. There are many:
 
INTELLECTUAL BENEFITS  When your children have the chance to learn a 3rd language  in their later school years, they will learn it easier  because the language part of their brains  has been  activated by this early English learning. The brain is more ready to absorb another language.

Researchers believe that this part of the brain, called “ a window of learning” , must be exercised before the ages of 8-10 or it  will close, possibly making learning other languages more difficult later.

Learning to read before a child goes to 1st grade can make the early weeks and months of adjusting to a new, larger school easier. From the child’s  point of view, knowing beginning reading gives confidence,  they already  know something required of them from their new surroundings.

EMOTIONAL BENEFIT  Your child is often more confident because he/she knows they have a practical skill they can use in their daily life. Finland is a very English friendly country and it is fun for young children to use this skill here and abroad.

SOCIAL / CULTURAL BENEFIT  Your child’s world is larger. They know more about people from around the world, that different people from other countries speak different languages, have different customs. Your child begins to understand and accept other cultures. We have some children who are from other countries and the children learn to make friends with international children. Children understand that speaking English is a practical tool for making friends. Children at ages 3+4 often begin to understand and point out that “oh, this person speaks Spanish”, and  ask questions like “what language do they speak at their house?” , and “ oh, Mom, what language do they speak in Italy?”

The early years of your child’s education is the time to discover your child’s talents.