Q. How can I be sure my child is safe during the
day?
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.
Q. How do children get along with each other?
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.
Q. Does the playschool provide warm and healthy
food?
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.
Q. Do the playschools have a safe playground?
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.
Q. Why do parents pay a book fee?
A. Every year we replace broken toys, buy new
childrenīs 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.
Q. What are the childrenīs rooms like?
A. The childrenīs rooms are rich, interesting
environments, full of materials, activities and busy
children. The rooms are designed with young children in mind.
The childrenīs rooms are filled with sunlight, childrenīs 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.
Q. What happens to my childīs English development
after playschool?
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.
Q. Where in Espoo can my child go to an English
primary school?
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.
Q. What are the benefits of learning English as a
second language?
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.
Garden City Playschool | ESPOO: Tapiola and Westend | +358 468 784 765