Within the Ice and Snow: The Littlest Students and 25 Years!

Today I visited a daycare center for children from 11 months to 6 years old. New parents are allowed an 11 month, paid maternity leave and then children can begin daycare. The daycare is part of the education system and follows the early childhood curriculum. There are centers like the one that I visited today, but parents also have options including privately managed centers and family day care. There is a charge for daycare, but it is adjusted based on need and does not exceed 300 euros a month.

The emphasis in early childhood is on child-centered, play-based learning. The teachers use the interests of the students to develop phenomenon-based learning opportunities. As in the upper levels, I observed a large amount of trust and freedom provided to the children. Like yesterday, it seemed like there were children everywhere! The center was a maze of adjoining rooms. Children over 3 are in groups up to 24 with a teacher and two assistants - basically a maximum ratio of 1:8. In this center, children were in multi-age groups, which they felt facilitated child development by promoting interaction between younger and older students.

Baking gingerbread cookies at school

The children play outside for about three hours a day (1.5 in the morning and 1.5 in the afternoon).

They have a good-sized, fenced play yard that includes swings, climbing structures, riding toys, and a rope on a tree. There is a slope that they sled on when there is snow. In the background, you can see a large lake that they skate and play on in the cold of winter. It is not solid enough yet.

When they come inside, their mittens
are hung on the clothesline with labeled
clothespins and the wet clothes are
hung in the dryers to dry before the next
outing.

So much winter gear! They also do not wear shoes
inside - even the teachers!

A peek inside the rooms...

Look at these cute little bunks that fold out of the cabinets!

In other news...Chris and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary today. We enjoyed a delicious dinner at Ravintola Coussicca, a local restaurant in Tampere for over 50 years. We were surprised to hear Van Halen "When It's Love" playing when we walked into the restaurant - couldn't have planned that. Great food, great atmosphere, and a walk through the park. I'm so happy to have Chris sharing this adventure with me. Here's to the next 25!