Arrival & Warm Welcome
Gentle greetings at the gate. Teachers kneel to the child’s eye level—high-five, hug if they like. Little ones are carried in if needed. Bags hung, bell rung. Happy start.
The first 3 years build a brain you can’t rewind.
In early childhood, the brain forms over a million new neural connections every second—wiring for learning, emotion, language, and resilience. What happens now echoes for a lifetime.
1,000,000+
New Connections Per Second
0
Formed in Just One Day
0
Will Form Before Our Open Day
Sensitive Periods
A window of opportunity you can’t redo
Brains grow through caring relationships and play.
“Serve-and-return” interactions and child-led play strengthen neural networks for self-regulation, language, problem-solving, and mental health.
Emotion first
Language & thinking
Focus & self-control
The Finnish way: joyful, research-led, play-based.
Emphasis on play, observation, and individual guidance over early testing—deep learning starts with curiosity, not worksheets.
Our days are designed for happiness, movement, rich language, and a deep connection with nature, guided by highly trained teachers who see and support the potential in every child.
Rethink Preschool.
What many parents think vs. what children actually need before five.
“Preschool is where children learn to read & write early.”
Play, secure relationships, and rich language build the true foundations for later literacy.
“Sitting still means discipline.”
Self-regulation grows through movement, rhythms, and comfort—not forced stillness.
“More worksheets = more learning.”
Hands-on exploration builds executive functions like focus, memory, and impulse control.
“Start academics now to get ahead.”
Early years are sensitive periods for language and emotional skills, not mini-primary school.
“Outdoor play is messy and optional.”
Nature fuels attention, resilience, and joy. Outdoor play is essential, not extra.
“Big classes are fine if there’s a syllabus.”
Small ratios let our teachers notice everything and personalize every single day.
“Silence means good behavior.”
Curiosity and a child's voice are the sounds of learning. Questions are always welcome.
“Results are grades and reciting.”
True progress is joy, agency, collaboration, and independence—not just pencil skills.
“We’ll hear from school once a term.”
Our Parent App delivers photos, notes, and insights daily, not just once a term.
“One program fits all.”
No Child Left Behind—our programs adapt to your child, not the other way around.
Before Five, We Build...
Emotional safety & attachment
Language & communication
Executive functions
Sensory integration & regulation
Motor skills (gross & fine)
Social play & empathy
Curiosity & problem-solving
Independence & self-care
Nature connection
Love of stories & pre-literacy
What this looks like here:
Reading Tree House • Carpentry / Maker time • Mini Theater • Yoga & Karate • Water & Mud play • Animal care & Garden • Forest Fridays
A Day at Finnish Preschool
Explore a child’s journey through a day rich with play and discovery. Click on any activity to see the details.
🧒
Child-Led Outdoor Free Play
Children choose freely: feed goats, ducks, fish, hens & birds; water plants; ninja course; tower slide; tree-house reading; sand engineering; real-life play (grocery, salon); bikes & vehicles.
Circle Time & Our Song
Welcome circle, names and feelings, “today’s wonder,” our class song, and plan for the day.
Snack / Meal & Chat
Mindful eating, conversation, self-help routines.
Choice Rotations
Small groups rotate: swimming, sensory play, music & dance, yoga, reading & storytelling, cooking and taste-talk.
Projects, Nature & Making
Sensory investigations, garden care, compost, maker time (carpentry/building).
Forest School Journey
Bus to Forest School: jungle classroom, shelter building, mud pool, bug hunt, garden checks, boat ride, campfire stories.
Wrap-Up & Goodbyes
Share highlights, pack, Parent App updates sent. Children leave with memories and happiness—for many, this is their second home.
Every Friday: the forest is our classroom.
We trade our walls for the wild. Children explore biodiversity, manage our compost, engage in messy mud play, take boat rides on the lake, and find quiet corners for reading in trees. It's a day for risk-taking, resilience, and wonder.
The Environment is the Classroom; Nature is the Teacher.
A Campus Built for Childhood
Imaginative playground
Animal interactions
Garden & compost
Reading tree house
Mud & sand kitchens
Sensory room
Water play & pool
Mini theatre (public speaking)
Music & dance studio
Karate & yoga space
Carpentry/maker studio
Luxury daycare rooms
Find us at: 145 4B Park Road, Colombo 5.
Unmatched Teacher-to-Child Ratios
Individual attention is not a luxury; it's essential for healthy development. We maintain the highest standards of care.
1 : 2
6–12 months
1 : 3
Toddlers & beyond
Max 1 : 5
Older groups
Assistants, specialist coaches & health instructors support all day.
Does a baby really need preschool at 6–12 months?
Yes. Early brains build over 1,000,000 new connections every second. Those connections grow with rich daily experiences — face-to-face talk, songs, movement, touch, nature, and playful discovery — not passive time.
Grandparents and nannies are a blessing. But busy days (work, phones, screens) can reduce the serve-and-return moments babies need. Children copy what they see and hear. If most of the day is quiet, rushed, or screen-heavy, they miss chances to build language, self-regulation, and confidence.
What your child needs now is more of the right attention — caring adults who play, talk, sing, move, and explore with them — every day.
What your child needs today
Floor-time with eye contact and simple talk, songs and rhythm, tummy time & rolling, safe textures and water play, outdoor sights & sounds, gentle routines, lots of warm holding. Screen time: zero at school; families choose at home.
Naming & conversation, big-body movement (push, pull, climb), music & dance, finger-play and simple tools, sand & water exploration, animal care, first independence (helping, tidying), secure naps and meals. No screens in our program.
Rich language (stories, singing, talk), social play & turn-taking, executive functions (focus, memory, impulse control) through games, nature care & gardening, maker time (carpentry), yoga/karate, creative problem-solving. Literacy blooms from play, not worksheets.
When days get busy at home
More sitting than moving, background TV/phones, fewer face-to-face chats, fewer kinds of play, “be quiet,” irregular sleep/meal rhythms, little 1:1 time.
What children actually need daily
1:2 to 1:3 attention (age-based ratios), warm co-regulation, movement & sensory play, outdoor nature time, conversation & songs, meaningful helping, predictable sleep/meal rhythms, screen-free school day, daily Parent App updates.
The first years can’t be rewound. Give them experiences, not screens.
Our Four Promises
No Child Left Behind: Every child is known, supported, and included.
Anytime, Anywhere Learning: We follow curiosity, turning every moment into a learning opportunity.
Nature-Rich Childhood: The environment teaches, inspires, and heals.
True Family Partnership: Daily insights via our Parent App and open communication.
Built for the 1% who choose quality over quantity.
If you believe the first five years are your greatest investment—and want a joyful, evidence-based, nature-rich childhood for your child—this is your place.
Admissions by conversation, not competition.
We meet each family to align on values and routines. Seats are very limited to protect quality and ratios.
Step into Joyful Learning: Your Personal Tour Awaits.
Join us for our Open House on Friday, Sept 12 & Saturday, Sept 13, 2025. Discover the magic of Finnish Preschool and see if it's the right fit for your family.
00Days
00Hours
00Minutes
00Seconds
Apply for September 2025
Complete the form below to start the conversation. We will contact you shortly to discuss the next steps.
Still Deciding?
We're here to help. Reach out for a quick chat or get our detailed info pack.