Frequently Asked Questions

Please take a moment to read through our FAQs and feel free to contact us with any additional questions.

1. At what age can my child start at Bright Beginners?
Early childhood education is the foundation of a child’s learning development. It is an important period in a child’s life. We believe that a child should start at the age of three to give him/her the best quality early childhood education and care he/she needs. The playschool however, offers childcare services to children ages 1 to 6 years, whereas children over 3s are required to be potty-trained.

2. Where is the playschool located?
We are located at Arabianranta. The address is at Arabiankatu 4, 00560 Helsinki. We have two main entrances: one for the Tigerlilies group (under 3s) and the Dandelions group (3-6 years).

3. What are the hours of the playschool?
Our operational hours is from August – June. We are open from 7.30 – 17.30 on weekdays. Doors will be open at exactly 7.30 a.m. and will be closed at 17.30. We encourage parents to drop their children latest by 9.00 so the children are able to attend the morning activities.

4. What are the daily drop off and pick up procedures?
The daily  drop off/pick up procedures are planned to offer your child the maximum safety and security in our playschool. Parents are required to escort their child when entering the playschool in the morning. At the end of the day, children are individually released to their parent or to an authorised person.

5. How do I register my child to Bright Beginners?
Parents/Guardians must complete the inquiry form online and schedule an appointment for a playschool visit. Inquiries must be completed prior to making an appointment.

6. How can we visit the playschool?
We welcome all parents/guardians and families to visit our playschool in action! We encourage interested families to contact us to arrange a visit. We also hold an Open House twice a year.

7. What does my child need for playschool?
A supply list will be sent to all parents starting playschool. Supplies such as spare clothes (extra shirt, pants, underwear, socks), soft toys, mints, indoor slippers, rain gears, nap blankets and pillows will be kept in the playschool. It is very important to LABEL all your child’s items or belongings.

8. Is there a Parent Orientation?
Yes. We will announce the date in advance. This event is for registered parents NEW to the playschool. This informative session will review some of the playschool procedures. This is an adult only event.

9. What should the teacher-child ratio be?
We maintain a small-sized group at BB. We follow the standard teacher-child ratio of 1:7 for children 3-6 years, while the under 3s’ group has a teacher-child ratio of 1:4. We make the effort to keep this ratio low for the children’s best interest.

10. How are the children divided in the playschool?
We are licensed to provide maximum 28 children at Bright Beginners. Small groups of children are divided according to their age level. We have two groups: The Tigerlilies, with children under 3s of age and the Dandelion group with 3-6 years old children. These groups are also divided in to small sub groups to promote and support each child’s individual interests and needs.

11. What credentials does the staff have?
Our vibrant and engaging staff is committed to creating a welcoming and encouraging space in which your child can play, grow, and learn. Our team has a combination of qualified kindergarten teachers, preschool teachers, and nursery nurses with years of experience in a childcare setting. Mostly native/fluent English and Finnish speakers that works professionally and effectively as a team. Our staff are committed on updating their professional development in order to stay current in early education practices.

12. How do we ensure children’s safety in our care?
We maintain a small-sized group at BB to ensure that all children are supervised and are given enough support in their daily needs. Our playschool are equipped with safety plans and well-supervised indoor/outdoor play areas. All personnel are trained with First Aid/Hygiene pass and are aware of all safety plans and procedures.

13. Describe a typical day in the playschool.
The children are engaged in exciting play-based learning activities through the day, as well as opportunities for discovery and social exploration. Our typical daily schedule is a combination of circle/bright time, structured/free play, centre activities, meals, story time, nap/rest time and outdoor play.

14. What is a typical lesson plan?
Everyday is a new opportunity for our children to learn, have fun and to develop important skills. Each week we have planned activities that address motor, creative arts, language, numeracy, sensory, social-emotional and self-help skill development. Our weekly activities include literacy and language, mathematics, sensory/science, nature school, music club, gym, creative arts and crafts, “touch and go” digital learning, cooking class, library visits and occasional field trips. There are also plenty of special events throughout the year to keep it exciting. Detailed weekly programme are posted on our bulletin board.

15. What is a play-based curriculum?
Play is a widely recognised as the best learning tool for children. It provides opportunities for children to learn as they discover, create, imagine, explore, and improvise. When children play, they promote their social skills, explore ideas, build new understandings and create critical thinking. It enhances their desire to learn. A play-based learning is a context for learning, of which children make sense of their social world, as they engage with people, objects and representations.

16. Does Bright Beginners take field trips?
The playschool arranges educational field trips at least once a month to incorporate learning in a wide variety of ways. In addition to our regular library visits and nature walks, the children enjoy day trips to museums, the farm, zoo, botanical garden, elderly home, community agencies such as fire station, post office, police station, etc. We also organise trips such as puppet shows/ theatrical play and educational workshops for them to enjoy and enhance their hands-on learning.

17. What is the playschool policy for outdoor play in severe weather?
Children are encouraged to dress for the weather, with waterproof clothes and warm layers on wet/chilly days. The playschool has outdoor play twice a day in all seasons. For safety reasons, the children stay indoors on severe weather conditions such as heavy storm, blizzard or when the temperature reaches -10°C (for under 3s) and -15°C (for over 3s). On extremely cold weather, children are engaged with indoor activities and games. If weather permits, we will have a short walk around the area.

18. Does the playschool arrange child assessments or parent-teacher communication?
We encourage parents and guardians to take part on their child’s early years journey. Child assessment is held twice a year through parent-teacher meeting to discuss their child’s development and together set the goals for the year and assess the progress toward those goals. In addition, each child has a portfolio folder with their child’s work samples, and progress report to share with parents. We also offer weekly highlights of our activities by sending parents/guardians their child(-ren)’s photos and for them to know how their child is doing during the day.

19. Do you have a policy for sick children?
We have a very strict illness policy. To avoid spreading contagious disease to the staff, children and their families, children who are ill must stay home for 24-hours symptoms free. If the child becomes ill in the playschool, parents are contacted immediately to pick up their child within one hour of notification.

20. How do I get information about events at the playschool during the year?
We send a montlhy newsletter to all families electronically. Parents/guardians are also encouraged to check the bulletin board on a daily basis. We also have a Whatsapp group to send updates and weekly highlights.

21. What do children learn at Bright Beginners?
We offer children a variety of learning opportunities where they can learn and develop:

• build friendships and positive relationships among peers and carers/teachers
• early numeracy, literacy and sensory/science skills
• English language skills: effective communication skills
• build confidence, develop self-skills and a sense of independence
• promote creativity and self-expression through arts and crafts, music and physical activities
• develop gross motor and fine motor skills (ie. writing, cutting, pencil grasp)
• sensory experiments and natural environment (ie. water and sand play)
• personal skills and values (ie. sharing, taking turns)
• learn about daily routines, limits, boundaries and tools for conflict resolution
• take pride of own work and celebrate attempts and successes
• respect for diversity, other cultures and community
• to have fun and develop a desire for learning

22. Why choose us?
All parents want what’s best for their child and while there are many daycare choices to choose from, we take pride on the following reasons why you should choose us!

• Bright Beginners has been providing quality childcare and education for more than 11 years.
• We are a small-group sized playschool. We want to get to know our parents and children. It is very important for us to be able to attend to each and individual child in our care and to build a strong relaitionship with all BB parents and families.
• We use a creative curriculum where children learn through play-based and hands-on activities. We want your child to be happy, to explore and learn in a fun and enjoyable way.
• Effective communication between parents and teachers. Parents are updated with their child’s daytime activities (ie. napping, eating, playtime, etc.). In addition, photos of special moments are sent to parents, to see what their child are doing during the day.
• Qualified and dedicated professionals. We have a diverse team who are committed in providing a nurturing and stimulating environment to every child in our care. We have kindergarten teachers, nursery nurses and a playschool assistant who speaks fluent English and/or Finnish.
• Very spacious and colourful facility where children can enjoy learning in a pleasant atmosphere.
• We accommodate 28 children from ages 1-6 years.
• Our operational hours is from Monday through Friday, 7.30 – 17.00.

“Bright Beginners is the next step to your child’s journey.                                                                                          We look forward to be part of his/her early years experience!”