Pilke Playschool
Welcome to Pilke Playschool
All families are warmly welcome to our English language kindergartens.
Pilke Playschools offer early childhood education in either fully English or bilingual English-Finnish settings, following the Finnish national core curriculum for early childhood education and care.
With over 30 years of experience in early year learning in English, we provide innovative and high-quality early childhood and pre-primary education. Our approach is based on active learning and professional teaching, and a nurturing atmosphere in locations across Finland.
At our cosy English-language kindergartens, children aged 0–6 learn English naturally through everyday educational activities and play. At the same time, they strengthen and maintain their existing language skills in a joyful, international and diverse learning environment.
We develop lifelong learners with a heart for the world
The language of play is universal – Communicating and learning in an international environment
At our kindergartens, children grow, play, and learn in English in a joyful, nurturing environment that celebrates diversity and curiosity.
At our Playschools, children come from a variety of backgrounds. We have both native Finnish and bilingual families, and international families – and we love the richness that every child brings to our kindergarten’s communities.
Many of our families are expats in Finland who use English as their everyday language. For them, it feels natural to choose early childhood education and care in English, so their children can continue learning and growing in a familiar language environment.
We also have many multicultural families where several languages are spoken at home. In some families, children might hear three different languages daily – one from each parent, and English as the shared family language. That’s why English-language daycare feels like the right fit: it supports the child’s communication and helps build a strong foundation for future learning.
Whether your child is bilingual, multilingual, or just starting their journey with English, we offer a playful and caring space where every child is seen, heard, and celebrated.
Our caring staff support each child’s unique path, helping them build confidence, friendships, and a love for learning. All in English, or bilingual English – Finnish.
We at Pilke believe that language is more than just words. It’s a way to connect hearts and minds. And here with us, every child’s voice matters.
English-language early childhood education
English-language early childhood education means that English is the language adults use when speaking with children, and it’s the language of everyday activities, learning, and play.
Depending on the needs of children and wishes of their families, there may also be Finnish-language clubs or small Finnish activities. And naturally, children also hear other languages in our kindergartens, as play is a universal language and children bring their own rich linguistic backgrounds into the mix.
At Pilke Playschools, we always follow the Finnish National Core Curriculum for Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC).
Extensive bilingual early childhood education
At our bilingual English-Finnish kindergartens at least half of the activities are in English. At the same time Finnish is also used by the adults in everyday activities and play.
The objective of bilingual early childhood education is to utilise children’s sensitive period for language learning by providing them with more versatile language education than normally.
English-language early years learning FAQs
All children are welcome in our English-language daycare centers!
We want to provide each child with a safe and warm environment for learning in English through the normal daily activities and play that take place in daycare.
Absolutely! Your child or family does not need to be English-speaking to enroll at a Pilke Playschool.
Our experienced staff will ensure that every child is understood and feels safe. In addition to English, there are usually several more languages spoken by the adults, including Finnish.
In our fully English-language daycare, only English is spoken in everyday situations.
However, even in these kindergartens, there may be Finnish-language clubs or small Finnish activities. Many families who speak other languages at home hope their child will also learn a little Finnish at the daycare. Please find more details on each Pilke Playschool’s own webpage.
In bilingual daycare centers, both English and Finnish are used as the everyday languages of the daycare.
The staff at Pilke Playschools speak English either as their native language or fluently. In addition, they are professionals in language-aware early childhood education.
All children will learn English in daycare.
However, each child is different, and their starting point in learning a new language varies. We do not formally teach English or prepare children for entrance exams in Pilke Playschools - instead, they naturally acquire the language through daily life and play, each at their own pace.
In our fully English-language daycare, only English is spoken in everyday life.
However, even in these kindergartens, there may be Finnish-language clubs or small Finnish activities. Many families who speak other languages at home hope their child will also learn a little Finnish at the daycare. Please find more details on each Pilke Playschool’s own webpage.
In our bilingual daycare centers, both English and Finnish are used as the daycare’s everyday languages.
All Pilke daycare centers follow the Finnish national and municipal early childhood education curriculum.