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Apply for daycare What should you consider when choosing a daycare?
Choosing a daycare is one of the first big decisions many families make when it comes to early childhood education. There may be several options available, and it is natural to have plenty of questions: What kind of daycare would suit my child? What should I ask during a daycare visit? And how should I compare different daycares?
Every family has different needs, but there are certain things that can help you assess which daycare will best support your child’s wellbeing and make everyday family life run smoothly. In this article, we have gathered some important facts about choosing a daycare, along with eight questions worth asking when you visit a daycare.
What are the most important things to consider when choosing a daycare?
Before you start comparing different daycare options, it is useful to keep these three things in mind:
- Location is one of the most important criteria for many families. Daily journeys are part of family life, so it helps if the daycare is conveniently located near your home, workplace or daily route.
- A private daycare does not necessarily cost more than a municipal daycare. The daycare fee is mainly determined by the size and income of your family and the number of hours your child attends daycare. Depending on your municipality of residence, financial support may be available through Kela’s private daycare allowance or a municipal service voucher.
- You can apply to more than one daycare. Comparing different options can help you find an early childhood education setting that suits both your child and your family. Visiting a daycare before making your decision can make the choice easier.
What are the group sizes and staff-to-child ratios?
Group sizes and staff-to-child ratios in Finnish early childhood education are regulated by law. A daycare group may have no more than the number of children corresponding to three educators at any one time.
At Pilke, the daycare director monitors the ratio of children to staff daily and plans staff shifts based on the care hours booked by families. The daycare’s overall daily staff-to-child ratio is shared with families each day on the noticeboard.
Read more about how Pilke daycares operate.
How does the daycare communicate with parents every day?
Good, open communication between home and daycare creates a sense of security, supports cooperation and helps parents stay up to date with their child’s everyday experiences.
Good cooperation between home and daycare helps both children and parents feel secure. That is why it is worth finding out in advance how the daycare shares information about your child’s day.
You can ask questions such as:
- How do you tell parents about their child’s day?
- Do you use an app for daily communication?
- How do you contact parents if something unexpected happens during the day?
Open communication makes cooperation easier and helps parents know how their child is getting on at daycare. Pilke professionals always share news about the child’s day, for example when the child is picked up. We also use the DaisyFamily app to share everyday information and keep in touch with guardians.
Every year, we ask Pilke families to share their experiences through our customer surveys. In 2026, we received an excellent overall rating of 4.4 out of 5.
Does the daycare have a special focus, and is it right for my child?
Many daycares have a particular educational focus, such as physical activity, nature, music or art. These focus areas are designed to encourage children’s natural curiosity and inspire an interest in learning and new experiences.
During your visit, it is worth asking:
- How does the daycare’s special focus show in everyday activities?
- Do all children take part in the activities?
- How does the focus support children’s learning and wellbeing?
Pilke also has language daycares. Some of our daycares operate entirely in English or Swedish, while others provide bilingual early childhood education in Finnish and English.
Explore the different focus areas at Pilke daycares and discover how they enrich children’s everyday experiences. High-quality early childhood education is at the heart of everything we do at all Pilke daycares, whether or not a daycare has a particular focus.
How does the daycare arrange substitute staff?
A safe and secure daycare experience is built around familiar people and predictable routines. This is why it is also worth discussing the daycare’s arrangements for substitute staff during your visit.
You can ask questions such as:
- How quickly can a substitute be arranged when a staff member is absent?
- Do you use familiar substitute staff whenever possible?
- Do staff absences affect the group’s activities or daily programme?
Well-planned practices help everyday life at the daycare run smoothly even when unexpected situations arise.
What is the daycare’s pedagogical approach?
In early childhood education, children learn above all through play, interaction and doing things together. Individual daycares may have their own areas of emphasis, but their work is always based on Finland’s national objectives for early childhood education and care.
During your visit, you can ask questions such as:
- What does a typical day at the daycare look like?
- How are children’s interests reflected in the activities?
- How do you take each child’s individual development into account?
Families’ expectations are very reasonable. They hope for genuine encounters, warm interaction and cooperation that puts the child’s best interests first.
Riikka Mattsson
Director of Customer Relations, Pilke Daycares
How are children who need additional support taken into account?
Every child has the right to receive the support they need in their own early childhood education environment. A child may need support in areas such as language development, learning or interaction.
During your visit, it is worth asking:
- How do you identify a child’s need for support?
- How do you work together with parents and guardians?
- What specialist expertise is available at the daycare?
Open discussion can help identify suitable forms of support based on the child’s individual needs, even before the child starts early childhood education.
How much does daycare cost, and what financial support is available?
Many families are surprised to learn that the fee for private daycare can be very similar to the fee for municipal daycare. The amount you pay is mainly determined by your family’s size and income and the number of hours your child attends daycare.
Depending on your municipality of residence, support towards the daycare fee may be available either through a municipal service voucher or Kela’s private daycare allowance.
During your visit, it is worth asking:
- How much is the daycare fee?
- Are meals, excursions and materials included in the fee?
- What financial support is available in my municipality?
How can I arrange a visit to a daycare?
A daycare visit is a great opportunity to see the facilities, meet the staff and learn about the group’s everyday routines before applying for a daycare place. You can also ask any questions you may have and get a feel for everyday life at the daycare. A visit can help you decide whether the daycare feels like the right choice for your child and family.
In addition to asking your questions, pay attention to things such as:
- how the educators interact with the children
- what the interaction between children and adults is like
- whether the children seem happy and comfortable
- whether the atmosphere feels calm and safe.
Your own impression matters when choosing a daycare, too. When the environment feels safe and communication with the staff feels natural, it can be easier to feel confident that your child will have a positive start to early childhood education. After your visit, the next step is to apply for a daycare place.
You can find Pilke daycares that may suit your family using our daycare map. Book a daycare visit online or contact the daycare directly.