Parents of young children are paying closer attention to how preschools communicate. For today’s mid-income families, regular updates, clarity about learning, and trust in the school’s professionalism are no longer optional—they are expected. As a result, the communication system a preschool uses has become a visible signal of quality.

Why Communication Has Become a Key Quality Indicator

Parents want more than reminders and photos. They want to understand:

• What their child is learning
• How teachers support development
• How progress is observed and documented
• Whether their child’s information is handled responsibly

A preschool that communicates clearly, consistently, and securely is seen as organized, reliable, and serious about education.

Why Social Apps Are Not Designed for Preschool Communication

Consumer platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook are widely used for marketing and general updates, but they were never created for early childhood education or care.

These platforms are not suitable for:

In many early childhood settings, storybooks are read only once or twice a week. Often, once children begin learning letters or reading simple words, adults stop reading aloud to them.

But in Finnish early childhood education, story reading remains an important daily part of learning — even when children start reading independently.

Why?

Because books are not only about teaching children to read. They help children learn to think, communicate, imagine, and understand emotions.

Reading With Children, Not To Children

There is a big difference between reading to children and reading with children.

Reading with children means:

• asking questions,
• discussing pictures and characters,
• encouraging predictions,
• listening to children’s ideas,
• and making stories interactive.

In Finnish early childhood education, story time is often seen as a shared experience and conversation, not a quiet listening exercise.

How Do We Create a Love for Books?

Original article by Rahma Abudhais, Educational Development Leader of the Gulf Higher Education Network, published by GESS Education

In recent years, artificial intelligence has become an increasingly influential part of educational systems around the world. As schools explore new ways to integrate technology into teaching and learning, the presence of AI in classrooms has grown steadily. This shift has encouraged educators, parents, and policymakers to reconsider how learning happens and how children can be best supported in a world where digital tools are becoming more prominent.

While AI offers new opportunities for innovation, its impact is most meaningful when it is grounded in a clear understanding of how children learn, think, and develop.

What does it mean in Early Years?

The early years of education remain one of the most critical stages for cognitive, emotional, and social growth.

During this period, children’s brains form essential neural connections that support problem-solving, communication, creativity, and curiosity.

Introducing AI-related experiences during these years is not about teaching children complex technologies, but about helping them explore ideas, observe patterns, and engage with tools that encourage active learning.

When used thoughtfully, AI can become a supportive element that enriches children’s natural learning processes rather than replacing them.

Research in early childhood education highlights the importance of hands-on exploration, sensory experiences, and meaningful interaction. These principles remain central even in the AI era.

Before children can understand how AI works, they must first develop foundational skills such as observing, questioning, predicting, and making connections.

What activities can support children's development?

Activities that involve simple robotics, pattern recognition, or interactive digital tools can support these skills by allowing children to experiment, test ideas, and see immediate results. Such experiences help children understand cause and effect, sequence, and problem solving — all of which are essential for later learning.

In early-year classrooms, AI-related learning often begins with guided exploration.

When teachers introduce tools such as simple robots or age-appropriate coding activities, children learn through observation, imitation, and experimentation. For example, a small programmable robot can encourage children to think about direction, sequence, and spatial awareness.

As they give the robot instructions and watch how it responds, they begin to understand how commands lead to actions. These experiences strengthen cognitive development and support early computational thinking in a playful and engaging way.

AI and robotics can support language and social skills

One of the key benefits of integrating AI-related activities in the early years is the development of language and communication skills.

When children work together to solve a problem or complete a task, they naturally engage in conversation, negotiation, and explanation. A simple activity involving a robot or digital tool can prompt children to use vocabulary related to movement, direction, prediction, and reasoning. 

Teachers can further support language development by asking open-ended questions such as: 

"What do you think will happen if we change this instruction?” or 
“Why do you think the robot stopped here?”

These questions encourage children to express their ideas, reflect on their thinking, and build confidence in communication.

Another important aspect of AI-related learning is developing persistence and resilience. When children experiment with digital tools, they often encounter mistakes or unexpected outcomes.

These moments provide valuable opportunities for learning. By encouraging children to try again, adjust their approach, and explore alternative solutions, teachers help them develop problem-solving skills and a positive attitude toward challenges.

This mindset is essential not only for understanding technology but for lifelong learning.

AI can support creativity and imagination

AI-related activities also support creativity and imagination. When children use digital tools to design, build, or explore, they extend their thinking beyond the physical classroom. For example, after exploring a simple AI tool that recognizes shapes or colors, children might create drawings, build models, or engage in role-play based on what they observe. These creative extensions allow children to connect technology with real-world experiences, deepening their understanding and encouraging imaginative thinking.

In diverse, multicultural environments, AI can also serve as a bridge to explore different cultures, languages, and perspectives. Digital tools can introduce children to global stories, images, and ideas, helping them develop awareness and appreciation for diversity. When children see technology used in ways that reflect different cultures and experiences, they begin to understand that AI is not just a machine but a tool shaped by human creativity and values.

The role of the teacher remains central in the AI era

While technology can support learning, it cannot replace the human connection, guidance, and understanding that educators provide. Teachers help children make sense of their experiences, ask meaningful questions, and build confidence. They ensure that AI is used in developmentally appropriate ways and that learning remains rooted in exploration, interaction, and play.

As AI continues to evolve, inspiring young minds requires a balanced approach that values both technological innovation and human development.

By creating learning environments that integrate AI thoughtfully, encourage curiosity, and support active engagement, educators can help children develop the skills they need for the future.

When children are given opportunities to explore, question, and imagine, they begin to see technology not as something that controls them, but as a tool they can understand, shape, and use creatively.

In this way, the AI era becomes not just a technological shift but an opportunity to inspire confident learners, critical thinkers, and imaginative problem solvers — children who are prepared not only to use technology but also to contribute meaningfully to the world around them.

By Rahma Abudhais 

What next

While technology can support learning, it cannot replace the human connection, guidance, and understanding that educators provide.  Learn more about how Kindiedays can support your preschool by combining Finnish early education principles, teacher workshops, digital tools, and lesson plans, tailored for challenger preschools. 

👉 Click here to schedule a consultative call on Zoom or contact me on WhatsApp!

I look forward to meeting you.

Milla van der Burgh

Kindiedays home page

Forward-looking preschools seek practical ways to move toward playful, experiential, child-centered learning—the learning young children truly need. 

But here is the real problem:

Most teachers have never been trained to implement these ideas in practice.

They receive textbooks or activity suggestions but lack the skills to translate them into meaningful classroom experiences.

This lack of practical training means that curriculum goals often remain on paper rather than materialize in the classroom.

A Practical Solution: Kindiedays Academy

Kindiedays Academy is a 10-workshop professional development program that builds teacher skills step by step—from classroom environment and language development to STEM, art, community learning, parent partnerships, and documentation.

Every workshop includes:

• Live teaching (never pre-recorded)
• Real examples from Finnish classrooms
• Hands-on participation
• Open discussion
• Q&A and problem-solving
• Practical implementation tasks to try with children

Teachers don’t just learn theory. They practice, apply, reflect, and transform the way they teach.

Next Cohort starts May 21st.

Download the Full Program and SIGN UP HERE

Workshop-by-Workshop: What Problem Each One Solves

Below is a clear breakdown of the problems each workshop addresses and the knowledge teachers gain.

Walk into almost any preschool today, and you will hear a similar statement from the center head or teachers:

“We follow activity-based learning.”

At first glance, this sounds exactly right. Parents like it. Teachers feel confident saying it. And compared to traditional worksheet-heavy methods, it certainly feels like progress.

But here is the uncomfortable truth preschool owners are beginning to face:

Doing activities is not the same as delivering learning.

🤔 And increasingly, parents are noticing the difference.

The Shift in Parent Expectations

Today, parents are asking deeper questions:

• What is my child actually learning?
• How is this helping their development?
• Why should I choose your preschool over another nearby option?

It means that “activity-based learning” is no longer a differentiator—it is just a basic expectation.

The Common Gap: Activity Without Purpose