At Kindiedays, we believe that high-quality early childhood education is built on continuous learning. While the Kindiedays Academy provides educators with a strong foundation in Finnish early childhood education, professional growth does not end when the training programme is completed. 

This is why we created EduCafe—an exclusive professional learning community available only to Kindiedays Curriculum Partner Schools. 

What is EduCafe? 

EduCafe is a series of professional development sessions designed specifically for educators working in Kindiedays partner schools worldwide. 

Each EduCafe focuses on a different pedagogical topic and provides teachers with: 

• Research-based knowledge 
• Practical classroom ideas 
• Finnish educational perspectives 
• Opportunities for reflection and discussion 
• Ongoing support beyond the Kindiedays Academy 

The purpose of EduCafe is to help educators deepen their understanding of key concepts in early childhood education and confidently apply them in their daily practice. 

Most importantly, EduCafe ensures that learning continues long after teachers have completed the Kindiedays Academy. It allows educators to stay up to date, explore new topics, and continue growing professionally alongside a global community of fellow educators. 

EduCafe Topic: Technology & Screen Time in Early Childhood Education 

On Saturday, June 6th, educators from Kindiedays partner schools joined us for an engaging EduCafe session on Technology & Screen Time in Early Childhood Education. 

How to Build a Preschool That Parents Trust, Teachers Love, and Competitors Envy

As a preschool owner or leader, you probably spend very little time thinking about lesson plans, educational technology, or teacher training programmes.

What keeps you awake at night are questions like:

• How do I attract more admissions?
• How do I retain good teachers?
• How do I improve parent satisfaction?
• How do I stand out from competing schools?
• How do I maintain quality as my preschool grows?
• How do I build a reputation that generates referrals year after year?

These are business questions.

And the answer is not found in marketing alone. The strongest preschool brands are built on genuine educational quality that parents can see, teachers can deliver, and managers can maintain consistently.

At Kindiedays, we call this the preschool growth roadmap.

Based on best practices from Finland, it is a practical four-stage journey that helps preschools move from ambition to implementation, from implementation to growth, and from growth to long-term excellence.

Each stage builds upon the previous one, creating a strong foundation for sustainable success.

Stage 1: Build Teacher Confidence and Educational Quality

Start with Kindiedays Academy

Every successful preschool transformation begins with teachers. No curriculum, app, or management system can succeed if teachers do not understand how to create meaningful learning experiences. This is where the Kindiedays Academy becomes the starting point.

The Academy provides practical professional development grounded in Finnish early childhood education and tailored to the realities of modern preschools.

Teachers learn how to:

• Create engaging learning experiences
• Support children's holistic development
• Implement play-based learning effectively
• Observe and document learning
• Engage parents in the educational journey

For owners, the benefits go much further.

The Academy helps you:

• Build a common educational vision
• Increase teacher confidence
• Improve classroom quality
• Strengthen teacher retention
• Create a culture of continuous learning

When teachers become more confident, classrooms become more engaging -> When classrooms become more engaging, children thrive -> When children thrive, parents notice.

The Goal: Build quality inside the classroom.

Stage 2: Build Consistency Across the Preschool

Continue with the Kindiedays Learning System

Many preschools have talented teachers.

The real challenge is consistency.

• What happens when a teacher leaves?
• What happens when new teachers join?
• How do you ensure that every classroom delivers the same quality experience?
• How do you make educational quality visible to parents?

This is where many schools become stuck. Quality depends on individual teachers rather than on a shared system. The Kindiedays Learning System helps solve this challenge.

It combines:

• Academic calendars
• Ready-to-use lesson plans
• Learning objectives
• Observation tools
• Child portfolios
• Parent communication
• Quality dashboards

The result is a common framework that supports everyone.

Teachers gain clarity -> Managers gain visibility -> Parents gain confidence. -> Children benefit from consistent learning experiences.

Instead of relying on individual effort, quality becomes part of the school's daily operations. Educational quality becomes visible, measurable, and sustainable.

The Goal: Build consistency throughout the preschool.

Stage 3: Build Reputation, Growth, and Long-Term Success

Expand with Marketing & Operational Support

Once educational quality is established and consistently implemented, a new opportunity emerges. How do you turn quality into growth? Many excellent schools struggle because parents never fully understand the value they provide.

The quality exists - The communication does not.

Marketing & Operational Support helps preschools bridge this gap.

This stage includes services such as:

• Parent orientation sessions
• Marketing materials
• Preschool promotional videos
• Annual refresher training
• Quality reviews
• Operational guidance
• Ongoing support

These services help schools communicate their strengths more effectively while continuously improving their operations.

The result is not simply better marketing -> The result is a stronger preschool brand -> Parents begin to see the difference -> Teachers feel proud to work in the school -> Managers gain confidence in their systems -> Referrals increase -> Admissions become easier.

The preschool develops a reputation that becomes a competitive advantage.

The Goal: Build a reputation that drives sustainable growth.

Stage 4: Expand and Create More Value

Benefit from Kindiedays Partners

By this stage, your preschool has already built a strong foundation. Your teachers have developed new competencies. Your classrooms follow a consistent educational approach. Your parents understand and appreciate the value you provide. Your reputation is growing.

The next question becomes:

How can we continue to develop and differentiate our preschool?

This is where Kindiedays Partners can help.

Across different regions, Kindiedays works with carefully selected educational experts, consultants, trainers, and transformation specialists who provide complementary services that help preschools continue their growth journey.

These local partners understand the realities of your market and can provide practical support that complements the Kindiedays Learning System.

Depending on your needs, partner services may include:

• Educational consulting and advisory services
• Preschool transformation programmes
• Custom teacher and leadership training
• Implementation support
• Quality audits and improvement projects
• New learning materials and enrichment programmes

These services help preschools go beyond implementation and create their own unique strengths.

Some schools may focus on strengthening leadership. Others may want to improve parent engagement. Some may introduce new learning programmes or specialised areas of excellence. Others may use consulting support to prepare for expansion. The goal is not simply to add more services.

The goal is to create greater value for your children, families, teachers, and community.

At this stage, your preschool is no longer simply implementing a system.

You are continuously improving, innovating, and building a school that stands out in your local market.

The Goal: Expand your impact and create more value for the schools and communities you serve.

Your Preschool Growth Journey

The strongest preschools are not built through isolated initiatives. They are built through a clear vision, a practical roadmap, and a commitment to continuous improvement. The Kindiedays preschool growth roadmap helps you move through four stages of development:

Stage 1: Build Quality - Develop confident teachers and create engaging learning experiences.

Stage 2: Build Consistency - Implement systems, tools, and shared standards that make quality sustainable.

Stage 3: Build Reputation and Growth - Communicate your strengths, engage families, and create a recognised preschool brand.

Stage 4: Expand and Create More Value - Leverage specialised partner services, new learning materials, and transformation programmes to continue growing and differentiating your preschool.

What next?

👉 Learn more about how Kindiedays can support your preschool, combining Finnish early education principles, digital tools, lesson plans, and teacher workshops tailored for challenger preschools. 

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

I look forward to meeting you.

Milla van der Burgh

And What Finnish Early Childhood Education Actually Looks Like

When parents first hear about Finnish education, they are often curious—but also skeptical.

Questions quickly arise:

• “Do children only play all day?”
• “Will my child fall behind academically?”
• “Is there enough discipline?”
• “How can children learn without worksheets and exams?”

These concerns are completely understandable, especially in education systems where academic performance, homework, and early literacy are strongly emphasized from a young age.

"However, many common beliefs about Finnish education are based on misunderstandings. Finnish early childhood education is not about “less learning.” It is about understanding how young children learn best and building strong foundations for long-term development.", says Stella Giota, Education Specialist at Kindiedays.

Here are some of the biggest misconceptions parents often have about Finnish education—and the reality behind them.

Misconception 1: “Children Only Play All Day”

One of the most common misunderstandings is that play-based learning means children are simply left to play freely while teachers observe from a distance.

In reality, high-quality play-based learning is highly intentional.

Teachers carefully design the learning environment, prepare materials, ask questions, introduce challenges, and guide children’s thinking throughout activities. Learning goals are integrated into play experiences in meaningful ways.

For example:

In many preschools, lesson planning remains one of the biggest hidden pressures on educators.

At the same time, preschool owners and academic leaders are increasingly expected to demonstrate educational quality, intentional teaching, and visible learning outcomes to families.

The new Kindiedays Lesson Library helps preschools bring structure, consistency, and meaningful learning into everyday classroom practice

The Kindiedays Lesson Library was designed to support the full learning process of the Kindiedays Learning System.

Not simply by providing activities, but by helping educators move naturally from planning to teaching, observation, reflection, and assessment within one connected environment.

At the centre of the Lesson Library are ready-to-use, play-based lesson plans inspired by Finnish early childhood education.

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: