As schools across Finland reopen this week after the summer holidays, a significant change is making headlines: smartphones will be banned in classrooms across the country starting from August 2025. This move is part of a broader effort to restore focus in learning and reduce screen-related distractions. Still, a year ago, starting school meant getting a smartphone.

While the law mainly targets primary and secondary schools, the conversation around digital balance begins much earlier – already in preschool. As preschool educators and owners, it’s essential to ask: Are we doing enough to ensure young children are learning through social interaction and play – not passive screen time?

📘 What’s the New Law in Finland?

The Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture has confirmed several key changes:

• Smartphones can only be used for learning or health purposes – and only with teacher permission.
• Teachers now have the authority to confiscate phones if they disrupt learning.
• Schools must set clear rules on how and when phones can be stored or accessed.
• During breaks, schools are encouraged to offer alternative activities to keep students off their phones.
• Parents and teachers are expected to work together to promote a new culture of phone-free recreation.

📌 "The goal is to improve student focus and create a peaceful learning atmosphere," says Finland’s Ministry of Education.

These changes respond to increasing concerns in Finland that children and teens are spending too much time on phones—often more than four hours a day. Cyberbullying has also increased, linked to more frequent phone use during school hours.

🎒 But What About Preschoolers?