Last week, we started exploring what true experiential lesson plans look like in practice through the Kindiedays theme All About Me.

This week, we continue our journey with a completely different—but equally exciting—theme:

ANIMALS 🦋🐘🐶

Animals are naturally fascinating to children. They fly, swim, crawl, jump, and run. Some are tiny enough to sit on a flower, while others are bigger than a house. Some live with us, while others live in forests, oceans, deserts or jungles far away.

This natural curiosity makes Animals an ideal theme for experiential learning.

But experiential learning is not simply about choosing a fun animal activity.

For quality early childhood education, activities need to be purposeful, goal-oriented and connected to children's holistic development.

Kindiedays brings educational methods inspired by the Finnish curriculum into vibrant, interactive Lesson Plans that combine clear learning objectives with practical, hands-on classroom experiences.

One theme – many opportunities for learning

Theme-based learning helps children connect different areas of knowledge instead of experiencing them as separate subjects.

With the Animals theme, children can explore questions such as:

• How do animals grow?
• Where do different animals live?
• How do animals move?
• What sounds do they make?
• What do they eat?
• How are animals different from each other?
• How should we care for animals and nature?

Learning can happen through stories, discussions, movement, art, music, observation, investigation, and play. Children are not simply told facts about animals.

They experience, explore, create, move, communicate and discover.

That is the essence of experiential learning.

Finding the right solutions to improve your preschool used to require a lot of work.

You searched Google. Visited dozens of websites. Downloaded brochures. Watched videos. Asked other preschool owners for recommendations. Contacted suppliers. And then tried to understand how very different solutions compared with each other.

Today, searching for information with the help of AI is extremely powerful.

Instead of knowing exactly what product or solution category to search for, you can simply explain your situation.

For example:

"I run an independent private preschool in India with 150 children. We want to move from worksheet-based teaching towards playful and experiential learning. We need a better curriculum, practical lesson plans and teacher training, but we want to keep our own preschool brand. What kinds of solutions should I consider?"

AI can help you understand the alternatives, discover potential providers, compare different approaches and—perhaps most importantly—identify questions you didn't even know you should be asking.

In fact, this entire blog post—including the customer journey, recommendations and enclosed image—has been created with AI.

Consider this blog an example of how you can use AI as a research assistant when making an important decision for your preschool. In Google Search, always select AI Mode.

But don't ask AI simply, "Who is the best provider?"

Use it to help you follow a systematic journey towards a playful learning environment. Here are eight steps to follow.

For quality education, teaching activities must be goal-oriented and systematic.

Kindiedays incorporates the educational methods of the Finnish curriculum into vibrant, interactive Lesson Plans, integrating practical, hands-on classroom experiences.

The Lessons are also connected to 5 learning areas and their objectives derived from the Finnish National Curriculum. However, the learning areas and objectives are often similar to other international curricula and can easily be used in any Early Learning Center.

Kindiedays Theme-based lesson plans

Theme-based lessons make learning engaging and meaningful for children. By exploring a central theme, children can see how different subjects are connected, participate in hands-on activities, and develop their language, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

Themes provide context for learning, allowing children to relate new information to their own experiences. This fosters motivation, active participation, and a deeper understanding of the subject matter, laying a strong foundation for future learning.

Kindiedays Lesson Plans are categorized into 8 captivating themes, including All about me, Season and Weather, Animals, Community Helpers, Sea, Environment, Around the World, and Transportation.

Today we dig into the theme "All about me".

All about me

Why is the theme about children themselves important? Why is it important for children to learn what makes them (and their peers) special and unique?

But what does playful learning actually mean?

• Is it simply giving children more time to play?
• Does it mean abandoning academic learning?
• How can children develop literacy, numeracy, and other essential skills through play?
• And how do teachers ensure that every child is progressing?

Playful learning is much more than a trend or a marketing phrase. When implemented well, it is a carefully planned educational approach that combines children's natural curiosity with clear learning objectives, helping them develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they need for lifelong success.

Let's explore what playful learning really means—and why it is changing the future of preschool education.

What is playful learning?

Playful learning is much more than simply allowing children to play.