A preschool learning environment is much more than colourful walls and toys. The entire ecosystem supports children’s holistic development through routines, interactions, materials, activities, and relationships. The most successful preschools intentionally design environments where children feel safe, curious, engaged, and supported.

A high-quality environment does not depend on expensive infrastructure. It depends on thoughtful planning and a clear understanding of how young children learn. This guide explores 8 topics that help preschool owners and teachers build a vibrant, structured, and developmentally appropriate learning environment. You can also join Kindiedays Academy online for interactive workshops where we explore these cornerstones. The next cohort starts on December 20th. Check Kindiedys Academy HERE.

1. A Child-Centred Philosophy

Every strong preschool begins with a child-centred approach—one that views children as active learners rather than passive receivers of information. This means:

• Activities encourage exploration
• Teachers guide instead of constantly instructing
• Children make choices within structured routines
• Learning happens through play, conversation, movement, and discovery

A child-centred philosophy creates confident, joyful learners who are genuinely ready for primary school.

2. Thoughtfully Designed Learning Spaces

The classroom should be divided into learning corners that reflect different developmental areas:

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.

Teachers ask

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.

Download the Full Program and SIGN UP HERE

We discussed with Heli Parhiala, Lead Expert, Educluster Finland, and Leena Merikallio, Academic Principal, Um Nasser Finland Preschool, their experiences with Kindiedays and their collaboration with Parents.

Tell a bit about your preschool.

Um Nasser Finland Preschool in Bahrain opened in January 2025 and provides early childhood education for children aged 2 to 5 years. It was established through a partnership between S Eleven Educational and EduCluster Finland, which is part of the University of Jyväskylä Group. The preschool follows the Finnish ECEC model of learning, with a Finnish Principal and Finnish mentor teachers working closely alongside local teachers to ensure high-quality education. Its approach emphasises holistic development, creativity, and the joy of learning, blending Finnish pedagogical expertise with Bahraini cultural values.

Why and how did you start using Kindiedays?

This year at DIDAC India, the Kindiedays team, with Milla, Stella, and Ranjan, had the opportunity to speak with hundreds of preschool owners, academic heads, coordinators, and teachers from all over the country. With the new NEP, it’s clear that preschools must rethink how learning happens. Owners and academic heads understand the direction, but they need support to turn the NEP’s ideas into practical changes in their classrooms. Across conversations, one theme repeatedly surfaced:

There is strong interest in playful learning—especially the way it is practiced in Finland—but many educators feel unsure about how to put it into action.

Below, we share the key insights from these conversations and how Kindiedays supports schools in navigating this exciting transition.

1. NEP has planted the seed, but practical guidance is still missing

Preschool owners told us they understand that NEP encourages more:

• playful learning
• experiential activities
• holistic development
• child-centered classrooms
• formative assessment

However, the gap lies in practical implementation.

Many said:

“We know what NEP wants, but we don’t know how to make it happen in the classroom.”

And this is where the challenge begins:

• Teachers have not been trained in playful, experiential methods.
• Lesson plans alone are not enough—teachers need practical, hands-on training.
• Changing teaching practices overnight is impossible without guidance, support, and time.

2. The Top-Down Structure in Indian Preschools Shapes Implementation

Teachers visiting our booth shared something sincere:

“We want to teach differently, but we don’t have the power to change things.”

In most Indian preschools:

• Owners and academic coordinators make decisions.
• Teachers follow the structure given to them.

This means real change must begin with leadership, not individual teachers.

The good news? Many owners who visited us want to make changes—they need a clear, achievable pathway.

At Kindiedays, we believe that the best professional development starts from teachers’ real experiences. This was precisely the case during our recent training at Peas in Pod preschool, where the educators’ voices shaped the entire session. Kindiedays Education Specialist Stella Giota shares her experiences and feedback from Peas in Pod's teachers.

Starting With What Matters to Teachers

The day began with teachers openly sharing the everyday challenges they face in their classrooms. What stood out immediately was how thoughtful, committed, and reflective the Peas in Pod team is.

They raised issues that many educators around the world relate to:

• How do we support children through conflicts?
• How can we build stronger bonds and trust?
• How do we keep young learners engaged—especially in big groups?
• How can we design activities that work for different children and needs?

These conversations created a strong sense of connection. Teachers realised they were not alone, and they appreciated having a safe, supportive space to reflect on their work.