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India has taken a bold and commendable step toward transforming early childhood education.
With the joint launch of the India Early Childhood Excellence Index 2025 by the Association of Indian Principals (AIP) and the Confederation for Quality in Early Childhood Care & Education (CQ-ECCE), the country is now setting clear benchmarks to measure and enhance the quality of education in the foundational years.
This is not just a policy initiative — it's a movement.
For private preschool owners, educators, and curriculum leaders across India, the Index provides a strong framework for quality assurance and continuous improvement. But to truly bring this vision to life, preschools need proven models, practical tools, and a deep understanding of what quality looks like in practice.
That’s where we believe Finland’s best practices in early childhood education can offer valuable inspiration — and practical guidance.
Why This Index Matters for Private Preschools in India
The India Early Childhood Excellence Index 2025 defines essential parameters for high-quality preschool education, including:
- Holistic child development
- Age-appropriate pedagogy
- Learning through play
- Trained and empowered teachers
- Parent engagement and transparency
- Safe and stimulating learning environments
These are not just lofty goals. They are the foundation of a preschool’s reputation, its ability to attract discerning parents, and ultimately, its long-term success.
By adopting the measures defined in the Index, private preschools can:
- Stand out in a competitive market
- Offer evidence of high-quality education to parents
- Build a consistent and scalable teaching model
- Invest in their teachers' professional growth
This is the perfect moment for preschool leaders to ask: “How can we bring these principles to life in our own classrooms?”
And Finland — widely regarded as the global leader in early childhood education — has already walked this path.
Finland: A World Leader in Early Childhood Education
Finland’s early childhood system is admired around the world for its:
- Play-based learning approach
- Focus on holistic development
- High teacher professionalism
- Strong child–teacher–parent partnerships
- Well-being as the foundation of learning
What makes the Finnish approach truly powerful is its practicality and adaptability. Rather than relying on rigid academic milestones, Finland focuses on nurturing curiosity, creativity, emotional well-being, and social skills — exactly the qualities that the new Indian Index now promotes.
Let’s explore some of these best practices and how they align with the Indian vision.
1. Playful Learning: The Heart of Quality Education
The Indian Index emphasizes age-appropriate pedagogy and learning through play, echoing one of the strongest principles of Finnish education.
In Finland, play is considered the most natural and effective way for young children to learn. Play encourages exploration, language development, problem-solving, cooperation, and emotional regulation.
How Indian Preschools Can Apply This:
Replace worksheet-based lessons with hands-on activities, role-play, story-based learning, and guided exploration. Utilize Theme-based lesson plans that incorporate play into core areas, such as language, math, and life skills.
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2. Learning Stories: A Powerful Way to Show Progress
Finland uses learning stories to document children’s development in a personalized and meaningful way. These stories highlight strengths, interests, and social growth, rather than simply reporting academic results.
How Indian Preschools Can Apply This:
Adopt a Digital learning portfolio approach where teachers can share each child’s progress with parents in the form of photos, videos, and narrative observations. This not only involves parents but also builds trust and transparency.
3. Teacher Empowerment: The Key to Quality
In Finland, preschool teachers are highly trained, deeply respected, and supported with ongoing professional development.
The Indian Index also places strong emphasis on teacher training and pedagogical quality. However, many preschool teachers in India lack access to structured learning opportunities or updated methods.
How Indian Preschools Can Apply This:
Invest in regular teacher development programs focused on child-centered planning, positive guidance, and activity-based teaching. Online workshops and guided learning communities, such as the Kindiedays Academy, can play a crucial role in upskilling teachers affordably and flexibly.
4. Parental Engagement: Building Trust and Value
In Finland, parents are active partners in the learning journey. Communication is regular, transparent, and focused on the child’s development and well-being.
How Indian Preschools Can Apply This:
Move beyond basic parent-teacher meetings. Share daily learning updates, celebrate small achievements, and help parents understand the “why” behind your teaching methods. Utilize Digital Tools to make this process seamless.
5. Digital Tools for Holistic Learning
In Finland, technology is not used for passive screen time, but as a support system for teachers, helping them observe, plan, and document learning more effectively.
This is where Kindiedays comes in.
Our digital platform, developed in Finland, is designed to bring Finnish pedagogy to life in practical ways for Indian preschools:
- Lesson plans inspired by play-based learning
- Digital learning portfolios for every child
- Tools for teacher planning and reflection
- Daily communication tools to engage parents
- Workshops for teachers to build fundamental skills
By adopting tools like Kindiedays, preschools can align quickly with the India ECCE Excellence Index, while also delivering the proven results of Finland’s educational approach.
A Call to Action for India’s Preschool Leaders
India’s Early Childhood Excellence Index 2025 sets a powerful direction. But success depends on implementation — in classrooms, by teachers, every day.
This is your opportunity as a preschool leader to:
- Take inspiration from the world’s best practices
- Equip your teachers with the right methods and tools
- Show parents you deliver quality that meets global standards
- Build a preschool that not only complies but thrives
At Kindiedays, we are proud to support this transformation.
Let’s work together to build a future where every Indian child gets the joyful, meaningful, and high-quality early education they deserve.
Let’s Talk
If you’d like to explore how your preschool can adopt Finland’s best practices and meet the new India ECCE benchmarks:
👉 Connect with our team on WhatsApp
👉 Schedule a Free Demo of Kindiedays
👉 Join our next teacher workshop cohort on Kindiedays Academy
Together, we can make high-quality early education a reality — one child, one classroom, one school at a time.
Team Kindiedays
PS Join our official WhatsApp group 👉 click HERE to join the group!