START IN OUR KINDERGARTEN
Starting at
a new kindergarten is a big event for a child and often for the whole family.
We want to ensure a smooth and comfortable start for every child and family in
our kindergarten.
We have put
together some tips here to help guardians make it easier for their child to
start kindergarten. In this way, we can help ensure the best possible start to
early childhood education or pre-school education with us!
What should you consider when starting kindergarten?
THE CHILD'S CLOTHING
Your child will need a change of clothes for kindergarten:
- trousers and shirt, socks and underwear
- good indoor footwear that support the feet
- rubber boots and other weatherproof shoes
- rain trousers and raincoat or rainproof overalls, plus rain gloves
- weather-appropriate headgear, both in summer and winter
NAME ON CLOTHING
It is a good idea to put a name, preferably first and last, on all your child's clothes. You can write the name on the clothing tag or order name stickers to be attached to the clothes.
APPLY FOR PRIVATE DAY CARE ALLOWANCE
After
signing the early childhood education and care contract, the family can apply
for a private care allowance from KELA. It is advisable to apply for a private
childcare allowance in good time, as it can take a while to receive a decision.
Once the family has completed the application for private care allowance, the
director of the kindergarten must be informed (eel@saunalahti.fi). The
kindergarten director will fill in the provider's part of the application,
after which KELA will send the decision to the family.
APPLY FOR THE SIBLING ALLOWANCE
If your
family is entitled to a sibling allowance, you should apply for it in good
time. The application form and the conditions for receiving the sibling
allowance can be found here.
RETURN THE COMPLETED WELCOME TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE FORM
When you start kindergarten, we will make an appointment for you and your family for a Welcome to Early Childhood Education and Care interview. The person in charge of your child's group will be in contact with the guardian(s). To support the discussion, you will be given a Welcome to Early Childhood Education form to fill in and return to the kindergarten in good time before the discussion.
RETURN THE COMPLETED KINDERGARTEN PHOTO PREMISSION FORM
The family will receive a kindergarten photo permission form to fill in. Parents can give permission for the kindergarten to use anonymous pictures of their child on the kindergarten's social media and website.
RETURN THE COMPLETED TINYAPP FORM
The family
will also receive a TinyApp photo permission form to fill in. Without it, we
will not be able to take pictures/videos of your child and send them to the
family via TinyApp. It is a good idea to submit the permission form to the
kindergarten shortly after the start date. TinyApp is a secure messaging
application.
FILL IN YOUR DETAILS IN THE TINYAPP MESSAGING APP
When your
child starts at our kindergarten, the family will receive an email invitation
to the TinyApp messaging app. It is a good idea to include at least the child's
photo, the phone numbers of the guardians, spare applicants and any allergies.
YOUR CHILD'S TOILET TRAINING
The child should be mostly toilet trained when starting at our kindergarten. We do not have the legally required facilities for diaper changing and related washing up. However, the child may still have a nappy on at naptime.
THE ROLE OF THE FAMILY IN SUPPORTING LANGUAGE
The role of
the family in supporting the child's native language is important. Especially
at the beginning of language immersion, a child may need an adult whose speech
he or she can understand, so the support of the family is invaluable. To ensure
the development of the native language, guardians should pay attention at home
to talking, reading and singing with the child in the native language.
SUPPORT OF THE GUARDIAN(S) WHEN STARTING KINDERGARTEN
The first
few days of a child's first day of kindergarten are important. Some children
are immediately excited to start doing things. Others want to take it easy. We
want each child to get to know the kindergarten environment in his or her own
way.
Guardians' support is important when a child starts at a new kindergarten. Guardians must show interest in the child's day and talk to the child at home every day about things related to the kindergarten; friends, play, food, and anything else related to the day. This will help to create a sense of security and a positive image of the new kindergarten for the child. And, of course, it also helps to hear if there is anything that is bothering your child. We hope to hear your child's thoughts at drop-off/pick-up, for example, so that we can best support your child in starting kindergarten.
It is good for the guardian to make it clear to the child that the adults at the kindergarten are always ready to help - they are there for that. Every adult understands the child, both in English and in Finnish. Gestures and pictures also help us to communicate.
The guardian may support the child's start in the kindergarten by being present during the first days, as desired. In addition, before the start of kindergarten, children can play in the playground, so that they become familiar with the playground before starting at the kindergarten.