Little Heroes -concept

What is Little Heroes?

Little Heroes is an international kindergarten and preschool for children aged 1-6. The Finnish owned Kindergarten, which was founded in 2018, aims to provide children with an individual early childhood education in a diverse, multi-cultural environment.   In addition to the world's top early childhood education, the Little Heroes concept includes Chinese-language language showers, STEAM instruction in English, and learning periods around which the entire kindergarten's year of play and learning is built. 

The founders of the kindergarten felt that, although the early childhood education provided in Finland ranks amongst the highest quality in the world, there was a lack of choice for families who want their children to grow and develop in an international environment. It is from this idea that the Little Heroes concept took shape, and in 2018 the first concept daycare center was opened in Lauttasaari, Helsinki. The Lauttasaari unit made history from the very start, as the only Kindergarten to offer Chinese language showers. 

The goal of Little Heroes Kindergarten is to work together with the children’s parents, to raise well-rounded individuals who will go on to make valuable and lasting contributions to the global community. The concept aims to shape and build the individual's unique capabilities through skilled early childhood educators, the concept's strong values, the early childhood education plan (vasu), STEAM teaching, and Little Heroes learning periods. Equality next to diversity, in turn, tells us in the day-to-day life of the kindergarten that everyone should be treated the same and that Little Heroes Kindergarten offers children and staff equal opportunities to be themselves whilst realizing their potential 

The Little Heroes concept, along with the kindergarten’s daily routines, is built on three strong values. In their pedagogical work, the professional staff constantly emphasizes the importance of diversity, equality and trustboth in the daily life of the kindergarten and in life in general. All children are welcome in the kindergarten and diversity is supported in their daily interaction, both in the group and at the individual level. Equality on the side of diversity, in turn, tells us in the day-to-day life of the daycare that everyone should be treated the same and that Little Heroes daycare offers children and staff equal opportunities to exercise and express themselves.

Last, but not least, trust- is one of the most important cornerstones of the kindergarten. Trust enables the children to know they are in a safe environment where theirjoys and their worries can be shared with professional educators.

What are the Little Heroes
-learning periods?

What are Chinese language showers?

In order to provide an enriching international learning environment, the Little Heroes concept is based, not only in teaching in English but also on language showers. Language shower lessons are provided for children so that they can develop their language learning skills from a young age. At Little Heroes Kindergarten, children can choose to join Chinese language showers twicea week. The sessions are led by a native language teacher. The weekly lessons are tailored to suit each age group so that the content of language taught, is appropriate for each age group.

In previous years, the kindergarten has participated in the City of Helsinki's Chinese New Year celebration with a performance by the children.

What is an ECEC plan?

The basic pillar of the Finnish education system is high-quality early childhood education. Early childhood is one of the most intense periods of a child’s development and learning. Key developmental changes in an individual's development and learning take place before the child's school age, ie at kindergarten age. Therefore, what happens in children’s lives before school age is relevant to not only the child’s current, but future life.

Equally, the Little Heroes concept and the Finnish early childhood education plan have a strong focus on sensitive interaction, consideration of the child's interests and the creation of safe and trusting learning environments that allow the children to interact and to develop social skills. Providing such an environment, where each child feels safe to explore, interact with others and to be inquisitive, is key to ensuring effective and high-quality early childhood education.

The early childhood education plan is not only a pedagogical activity that supports the development of the group, but it also includes a significant part of activities aimed at supporting individual growth and development of the child. In the kindergarten, each child has his or her own personal early childhood education plan, vasu. This plan is made in collaboration with the guardians, the child and the early childhood education teacher.

In a child’s vasu, there is an opportunity to make visible each child’s individual strengths and capabilities, as well as other individual needs. Above all, the child's vasu is a pedagogical plan for how the child’s individual development is taken into account in relation to the educational activities. This plan is regularly evaluated through participation in kindergarten activities together with the child's parents. At Little Heroes Kindergarten, collaboration between the child, parents and early childhood educators is very important. According to the values ​​of the concept, various joys or worries can be brought up quickly and easily, and indeed in the daily communication, parents are encouraged to bring up any concerns that they may have.

What is STEAM?

The goal of international STEAM education is to guide the child to individual thinking, the ability to ask questions, the ability to discuss, and to present critical ideas. In the Little Heroes concept, STEAM teaching is included throughout the year of play and learning. STEAM teaching includes the main elements of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. Internationally known STEAM education has a positive impact on science learning for primary school children as well as on children’s critical and creative thinking.

What is the TinyApp?

The kindergarten's daily means of communication is the Finnish founded TinyApp. This application is the primary communication channel between thekindergarten and parents, through which all dailycommunication is handled.

What kind of daily routines?

Routines are central to children’s safe environment . Little Heroes Kindergarten opens 7.30 every morning and closes at 17.00.

Example of daily routines:

⏰ 07.30 💡 Daycare opens

⏰ 08.00 🍉 Delicious breakfast

⏰ 09.00 🥁 Morning circle 

⏰ 09.15 💫 Activities according to learning period topic

⏰ 11.00 🏃🏾 Moving to Lunch

⏰ 11.30 🍽️ Lunch 

⏰ 12.30 🛏️ Nap / rest time 

⏰ 14.30 🍎 Healthy snack

⏰ 15.00 🐞 Play time

⏰ 15.45 🌤️ Afternoon outdoor activities

⏰ 17.00 🚪 Daycare closes