Daycare centre Sirius opened in Mikkeli’s residential area Kirkonvarkaus in October 2018

Sirius provides high-quality child-centred early childhood education and care for children aged 0–6 years at a warm-spirited daycare centre with 75 daycare places.

Early education at Sirius emphasises natural sciences, and the daycare centre’s science-orientation has been recorded in our early childhood education and care curriculum. Our everyday operation implements the scientific focus in various ways. For example, the play facilities are designed in a way that motivates and encourages exploration and experimentation. The daycare centre is equipped with a scientific play space where the young professors can conduct their studies with pipettes, loupes, test tubes and magnifying glasses among other fascinating instruments. Children’s play, creativity and the use of the senses are great platforms for practising scientific thinking that develops the children’s memory and learning skills.

At the science-oriented daycare centre, we find it important that the children learn to discover and explore and are provided with experiences of success – without forgetting the significance of play. The activities are planned taking account of the children’s ages, interests and safe courses of action. We emphasise wondering and exploring phenomena together with the children. We naturally reserve time for other versatile activities, such as singing, trips, drama, handicraft and painting, not to forget sufficient daily rest. Everyday pedagogy is part of every moment of our operation. It is present in pausing to wonder things together; counting peas in the salad bowl or experimenting with colours when painting. We value each unhurried moment we get to spend conversating, playing or just being silly while exploring the world together.