Nature-oriented daycare centre Pilke Solmu opened in Saarijärvi in August 2020.

The warm-spirited daycare centre Solmu will provide high-quality child-centred early childhood education and care for 76 children aged 0–5 years. The services are provided in a brand-new log building as a response to the growing need for daycare facilities with clean indoor air. In the ecological log-built daycare centre, children get to enjoy fresh indoor air, good acoustics and the calm, peaceful atmosphere created by solid wood elements. The healthy environment is good for the senses and increases the everyday well-being of both the children and the educators.

At nature-oriented daycare centre Solmu, children participate in a wide variety of outdoor activities, come rain or shine. The activities place emphasis on wondering and exploring various natural phenomena. The daycare centre’s operation is based on play, common activities and paying attention to the children’s ideas. Everyday phenomena experienced and perceived by the children form the cornerstone of learning. Imagination, recycling and the use of nature’s gifts as part of play and learning are an integral part of the daycare centre’s everyday operation.

Pilke Solmu emphasises physical exercise as well; the objective is to help children find the joy of exercise and adopt a sporty lifestyle. The sports-orientation is implemented in the daycare centre’s everyday operation through trips, daily yard games, weekly musical movement activities and instructed exercise.

We naturally reserve time also for other versatile activities, such as singing, drama, handicraft and painting, not to forget sufficient daily rest. Everyday pedagogy is part of every moment of the daycare centre’s 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.