Albatross Daycare offers children a safe and open growth environment, where the child’s skills and knowledge can develop. Strengthening social skills and everyday life skills is central to our activities.
The daycare groups are arranged according to the age of the children. The teacher to child ratio is one teacher for seven children for over three years old and one teacher for four children for under three years old. Working in the team consists of an early childhood education teacher and an assistant teacher. In Albatross we call everyone by their first name and within the daycare all staff members are called teachers.
To ease the transition for children, the aim is at least one teacher will follow them as they progress from group to group. For those interested in finding out more information about a place in Albatross, please contact brian.crosby@albatrossdaycare.fi or +358 400 193 394
Puffins (1-2 year olds)
In this group we have 8 children with two teachers.
At this early stage in a child’s life, we focus on providing excellent care and developing their linguistic skills in English. The teachers in this group work on building relationships with the children, make them feel safe and happy and to provide a positive learning environment.
Penguins (2–3 year olds)
In this group there are 12 children with three teachers.
For many families, this is the start of taking their first steps in daycare life. One of the goals for this year is to focus on teaching the children daily life and social skills. Children learn to be in a group while taking their first steps to independency.
By the end of the academic year children are able to express themselves in simple sentences.
Parrots (3-4 year olds)
In this group there are 14 children, with two teachers.
With another year behind them, children are already familiar with daily life and routines in the daycare. The children’s personalities can be seen through their actions and activities.
By this stage, the child’s language skills have developed so that they can hold a conversation. Children start to express what they are interested in learning and work together with the teachers to further develop these interests.
If a child is coming to Albatross for the first time, the classroom teachers support the child in learning and speaking English, from the beginning. The other children are happy to assist the new child to settle into the group.
Finches (4-5 year olds)
This group has 14 children with two teachers.
The children continue their development working in a group and independently. The children’s language skills are constantly developing so that they are able to express themselves.
Free play is still an important part of everyday life although the children will begin to focus on small projects throughout the year.
Hawks (5 year olds)
In this group there are 21 children with three teachers.
The child’s skills and knowledge have developed so that activities happen both in big and small groups. During the academic year children start to go on longer field trips such as ice-skating, museums and theatre. Language skills are very versatile at this stage and children’s independence is rapidly developing. Children in this group also start becoming familiar with the Finnish language through songs and rhymes.
If a child is coming to Albatross for the first time, teachers have time to support those children in developing their English skill. Sometimes five years old are hesitant in using a new language, but the development can be fast.
