Getting to know the daycare
New children are always welcome to visit the daycare together with a parent before starting. These visits help your child become familiar with the environment, teachers, and daily routines.
Please arrange the visit in advance with our staff so we can prepare for your arrival and ensure a calm experience for your child.
For younger children, or children with no prior experience in English-speaking daycare, we recommend a soft start with shorter days during the first week whenever possible.
Read more about starting daycare
A Smooth Start to Daycare
Two ways to start early education
We recommend one of the following approaches to starting daycare, depending on what feels best for your child and family:
Clear and confident drop-off
This approach works well when the child is prepared in advance. It is important to explain at home that the parent will leave and return later. Even if the child reacts during the morning drop-off, this is a normal part of starting daycare.
Our teachers will comfort and support your child, and most children settle down quickly after the parent has left. We can also send you a TouGo message or you can contact us to check how your child is doing during the day.
A short and clear goodbye is important. Staying too long can make separation more difficult. When the parent shows trust towards the daycare and staff, it helps the child feel safe and settle more easily
Starting daycare together with a parent
If you prefer, you can start daycare by joining your child for a few days.
We recommend arriving in the morning (around 9:00), staying together through the day’s activities and lunch, and then leaving together. This allows your child to explore the daycare environment with you nearby.
However, we do not recommend staying for a short period and then leaving the child during the same day. This can be confusing and stressful, as the child may anticipate the separation.
After the familiarisation period, the transition continues with a normal drop-off, as descriped in option one.
Our goal is to ensure that every child feels safe, supported, and confident when starting daycare. We work closely with families to find the best starting method and provide guidance throughout the process.
Typical day at Sunshine
At Sunshine Early Learning Centre, each day follows a clear and predictable routine that supports children’s wellbeing, learning, and sense of security.
Children are divided into small groups during the day, allowing for individual attention and age-appropriate activities. Our daily programme is a pedagogically guided balance of structured activities and free play.
Structured and balanced daycare day
Below you can see an example of a typical daycare schedule. Please note that the daily routine may vary slightly between groups depending on the children’s age and needs.
7:00 Daycare opens, free play
8:00-8:30 Breakfast
9:00 Morning circle
9:15 Activities and outdoor play / park
11:00-12:00 Lunch
12:00 Nap or rest time
13:30 Free play
14:00-14:30 Snack
14:30 Story time
15:30 Outdoor play / park
17:00 Daycare closes
Learning through play and everyday routines
Play is at the heart of our daycare pedagogy. Children learn through play, movement, creativity, and interaction with others, supported by caring adults.
Daily routines such as dressing, meals, and transitions are important learning moments that build independence, confidence, and social skills. English is naturally part of the day through play, conversations, songs, and stories.
Apply for daycare at Sunshine
Looking for an English-speaking daycare for your child? Send us an application, and we’ll be in touch to discuss your family’s needs, arrange a visit, and help you get to know everyday life at Sunshine.
