This group is for children aged 3 to 5 years old of different abilities in Finnish. We learn about Finnish culture, activate children to use Finnish and learn new vocabulary through play, singing, reading, crafts and drama. Classes are fun, relaxed and full of activities. It’s a great way to meet other children with similar backgrounds and learn Finnish language and culture. All classes have a different theme and in every class we sing and play familiar songs and games. The focus in this group is to have fun together whilst building everyone's confidence to use Finnish. 

Hi! I'm Tiia and I run the younger children's group at the Bristol Finnish School.

I studied Finnish language and literature at university and worked for a couple of years as a Finnish teacher in Finland, before discovering my other passion in the food industry. However, my love for the Finnish language and teaching has never disappeared.

I have already lived in the UK for over 10 years. I am a mother to a bilingual girl, and through my own child, it has become even more important to me that the Finnish language and culture are part of our everyday lives. I want my child to know her roots and to be able to communicate fluently with her relatives living in Finland as well.

I find it incredibly rewarding to follow a child's language development, and I love constantly learning more about how we can best support children's bilingualism.

It is easy to join the toddlers' classes to learn and play. We sing, play games, read Finnish books, do crafts, and play various games. You can join the classes regardless of your language proficiency—the most important thing is that the Finnish language becomes familiar and that it is fun to use together.

Hope to see you soon at the Finnish School!