Development Priorities

In early childhood education, children’s daily outdoor activities, physical movement, and learning are being strengthened. The Oulu-based ‘Half Day Outdoors’ activity model supports a sustainable and active lifestyle by moving learning outdoors and utilizing the local environment. Daycares implement activities according to the annual calendar of physical education. Oulu also participates in the national ‘Active Early Childhood Education’ program.

The goal of education for a sustainable future is to strengthen the relationship with nature for children and staff and to increase awareness of the circular economy and climate competence, so that education for a sustainable future becomes part of the early childhood education culture.

Oulu’s ‘Stream of Sustainable Future Learning’ guides sustainability education in early childhood education. It is part of the City of Oulu’s early childhood education plan as well as the curricula for preschool, basic education, and upper secondary school.

Cultural education in Oulu is based on a broad understanding of culture, which includes knowledge, skills, customs, as well as the values and norms of society. For example, language, art, physical activity, and different worldviews and religions are all forms of culture. Children’s culture refers to both art created by children and art created for children, children’s own culture, and cultural offerings aimed at children.

On this page, you can find the Ilmaisun Iloa (Joy of Expression) materials created to support cultural education in early childhood education in Oulu. These materials encourage playful and participatory cultural education and inspire educators to take action!

The use of the Joy of Expression materials as part of cultural education in early childhood education is included in the local guidelines of Oulu’s Early Childhood Education and Pre-primary Education Curriculum. The materials were developed in the Taiteen taimet (Seeds of Art) ja kulttuurituutorit (Culturalt Tutors) project, funded by the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) and the City of Oulu.

STEAM pedagogy is an activity that combines science and technology education, mathematics, and the arts. STEAM is child-centered, creative, experimental, exploratory, and communal learning where children can solve problems and learn new things through hands-on activities and experimentation.

The Oulu STEAM Handbook and Guide for Early Childhood Education STEAM Activities guide the implementation of STEAM pedagogy in early childhood education.

Digital pedagogy promotes children’s multiliteracy, technological skills, and creativity. Strengthening digital competence advances educational equality for children.

Välkyt is an activity model created for early childhood education in the City of Oulu, through which digital pedagogy is implemented. The goal is to utilize digital tools to support pedagogy in every child group through collaborative activities; playing, moving, experimenting, exploring, and creating.

In early childhood education, digital devices and applications are used responsibly and safely to support children’s learning. In Oulu, digital daily life recommendations have been prepared for families.

The handbook for digital pedagogy in early childhood education compiles principles and jointly agreed guidelines related to the digitalization of early childhood education to support the work of the staff.

Alakööki and Heikinharju’s Luontokoto are development units of early childhood education in Oulu. You can find more information on the units’ websites by clicking the buttons below.

• Participate in and support the pedagogical activities of early childhood education units
• Implement functional learning modules in daycares and various learning environments, where children and staff can together explore and experiment with different ways of learning. These situations also serve as in-service training for staff.
• Act as experts in early childhood education in various networks and working groups