Smart Work 2026: Increasing Physical Activity at Sairio Early Education Centre
The Smart Work page presents everyday innovations and success stories developed by the employees of the City of Hämeenlinna.
Sairio Early Education Centre is a small unit on the edge of the Aulanko forest, which offers fantastic opportunities for forest outings. Even so, it has felt like the children get very little physical activity. On our outings, we walk along the trails. We wanted to change that—why not run instead? So the first staff member can challenge the children to run, running alongside them. Those who aren’t yet able to keep up can follow at their own pace. Of course, once one child starts moving, it sets off a fun chain reaction, and soon several children are charging ahead, cheering as they go.
There are only three groups at Sairio Early Education Centre. We’ve begun developing cooperation in the area of physical activity—slowly, but surely. There’s equipment in storage; it just needs to be brought out and shown to the children, so we can demonstrate what can be done with it. We do this together, encouraging the children as we go. We’ve already tried a play parachute together, played floorball, and kicked footballs around. We’ve practised tag games as well as traditional mirror and colour games. But we’d like to add much more physical activity throughout the week.
It seems that many children gravitate towards the spider swing—it’s easy and lets them just relax while swinging. The sandbox is also popular. Bicycles get the children moving, letting them ride up and down the slope in the yard. But these activities tend to be rather limited. We’ve tried to organise guided physical activity at least once a week, so we can teach the children all the different things they can do in the yard.
We’ve taken music sessions involving movement out into the forest and the yard. The children have really enjoyed these. 1-2-3-Go! We’re still just getting started, but we’re enthusiastically working on developing more physical activities that children from different groups can join in on. In addition to the children, the entire daycare staff is also being challenged to get moving.
Parents could also be encouraged to bring their children to daycare without a car. Perhaps a game of tag for parents and children during pick-up and drop-off? We’re still planning this, and it’s going to turn out well.
Developers
Tuula Lodvonen-Vekka and Veera Räsälä, Sairio Early Education Centre