Smart Work 2027: Areas of Learning in the Early Childhood Education Annual Wheel
The Smart Work page showcases everyday innovations and success stories developed by employees of the City of Hämeenlinna.
The development of the annual wheel began when I noticed I needed a clearer structure for the course and scheduling of the early childhood education year. I had noticed in discussions with my team that it is sometimes challenging to keep track of the even implementation of content across the areas of learning. Plenty of ready-made annual wheels were available, of course, but many of them focused on a specific topic or content area, such as physical activity or music, and I couldn’t quite find a version that worked for me.
In spring 2026, I set out to develop my own annual wheel that takes into account the areas of learning, various observance and theme days, and other factors that structure everyday life in early childhood education, such as parent evenings and curriculum discussions. The annual wheel also takes into account schedules coming from outside sources, such as content related to cooperation with the parish and the cultural path. I picked up ideas from the ready-made annual wheels I found, so that even the areas of learning less familiar to me would be covered comprehensively.
The annual wheel naturally developed monthly themes, under which the content of the different areas of learning is organised, inspired by the seasons and various theme days. The annual wheel is not strictly tied to a particular operating period or group of children; rather, it serves as an evolving and easily adaptable foundation for everyday planning. The result, I believe, is a highly functional guide and idea bank that makes my pedagogical planning work easier.
The annual wheel has already been updated a few times over the course of the autumn, and I believe it will continue to be a great help in planning and evaluating activities going forward. The annual wheel also helps with documenting activities and explaining content to guardians. It is easy to adapt to the needs of a group of children, and despite its comprehensiveness, it doesn’t create overly rigid frameworks for activities. It leaves room for seizing the moment and allows children’s interests to be taken into account.
Developer
Minttu Veikkola, early childhood education teacher, Hirsimäki Early Education Centre