Is the Finnish Education Model Better at Building a Love of Learning?

Starting Kindergarten at Ages 7, or Even 8: The Evidence for Starting Academics Later. UPDATED  2025

Why Delaying "Formal Academics" May Give Students the Best Chance at Success

What is the optimal school starting age? This question has become increasingly relevant as educational systems worldwide grapple with the balance between academic rigor and child development. The Finnish education model offers compelling insights into why starting formal academics later may actually benefit students in the long run.

The Finnish Approach: Play Over Pressure

"Play is the work of the child." – Maria Montessori

In Finland, children between ages four and six may show intellectual curiosity and developmental readiness for reading, writing letters, numbers, and traditional school activities. However, they aren't required to attend formal kindergarten at this age. Instead, Finnish children enjoy Friluftsliv (literally "free air life"), where their primary job is to play and develop into happy, well-adjusted virtuous individuals.

Despite decades of research supporting the benefits of delaying formal learning, many educational systems continue to push academics earlier and harder. Research shows that the social-emotional benefits of starting academics later include greatly reduced occurrences of ADD/ADHD, less stress, more intrinsically motivated learners, and happier students who thrive academically.

Finland's 2016 Educational Revolution: Phenomenon-Based Learning

Finland implemented a groundbreaking curriculum reform in 2016 that introduced phenomenon-based learning and seven broad-based transversal competencies. This approach moves beyond traditional subject silos, instead organizing learning around real-world phenomena that naturally integrate multiple disciplines.

The seven transversal competencies include:

1. Thinking and Learning to Learn
2. Cultural Competencies, Interaction, and Self-expression
3. Self-care and Managing Everyday Life
4. Multiliteracy
5. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Competence
6. Working Life Competence and Entrepreneurship
7. Participation, Involvement, and Building a Sustainable Future

This reform represents a fundamental shift from content-driven to competency-based education, preparing students for 21st-century challenges while maintaining Finland's commitment to play-based early learning.

What Children Miss in Rigid "Core" Kindergarten

According to education expert Lucy Ward in The Guardian, "Children should learn mainly through play until age of eight." Yet many kindergarten programs now require students to spend three and a half hours daily on literacy instruction, followed by an hour and a half on math, with only twenty minutes for physical activity.

Shockingly, just four weeks into their school careers, many kindergarteners face two standards-based tests—one in literacy and one in math—each containing 56 questions. This approach prioritizes data collection over genuine assessment of struggling or at-risk students.

What Gets Lost:

• Building strong relationships with students and teachers
• Learning to make friends and develop empathy
• Learning to get along with others and take turns
• Learning to work as a team member
• Learning organizational skills
• Learning self-care and responsibility

The Science Behind Play-Based Learning

Educational expert Regie Routman emphasizes: "Curriculum and standards must first connect with the lives and spirits of our children if we're to have any lasting success. Unless we reach into our students' hearts, we have no entry into their minds."

Research consistently shows that when children play, they develop crucial social, physical, cognitive, and emotional skills. Well-designed play experiences help children develop a genuine thirst for learning and increase their intrinsic motivation.

Finland's Balanced Approach to Technology

Contrary to trends in many countries, Finland has taken a measured approach to educational technology, aiming to be "the global leader in sustainable digitalization of education and training by 2027." Rather than flooding classrooms with devices, Finland emphasizes:

• Ethical technology use: Ensuring digital tools serve learning rather than replacing human connection
• Equal access: Using technology to bridge learning gaps rather than create them
• Sustainable development: Integrating environmental consciousness into digital literacy
• Age-appropriate integration: Recent initiatives like "Elements of AI" and adaptive learning apps are designed to complement, not replace, traditional learning methods

A Typical Day in Finnish Preschool

Finnish preschool (starting at age 6) operates on a four-hour day focused on outdoor discovery and free play. A typical morning might include:

9:30 AM - Morning Circle: Communal time for songs, sharing, dancing, and chants 10:30 AM - Free Choice Learning Stations:

• Arts and handicrafts
• Pretend play (like running a bakery)
• Building forts with sheets
• Outdoor exploration

During "bakery" play, children naturally engage with math concepts through:

• Handling pretend money
• Taking and organizing orders
• Counting and calculating change
• Problem-solving and communication

Teachers provide guided support when needed, but children remain in control of their learning pace and interests.

The Two Types of Learning

Finnish educators balance two essential learning approaches:

1. Free-form learning: Children playing in mud, exploring nature, engaging in unstructured activities
2. Guided learning: Teacher-supported activities that directly contribute to skill development while maintaining the element of fun

An old Finnish saying captures this philosophy: "Learning without fun is knowledge forgotten down the line."

The Research Evidence

Multiple studies support the Finnish approach:

The New Zealand Study

A comprehensive study compared 11-year-old students' reading abilities. One group started formal reading instruction at age five, while another began at seven. By age 11, both groups performed at identical levels—the later starters had completely caught up without any long-term disadvantage.

University of Virginia Research (1998-2010)

This 12-year longitudinal study tracked kindergarten teachers' perspectives on academic expectations. In 1998, only 30% of kindergarten teachers believed children should learn to read at this age. By 2010, this figure had jumped to 80%, reflecting a dramatic shift toward earlier academics—despite lacking evidence of long-term benefits.

The Scandinavian Advantage

One key to Finland's and Scandinavia's academic success lies in how parents engage with children: they talk, read, sing, play, and actively interact. All parents receive a minimum of two years of parental leave, allowing for crucial early bonding and development.

Scandinavian parents use rich, complex language, often communicating in two or three languages even with babies. Cultural phrases reflect their values:

• Danish: "leg godt" (play well)
• Norwegian: "Friluftsliv" (free air life/outdoor play)
• Finnish: "käsityön ystävät" (friends of crafts/handicrafts)

The Hidden Costs of Early Academics

Starting formal education too early may create several disadvantages:

Loss of Childhood

Early academic pressure robs children of crucial developmental time. As psychologist Alison Gopnik notes: "Asking questions is what brains were born to do, at least when we were young children. For young children, quite literally, seeking explanations is as deeply rooted a drive as seeking food or water."

Diminished Love of Learning

When teenagers are asked about their school experience, the majority report not enjoying it because education feels forced upon them. This attitude often traces back to years of mandatory curriculum and testing beginning in kindergarten.

Weakened Relationships

Early academic focus can prevent the development of strong student-teacher and peer relationships that form the foundation for effective learning communities.

The Benefits of Later Academic Start

Stronger Foundations

Children who start academics later often develop:

• More robust social skills
• Greater emotional regulation
• Stronger intrinsic motivation
• Better problem-solving abilities
• More creative thinking patterns

Relationship Building

Later starters have more time to develop crucial interpersonal skills, learning how group dynamics work and building stronger friendships before academic pressures mount.

Sustained Motivation

When children develop a genuine thirst for knowledge before formal academics begin, they become more efficient learners who maintain motivation throughout their educational journey.

Current Challenges and Future Directions

Despite overwhelming research supporting play-based early childhood education, many systems continue pushing academics earlier. Finland's recent education policies emphasize using digital tools as equalizers to help bridge learning gaps, but only when implemented with core educational values in mind.

The challenge lies in educating parents, teachers, and policymakers about the genuine value of play and the importance of developmentally appropriate practices.

Conclusion: Rethinking Educational Priorities

The evidence strongly suggests that starting formal academics later—while providing rich play-based learning experiences—may give children the best foundation for lifelong learning success. Finland's continued educational excellence, combined with their students' high levels of happiness and well-being, provides a compelling model.

As educator Debbie Miller wisely stated: "We cannot choose fidelity to a program, curriculum, or test over fidelity to a child."

The question isn't whether children can handle rigorous academics at age five—it's whether they should. Finland's phenomenon-based approach and transversal competencies demonstrate that we can prepare children for 21st-century challenges while still honoring their developmental needs and natural love of learning.

Perhaps it's time to follow Finland's lead: trust in play, invest in relationships, and remember that a strong foundation—built through joy and discovery—supports the tallest towers of learning.

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The ongoing evolution of Finnish education, including their 2016 curriculum reforms and balanced approach to educational technology, continues to provide valuable insights for educators and policymakers worldwide seeking to create learning environments that truly serve children's long-term development and success.