Living well in Helsinki
Helsinki is among the world's cleanest, safest and most culture-oriented capitals.
Helsinki is a compact, yet spacious metropolis, and surrounded by the sea. Downtown Helsinki is easy to explore on foot or by tram and bus. The entire metropolis is served by a superb mass transit network, by bus, commuter train and metro, with plenty of park and ride facilities if you live further out. Europe's largest underground bus terminal serves over 150,000 commuters a day, with covered walkways connecting the downtown area. Snow or shine, you are connected. Our winter is a fact of life, but the infrastructure is designed for it.
Yes, we have relatively high personal taxation, but we get good value in healthcare, education, welfare and the preservation of life quality. That is why we value both the unspoiled nature of the land and sea around us, and our leisure time. We work hard, and then we play. You will enjoy living in multilingual Helsinki, if you feel the same about life as the Finns.
Finnish daycare almost as good as home
Most people would agree that nobody can look after a child like its own parents. The good news is that, in Finland, the daycare system comes a very close second to a child's own mum and dad. This helps improve the overall quality of life for the whole family.
The daycare system is also a good way to prepare a child for school. As a Nordic welfare state Finland is perfectly capable of guaranteeing this chance for parents and their children.
Finnish daycare facilities can offer their services between 6.30 in the morning and 18.00 in the evening, excluding public holidays and the summer holiday period. There are over 300 daycare facilities provided by the City of Helsinki, and nearly 60 private facilities. Foreign language daycare can be found in Helsinki in the following languages: English, Spanish, French, Swedish, German, and Russian.
Each daycare facility has its own unique play area equipped with at least a sandpit, a climbing frame and swings. Individual daycare facilities often arrange trips to local amenities such as children's theatres, museums or local parks. These trips are the day's highlight for the kids. Parents do not have to subsidise these trips because public transport is free in the capital area for children under seven. Therefore these trips are also quite cheap.
Food for the children is provided by the municipality, and the menus are available on the respective municipality web pages, so parents can see how their children are fed in daycare. Beds are provided by the daycare facility for children who still have a nap. The afternoon begins with a nutricious snack, and then the children go outside again to play until mum or dad arrives.