The ONNI Program
Helping pedagogy become everyday practice.
The ONNI Program is a research-informed pedagogical partnership built on Finnish early childhood education. It helps early childhood education providers strengthen pedagogy through teacher development, practical tools and meaningful collaboration with families.
Leading an early childhood education centre today means much more than providing care — it means creating an environment where children, educators and families can thrive together.
Many leaders face the same questions:
- How do we build parents' trust and clearly demonstrate the value of our pedagogy?
- How do we support educators in creating engaging, child-centred learning every day?
- How do we strengthen children's wellbeing while also meeting families' expectations?
- How can we improve quality without completely changing the way we already work?
If these questions sound familiar, you are not alone. Across the world, early childhood education providers are looking for practical ways to strengthen pedagogy while respecting their own curriculum, culture and context.
The ONNI Program is designed to support that journey. Inspired by Finnish early childhood education, it combines everything you need into one practical, research-informed program that is easy to integrate into your existing practice:
- A research-informed curriculum with ready-to-use lesson plans
- Teacher development that builds confidence and strengthens everyday pedagogy
- Parent education that creates shared understanding between home and the early childhood education centre
- Practical tools for monitoring progress and demonstrating development
Rather than introducing a completely new system, the ONNI Program strengthens what already exists—helping high-quality pedagogy become part of everyday practice.
Within just a few months, many of our partners experience:
- More confident and motivated educators
- Stronger collaboration between educators and families
- Children who thrive in safe, joyful and engaging learning environments
- Greater trust from families and a stronger reputation for the organisation
Building Stronger Pedagogy Together
The ONNI Program combines these four elements into one practical, research-informed partnership that helps early childhood education providers strengthen pedagogy in everyday practice.
Understand Your Goals
Every early childhood education centre is different. We begin by understanding your goals, strengths and development priorities to ensure the ONNI Program supports your unique context.
During the first month, your team completes the ONNI Goal Survey, giving us a clear picture of your current practice. Together, we identify key development areas and create a shared roadmap for strengthening pedagogy.
Rather than evaluating your centre, the survey helps us understand where we can create the greatest impact together.
Supporting Everyday Practice
The ONNI Curriculum and ready-to-use lesson plans make it easy to bring Finnish-inspired pedagogy into everyday learning.
Built around phenomenon-based learning, the curriculum encourages curiosity, creativity and active participation while supporting children's holistic development.
Rather than replacing your existing curriculum, ONNI strengthens it with practical ideas, ready-to-use lesson plans and research-informed pedagogical approaches that fit naturally into everyday practice.
Empowering Educators
High-quality pedagogy begins with confident educators. Through expert guidance, practical tools and ongoing support, teachers gain the knowledge and confidence to bring research-informed, child-centred pedagogy into everyday practice.
The ONNI Teacher Training combines Finnish educational expertise with practical classroom strategies that educators can apply immediately.
Professional Recognition
All participants who successfully complete the ONNI Teacher Training Program will be certified and awarded with a Diploma. This symbolizes the teacher's dedication to enhancing early childhood education and their commitment to fostering holistic development and well-being in young learners.
Strengthening Home and School Together
Strengthening Home and School Together
Children benefit most when educators and families share the same understanding of learning and wellbeing.
The How to Raise Happy Kids course helps parents understand child development, play, motivation and wellbeing through practical, research-informed guidance inspired by Finnish early childhood education.
Together, educators and families build a shared understanding that supports children's learning and wellbeing both at home and in the early childhood education centre.
How ONNI Transforms Early Education?
Onni Education has been an incredible partner in enhancing our curriculum. Their expertise and resources have made learning more engaging and impactful for our children and It has empowered our educators to evolve in their professional journey.
We truly value Onni Education as a trusted partner in our mission to provide world-class early education.
Sikander Singh Thakur
Founder, Director
Kinder Pandas Playschool, India
After implementing the ONNI Program, we saw a huge shift in how parents engaged with our school.
Phuong Phan
Director
Tan Thoi Dai, Nguyen Xien, Vietnam
Our teachers feel more confident, and children are more engaged in learning!
Nguyén Thi Tó Ván
Director
Tan Thoi Dai, Nguyen Xien, Vietnam
Questions We Help Early Childhood Education Providers Solve
1. How can early childhood education leaders and educators build parents' trust in play-based learning?
Many families hope to see early academic results such as reading and writing at an early age. Research shows, however, that strong foundations for later learning are built through play. Play supports children's language development, problem-solving, creativity, self-regulation and motivation to learn.
The ONNI Program helps educators and families build a shared understanding by offering:
- Practical strategies that help educators communicate the value of play-based learning with confidence.
- Ready-to-use lesson plans that make children's learning visible and easier to share with families.
- The How to Raise Happy Kids parent course, which helps families better understand child development and strengthens the connection between home and the early childhood education centre.
2. How can educators combine local curriculum requirements with Finnish pedagogy?
Every early childhood education system has its own curriculum, expectations and cultural context. Many educators wonder how they can introduce Finnish-inspired pedagogy without replacing what already works.
The ONNI Program is designed to complement your existing curriculum—not replace it. It helps educators strengthen everyday practice by combining local learning goals with research-informed approaches inspired by Finnish early childhood education.
The ONNI Program supports educators through:
- A research-informed curriculum and ready-to-use lesson plans that can be integrated into your existing curriculum.
- Teacher development that combines educational research with practical classroom strategies educators can apply immediately.
- Ongoing pedagogical support and materials that help educators build confidence while strengthening everyday practice.
3. How can leaders monitor progress and demonstrate the impact of pedagogical development?
One of the biggest challenges for education leaders is showing that pedagogical development is making a meaningful difference—for children, educators and families alike.
The ONNI Goal Survey supports leadership teams by:
- Identifying strengths and development priorities across the early childhood education centre.
- Monitoring progress over time and making pedagogical development visible.
- Providing meaningful evidence that can be shared with educators, families and other stakeholders to demonstrate the impact of high-quality pedagogy.
Let's explore how ONNI can support your early childhood education centre.
Schedule a free consultation and discover how you can improve quality, strengthen your reputation, and make parents more engaged.
ONNI Consulting
We are a team of education professionals with expertise in early childhood and primary education. At the heart of everything we do is to promote children's happiness and wellbeing worldwide. We are happy to assist you in these topics with everything you need guidance or support with.
We do, for example:
Workshops
Study visits and training in your education facility
Virtual and live tours in Finnish kindergartens and schools
Price: ~100 e/hour, depending on the service
Experience Finnish Education Firsthand
ONNI Education invites education professionals and organizations worldwide to explore the world-renowned Finnish education system through our ONNI Finland Visits.
Contact us!
Are you interested in ONNI program or consulting?
Let us know and we will contact you.
