About preschool
Engelska (ENG)
Preschool is for children between the ages of one and six. It should be fun, safe and educational for all the children who attend.
Preschool should provide stimulating activities that help your child's development, as well as enabling the children's guardians to combine family life with work or studies.
Preschool lays the foundations for lifelong learning
Preschool is the first step in the Swedish education system and is intended to lay the foundations for learning that continues throughout life. In preschool, children have the opportunity to develop and learn through play, creativity and exploration, on their own, in groups and with adults.
Teaching is led by preschool teachers, but other staff such as child minders may be present to help children develop and learn.
All preschools work on the basis of the Education Act and the preschool curriculum
All preschools must comply with the Education Act and the preschool curriculum.
The Education Act contains a chapter dedicated to preschools which includes instructions on the purpose of preschool education, when children must be offered preschool, size of groups and the environment, as well as special support and parent–teacher conferences.
The preschool curriculum describes what all children are entitled to during their time in preschool. It states, for example, that preschool education is to be carried out in a democratic manner and that children must have the opportunity to play and to influence their daily lives.
The preschool curriculum also states that care, development and learning must form the big picture. Teaching is to be planned or occur spontaneously, as children's development and learning takes place all the time. Preschool education must give your child the opportunity to develop in different areas, areas such as language, mathematics, health and sustainable development. Your preschool must also cooperate with you as a guardian.
Preschool curriculum on the Swedish National Agency for Education website (in Swedish)
Right to preschool on the Swedish National Agency for Education website (in Swedish)
Contact with you as a guardian (in Swedish)
Play is important at preschool
In preschool, play is central to all teaching, both children's spontaneous play and play introduced by staff. Through play, children can process impressions and develop their imaginations, creativity and ability to cooperate and communicate.
Care, development and learning
In preschool, care, development and learning must form the big picture. All children must be able to meet, play and learn together. Teaching is to be planned or occur spontaneously, because children's development and learning happens on a continuous basis. Through education, children must be given the opportunity to develop in many different areas, areas such as language, mathematics, health and sustainable development. Creating security for children, as well as their guardians, is also an important task for preschools so preschools must cooperate with their children’s guardians.
Preschool works with basic values
Preschool must lay the foundations for children to understand democracy. This includes their right to participation and influence, and to begin taking responsibility for their own actions. In preschool, children develop their capacity for empathy and concern for others. All children must be given equal opportunities and equal preconditions to develop their abilities and interests. The preschool must also work actively on gender equality.
Language development
In preschool, children develop their Swedish language skills. Children with mother tongues other than Swedish will also have the opportunity to develop these languages. If children are given the opportunity to develop their own mother tongue, they have a better chance of learning Swedish too. Children will be offered a stimulating linguistic environment, including being read aloud to, and talking about, texts.
Deaf children, children with hearing impairments and children who need sign language for other reasons will be supported in their language development in Swedish sign language.
Children belonging to national minorities will be supported in their language development in their national minority language as well as in the development of their cultural identity. Sweden's national minorities are defined as Jews, Roma, indigenous Sami, Sweden Finns and Tornedalians. In addition, children living in a Finnish, Meänkieli or Sami administrative district have the right to preschool education entirely or substantially in these minority languages.
Mathematics, science and technology
In preschool, children explore mathematics, science and technology. They do this by examining and considering, for example, different concepts and everyday problems. Children also develop their digital literacy and learn to be critical and responsible in relation to digital technologies.
Who attends preschool?
Preschool is voluntary, but municipalities must offer preschool to children from the age of one:
- if guardians are working or studying
- if guardians are unemployed or on parental leave
- if children have individual needs due to their family situations.
Children whose guardians are unemployed or on parental leave must be offered a place for at least three hours per day or 15 hours per week. Some municipalities offer more hours.
In addition, the municipality in which a child lives must offer preschool to:
- all children in the year of their third birthday (three hours per day)
- children who, for physical, mental or other reasons, need special support in their development.
If your child does not have a preschool place in the autumn of the year in which he/she turns three, your municipality must offer your child a preschool place:
- if your child was born abroad and has been living in Sweden for five years or less
- if you were born abroad, but are now resident in Sweden and have been here for no more than five years.
Your municipality must reserve the place for one month from the earliest date on which your child can start. You have the right to decline the placement. If your child does not start preschool, you will be offered a place each autumn until your child is five years old.
How much does preschool cost?
525 hours per year are free, starting in the autumn term of the year in which the child turns three. You, as a guardian, pay a charge for the time over and above these hours.
The cost of a place in preschool is decided by your municipality or the provider of the preschool services. The charge depends on the income of the guardians. However, there is an upper limit to how high the charge can be which is called the maximum rate.
Municipal and independent preschools
There are independent as well as municipal preschools. The municipality organizes its own preschools, independent preschools, however, may be organized by for example a limited company, a foundation or an association. The same rules apply to independent preschools as to municipal preschools.
Your municipality is responsible for:
- ensuring preschool places in the municipality for all the children who need them
- offering children a place in preschool
- verifying that all activities comply with quality and safety standards.
The Swedish Schools Inspectorate inspects municipal preschools municipal accountability for preschool activities and the preconditions provided by them.
Pedagogical orientations in preschool
Preschools may have or be inspired by different educational orientations so that they design their daily activities based on different ideas about people and how children learn.
Whatever their pedagogical orientation, all preschools must work on the basis of the preschool curriculum.
Pedagogical orientations in preschool (in English)
Applying for a preschool place
Your municipality can provide more information about municipal preschools. Contact your municipality to find out how to apply for a place in a municipal preschool. If you wish your child to attend an independent preschool, please contact the preschool in question directly.
Finding and comparing preschools
What is important to you as a guardian when choosing a preschool for your child? We have gathered information on what to consider as well as questions you might ask yourself and the preschool.
Facts and tips for finding and comparing preschools (in English)
Film: Pre-school is here for your child (3:57)
What is it like to go to preschool and what does your child learn? In this film, we follow Amir during an ordinary day at pre-school. The film is intended for those of you with preschool-aged children who do not have previous experience of the Swedish preschool system. Here you will find answers to questions frequently asked about preschool.
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