Stuff for kids

Finland is renowned for products and solutions designed to enhance children’s development, safety and wellbeing. One of the most prominent examples is the “baby box”, a kit provided to every expectant mother in the country. Dating back to the 1930s, the pioneering initiative aimed at giving all children a healthy and equal start in life. Since then, Finland has come up with many other innovative solutions for kids that have seized global attention. Most recently, publishing house Into Kustannus, sound equipment specialist Genelec and audiobook studio Silencio introduced the world’s first 3D audio children’s book.

Below are five more Finnish innovations that cater to the needs of youngsters and families.

KEEP YOUR MEMORIES SAFE: KIDDAY

Baby diaries are still ink and paper for many parents, although the majority of photos, videos and even conversations are digital. The Finnish company Kidday has addressed the challenge with its mobile application designed to help families to capture and preserve children’s precious moments.

Helping to manage and organise digital memories, Kidday places a strong emphasis on privacy and data protection. All the content is securely stored and can be accessed only by authorised family members and friends.

“Our slogan is that every moment with your child is priceless,” co-founder Juho Nieminen told us a few years ago. “That’s why Kidday’s aim is to enable families to store and share those moments with others, and eventually with the children themselves.”

LEARN WITH MOOMINS: MOOMIN LANGUAGE SCHOOL

Created by educational technology company Playvation, Moomin Language School is a digital tool for learning the English language is targeted at kindergartens, preschools and schools globally. The service combines the enchanting world of the Moomins with proven educational methodologies to make language learning engaging and effective.

Moreover, Moomin Language School encourages creativity, cognitive development and cross-cultural understanding among children, offering them a window into new cultures.

“The Moomins have a supporting role in the service: the characters promote learning and join children on their journeys,” explained Anu Guttorm, CEO of Playvation.“The Moomins’ values include courageousness, equality and appreciation of nature. These are the kinds of values that are needed today around the globe.”

Playvation is just one of many Finnish companies to partner with Moomins to amplify the reach of their products and services.

HAVE A SAFE TRIP: KLIPPAN

Founded in 1959 to produce seat belts and moving into the child seat market in 1967, Klippan is a traditional company with a well-established clientele abroad. Klippan exports 80 per cent of its products, and one of its competitive edges is the rear-facing child seat, which, although already common in the Nordics, is generating considerable interest elsewhere due to its enhanced safety.

Klippan employs extensive crash testing and uses the latest technology to enhance the safety features of its products. Moreover, the company conducts continuous research, including in co-operation with VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, to innovate and improve its offering.

“We are a very small company, and there are plenty of other players in the market that are much bigger than us,” said CEO Hans Bäckström. “However, our small size is also a strength, as we can be agile and move forward with our product development without unnecessary delays.”

FASHIONABLE CHILDREN BY DESIGN: PAAPII DESIGN

What started as a sewing hobby eventually became PaaPii Design, a company well recognised for its playful and colourful designs in children’s clothing. PaaPii takes ethical and environmental aspects into account as much as possible, producing all garments at a Kokkola-based factory which runs on solar power.

In addition to a delightful range of children’s apparel and accessories, the company’s offering includes women’s clothing, home textiles as well as fabric sold by the metre – all characterised by distinctive, bold patterns that capture the imagination.

“PaaPii Design walks its own path without being dependent on trends or seasonal fashion,” stated founder and owner Anniina Isokangas. “We like to do things our way, and I hope that it’s that fun and original style that our customers recognise, too.”

PLAYING BY NATURE: YUYU TOYS

Founded in 2021 by three mothers and friends, the Espoo-based startup Yuyu Toys focuses on creating toys that foster creativity and learning in children. The key product is Yuyu Curious, an educational toy set designed by Finnish early-childhood education professionals. The kit includes toy blocks made locally from sustainably sourced Finnish birch and activity cards to aid children in learning and practising various important skills.

Yuyu takes pride in the fact that its products do not only support kids’ learning, but also serve as a tool for family bonding and improving the sense of togetherness between parents and children.

“Here at Yuyu, we believe that including pedagogical elements to the activities and play together with your child can have a major impact on your child’s development and also self-esteem, for example,” co-founder Solja Sulkunen wrote. “Of course, we do this in a fun and interesting way.”