Overview

Suomikoulu DC is a Finnish heritage language school serving children of Finnish origin in the Washington DC area. Part of the worldwide Suomi-koulu organization — supported by the Finnish government — the school's primary mission is to help parents pass on the Finnish language and culture to their children. Classes meet every other Saturday and are organized into five age-based groups, ranging from ages 3 to 13. Each session focuses on developing spoken Finnish comprehension and oral skills, with older students also practicing reading and writing. Arts and crafts rooted in Finnish traditions, songs, rhymes, stories, and games are woven into every class day. A library visit and lunch break are included in each session.

Additional Information

The program is divided into five class groups based on age and proficiency level:

• Oravat (ages 3–4): Focuses on spoken Finnish, vocabulary building, songs, stories, and seasonal arts and crafts.
• Siiliit (ages 4–5): Introduces Finnish letters and sounds while emphasizing fluent spoken language through songs, rhymes, and games.
• Porot (ages 6–7): Builds foundational reading and writing skills alongside spoken language development and Finnish cultural celebrations.
• Ketut (ages 7–9): Designed for multilingual children with Finnish as a home language; deepens vocabulary, cultural knowledge, and comprehension through play and storytelling.
• Karhut (ages 9–13): Advanced group focusing on broadening vocabulary, grammatical proficiency, written accuracy, Finnish history, and cultural traditions.

Classes meet every other Saturday from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. English is used for administrative communications; Finnish is the exclusive language used with children during class.