The joy of spring comes through on the new music video by day-care children

Tapiola is one of Espoo's best-known urban centres, and visitors have travelled to Tapiola to admire its architecture from near and far since the 1950s and 60s. Tapiola's well-known landmarks can now also be spotted in the great new music video by the Silkkiniitty day-care centre, with very familiar filming locations.

The ‘Kevät ja kaverit är bäst’ (summer and friends are the best) music video is a joint effort between Finnish-language early childhood education and Cultural Services in Espoo as well as the Into School, in which day-care children and professional musicians from the Into School illustrate and create music together. The focus is on creative work, self-expression and learning new skills.

Five-year-olds from three groups at the Silkkiniitty day-care centre participated in the production of the song and video: Sinitiaiset, Punatulkut and the Nyckelpigor language immersion group.

At the beginning of the project, Silkkiniitty's children familiarised themselves with the surroundings of the day-care centre and its soundscapes from the perspectives of both the natural and urban environments. Making music during an outing gave the children new insights into how music can also be made by tapping on wood, splashing water or ringing a bicycle bell.

“You don't always need ready-made instruments or vast resources; instead, soundscapes can be explored and produced anywhere,” says early childhood education teacher Marjo Kujala from Silkkiniitty day-care centre.

The song is written and digitally played by the children. Musicians from the Into School, Tuomas and Janne Hiedanniemi, helped with making the music, Johannes Rantanen helped with filming and children’s author Meri Savonen helped with writing the lyrics. Both Finnish and Swedish feature on the song, as Silkkiniitty day-care centre also has a Swedish language immersion early childhood education group.

“It has been amazing to see the infinite creativity of children and the joy of doing things together up close. Similarly, the group's adults' ability to be truly happy and excited together with children is very admirable,” says musician Janne Hiedanniemi.

In addition to the immediate surroundings of the day-care centre, the children also studied the urban side of Tapiola and used it as inspiration for creating a mini Tapiola at the day-care centre. The mini Tapiola features the ice garden, the Heikintori climbing frame in the shape of a rocket and cinnamon rolls from Kaisan café. The room also served as an excellent, atmospheric recording studio for the children’s song.

“On recording day, the children already knew the Hiedanniemis, and although recording was unfamiliar to small artists, the children remained relaxed and were able to showcase their strengths,” says Johanna Tiainen, a teacher in early childhood education.

The best feedback for early childhood education teachers is the commitment and enthusiasm of children in doing things together.

“This was the best day ever at day-care!” one of the five-year-old musicians enthused during the project.

It will warm the hearts of adult listeners, as well, to listen to expressions of joy about familiar signs of spring, such as coltsfoot and new leaves on trees. “No jackets from now on, it’s caps that we don,” the children sing.

Musician Janne Hiedanniemi thinks that the song is bound to be a summer hit. “I can see the song written by the children at the Silkkiniitty day-care centre becoming the earworm for next summer. The song also arguably features the first ever six-handed guitar solo in the world,” he laughs.

The music video is part of the ‘Peek into Espoo’ series of music videos. The videos have been inspired by Espoo's own ‘Peek into Espoo’ picture book with colourful illustrations by Carlos da Cruz. Earlier videos in the series include the ‘Winter Carousel’ video brimming with the joy of winter, filmed in the Espoo Centre area, and the splendid ‘Nauravien rantakalojen Rantaräp’ (the laughing beach fish beach rap) filmed in Espoonlahti, evoking immediate summer vibes.

The Winter Carousel music video

Nauravat rantakalat esittävät: Rantaräp(external link) (The laughing beach fish present: Beach rap)