Our CEO Anu Guttorm shares how her expertise in digital language education, combined with her desire to support her children’s success, inspired the creation of Moomin Language School.
I began my career in the digital language education business in 2005, shortly after graduating as an engineer in media technology. I joined our family-owned company, Promentor Solutions, which has been a pioneering force in digital language education in Finland since the 1980s – a legacy that continues to this day.
A Mother’s Mission for Early Language Learning
My journey started as a graphic designer in content production, but I quickly transitioned into sales and marketing, where I found my true passion. I became deeply fascinated by the science of language learning, especially the remarkable benefits of starting at an early age.
As a non-native English speaker, I know firsthand how challenging it can be to master a language, even after years of daily use. This personal experience shaped my perspective when I became a mother around 2010. I dreamed of giving my children the opportunity to start learning English early in life.
When my children reached kindergarten age, I wanted to enroll them in an English-speaking kindergarten, knowing that the critical period for language acquisition is between 2 and 7 years of age. Unfortunately, this wasn’t an option available to us at the time, which only deepened my commitment to finding innovative ways to support early language learning.
The Challenges of Finding the Right Solution
This journey of exploration led me to try various options, from online and offline lessons to consumer apps. Yet, none truly met my expectations for supporting my children in becoming bilingual. I realized I wasn’t alone in this challenge. Surely, there were countless parents around the world who wanted to give their children a strong foundation in English during their early years but lacked access to English-speaking kindergartens or effective, age-appropriate resources.
The more I delved into the options, the clearer the gap became. Language learning is a time-intensive process. Weekly lessons simply don’t provide the consistent exposure necessary for bilingualism, which requires daily engagement. While we came across some fun apps, they were limited to small topics like colors or numbers. More advanced solutions, such as Duolingo, required reading and writing skills, making them unsuitable for young children.
What was missing was clear: a comprehensive and professional solution tailored to early learners – one that combined a robust curriculum focused on listening and speaking with visually rich, interactive content that didn’t rely on literacy skills. It needed to be both engaging and educational, providing a seamless blend of digital learning and playful activities to support social skills and cognitive development.
That’s when the idea for Moomin Language School was born.
Language Learning for Every Child
What if we could bring immersive language learning to all kindergartens globally, where children naturally spend their early years? By combining carefully designed, story-based digital content with playful, collaborative activities, we could create a solution that makes language learning a natural and enjoyable part of a child’s daily routine while being easy for educators to implement. With continuous exposure to a second language in a safe and familiar environment organized by their own teachers, children could build confidence and language learning skills while playing.
Our mission remains the same today. We strive to make foreign language learning accessible to all children globally during their early years. We believe every child, regardless of background, should have the chance to explore and enjoy the benefits of learning a new language early in life.
Today, Moomin Language School provides a safe, inspiring digital environment where children can explore a new language confidently and playfully. Grounded in research and the renowned principles of Finnish education, our approach brings effortless yet exciting tools for educators too. After all, educators are the ones who make the magic happen with Moomin Language School. It’s about more than just language and communication – it’s also about fostering resilience, cognitive flexibility, and creativity.
Shaping a Brighter, More Connected Future
Most importantly, language connects us. When we share a language, we build compassion and trust – qualities that our world desperately needs. English, as the global lingua franca, is a natural starting point. But this is just the beginning. Starting early gives children the foundation to learn additional languages, enhancing their brain health and resilience for a lifetime.
While I missed the critical language-learning window a little with my older children, they have thrived nonetheless. Now teenagers, they’ve studied multiple languages over the past decade, including Russian, Spanish, Swedish, English, and Finnish, their mother tongue. They’re amazing, and I couldn’t be prouder.
With my youngest child, who is just two years old and attending an English-speaking kindergarten, I now get to see the benefits of early language learning firsthand. Every day, we spend just five meaningful minutes together exploring English through Moomin Language School. It’s a joy to watch his curiosity and confidence grow as he discovers a new language.
I believe every child deserves this opportunity – to start learning a language at an early age, to connect with the world and unlock their potential, and to shape a brighter, more compassionate future.
Anu Guttorm
CEO & Founder
Moomin Language School
Photos by: Vesa Tyni, Anu Guttorm, Jenni Kollani
