Raising a toddler in a new country is one of life’s great adventures, and one of its biggest puzzles. Toddler.se is a calm, practical guide for expats and international families bringing up little ones aged one to three in Sweden. We explain the Swedish system in plain English, from parental leave and preschool to BVC checkups, sleep, food and the famous outdoor life.
Start here
If you have just arrived, the practical steps come first. Our guide to settling in with a toddler walks you through the personnummer, healthcare, benefits and your first preschool place, in the order to do them.
The Swedish system, explained
Preschool (förskola)
How Sweden’s affordable, play-based preschool works, what it costs, and how to find a place, including English-friendly options.
Parental leave
The 480 days explained: income-based days, reserved months, transferring days and how to plan your toddler’s first years.
BVC checkups
What happens at the free child health centre, the rhythm of visits through the toddler years, and how to make the most of your nurse.
English-speaking care
Where to go when your toddler is ill, how to use 1177, and your right to an interpreter in Swedish healthcare.
Everyday toddler life
Sleep and routines
How much sleep a toddler needs and a gentle bedtime rhythm that works, including the Swedish outdoor nap.
Eating and food
Feeding a one to three year old, the daily vitamin D drops, Swedish food habits and living with a fussy eater.
Outdoor life
Friluftsliv with a toddler: the layer system, allemansrätten and outdoor play in every season.
Development
What to expect from one to three years, raising a bilingual child, and when to mention something at BVC.
Home safety
A calm, room-by-room guide to childproofing a Swedish home, plus the numbers to call if something happens.
Swedish parenting culture
Lagom, independence, equal parenting and the gentle norms you will meet on every playground.
Written for families like yours
Every guide on Toddler.se is written for a real parent with a real question, not for a search engine. We link to the official Swedish sources, the Social Insurance Agency, 1177, the Food Agency and Skolverket, so you can always check the detail and the current figures yourself. Health and money rules change, so we point you to the source rather than letting a number go stale.
Welcome to Sweden, and welcome to the wonderful, exhausting, joyful years of raising a toddler here.