The goal of this study was to examine what possibly newly-established private kindergarten would be like in Lahti. In other words, what would those characteristics that children’s parent’s would appreciate. The other goal was to compare parents’ opinions of how they see the situation in municipal kindergartens at the moment. Theory section was based on the model of five competitive forces and especially on differentiation. Parents’ opinions were investigated in practice by quantitative form survey.

Kindergarten children’s parents knowledge of private kindergartens was weak, so this study was based insofar mostly on mental images. Opinion on private kindergartens was positive, but mostly more negative than experiences of municipal kindergartens. Size of groups, size of whole kindergartens, number of personnel and tranquility of nursing were seen as better in private than in municipal kindergartens. If private kindergartens want to create better image from themselves and in the future they operate even as brands they must create more positive image.