Learn Hardcore Norwegian: I morgen leverer vi babyen i barnehagen for første gang. - Tomorrow we drop off the baby at kindergarten/daycare for the first time.

Starting with I morgen (a time adverbial) is very common when you want to emphasize when something happens. In Norwegian main clauses, you then get V2 word order: the finite verb must come in second position.
So: I morgen (1st position) + leverer (2nd position) + vi (subject) …

Why is it leverer vi and not vi leverer here?

Because of the V2 rule in Norwegian main clauses. When something other than the subject comes first (here: I morgen), the verb still has to be second, so the subject moves after the verb:

Vi leverer babyen … i morgen. (subject first)
I morgen leverer vi babyen … (time first → verb second)

What tense is leverer, and how do I know?

leverer is present tense of å levere. Norwegian often uses the present tense for near-future plans, similar to English We’re handing in / We’re dropping off tomorrow, or sometimes We drop off tomorrow (less common in English, but normal in Norwegian).

Does å levere really mean “deliver”? It sounds like packages or homework.

Yes, å levere literally means to deliver/hand in, but it’s also a very normal verb for dropping a child off at daycare/kindergarten: å levere (barnet) i barnehagen.
You may also hear alternatives like å hente og levere (pick up and drop off) or å bringe (bring), but levere is extremely common in this context.

Why is it babyen and not just baby?

babyen is the definite form: the baby. Norwegian often uses the definite form where English might use a possessive:

babyen can often mean our baby / the baby (we’re talking about) from context.
If you wanted to be explicit, you could say babyen vår (our baby).

What’s the grammar of i barnehagen—why i and why the -en ending?

barnehagen is barnehage (daycare/kindergarten) in the definite singular: the daycare/kindergarten.
i is used because you’re talking about being/placing someone in/at that institution. With levere, i barnehagen is idiomatic for “drop off at daycare.”
You’ll also hear til barnehagen in other contexts (more like “to daycare” as a destination), but levere i barnehagen is very standard.

What exactly is barnehage—is it kindergarten or daycare?

barnehage is usually preschool/daycare (roughly ages 1–5/6, before school). English kindergarten can overlap depending on country, but barnehage is generally not primary school; it’s early childhood care/education.

Why is it for første gang and not something like “den første gangen”?

for første gang is the standard Norwegian expression for for the first time.
Literally it’s “for first time,” and it doesn’t normally take an article. You can also say for aller første gang for extra emphasis: for the very first time.

Where does for første gang go in the sentence—can I move it?

Yes. Norwegian is flexible with adverbials, as long as the meaning stays clear. Common options:

I morgen leverer vi babyen i barnehagen for første gang. (neutral)
I morgen leverer vi babyen for første gang i barnehagen. (emphasizes “first time”)
Vi leverer babyen i barnehagen for første gang i morgen. (time at the end)

Is i morgen always two words, and does it ever combine like “tomorrow” in English?

It’s essentially always written as i morgen (two words) in standard Norwegian. It literally means in morning, but functionally it means tomorrow.

How do I pronounce barnehagen and første?

Approximate pronunciations (vary a bit by dialect):

barnehagen: BAR-neh-ha-gen (stress usually on BAR)
første: roughly FURSH-teh (the ø is like a rounded vowel; not like English “oh”)
If you tell me whether you’re learning Bokmål with an Oslo/East Norwegian accent or something else, I can give a closer pronunciation guide.

Could the sentence mean we are “handing in the baby” like an object? Is it natural Norwegian?

It’s natural Norwegian in everyday parenting/daycare context. Even though levere can sound object-like in English, Norwegian commonly uses it for routine drop-off: you levere barnet i barnehagen just like you might levere en pakke. In Norwegian it doesn’t sound odd or cold; it’s simply practical wording.