Purpose
The aim of the study is to develop more understandings of what characterises how the youngest children influence their own everyday kindergarten life. The researcher studies one- to three-year-olds’ relationships with the kindergarten environment, where focus is placed on the children’s actions and relationships in kindergarten.
Result
The analysis identifies three different aspects of influence in everyday life in the toddler department: 1) A collective aspect where children’s influence is understood as fluid relationships between different actors, both human and non-human, 2) A creative and potential aspect, where the children create new and alternative ways of gaining influence, which are not based on previous structures and views, and 3) a maintaining aspect, where the children reproduce previous routines and seek out what is safe and recognisable. The educators meet the children’s attempts to gain influence with standardised responses, which maintain previous structures and routines, but also by adapting emotionally to the children. This adaptation creates the possibility of a co-creative influence. However, the researcher believes that many situations require an adult presence, i.e. a sensible and rational presence that moderates or activates the child. She emphasises that instead of focusing solely on how the children verbally express their opinions, one can also give them influence by studying their bodily relationships with the kindergarten environment.
Design
The study is based on empirical data collected using video observation and field notes in a Swedish toddler department. The researcher has focused on following the children in their everyday kindergarten life. The children in the sample were between zero and three years old at the time of observation.
References
Ungerberg, K. (2019). «Flytande inflytande. Affektiva relationer mellan barn och miljön i förskolan». Akademisk avhandling. Karlstads universitet.