”Children’s meaning making of nature in an outdoor-oriented and democratic Swedish preschool practice”.

Swedish preschools have two types of approach; a democratic approach and an outdoor-oriented approach. The democratic approach is to ensure that children have the freedom and integrity to demonstrate solidarity with others and that they learn about institutional norms. The outdoor-oriented approach is to instil personal development and well-being in the children, to ensure that they care for nature, and that they learn about nature. The ambition in this study is to consider these two approaches as integrated, instead of independent approaches. The purpose of the study is therefore to examine empirically how the two approaches are embedded in the local plan at an ordinary preschool. The study is to develop a deeper understanding of the implications of the two connected approaches for children’s meaning-making regarding nature.

Overall, the analysis shows that early childhood educators are able to contribute to democratic child-rearing; to teach children to feel at home and thrive in outdoor activities, and to support play and exploration in nature. However actual learning about natural phenomena was less prevalent, perhaps because of the democratic approach.

More specifically, the video footage shows that the three most common outdoor activities of the children are: playing with water, playing with sand and tobogganing. From these three activities, five recurring pedagogical habits can be identified that have significance for children’s democratic learning and their navigation in, and learning about, nature.
1)    The early childhood educators make sure that the children have suitable clothes on so that they can be outside no matter what the weather is like. This habit supports the autonomy of the children (they can play outside), socialises them with the institution’s norms (you have to wear clothes suitable for the weather), ensures personal development and well-being for the children (clothes enable them to go outside) and it ensures that they can learn about nature (e.g. play with water). This habit does not help children develop solidarity or learn to care for nature.
2)    The children have a large selection of toys to choose from. This habit supports children’s autonomy (they are free to choose from the toys), it supports their development and well-being (joy from such a large selection), and supports their knowledge about nature (they can experiment with many different objects). This habit does not help children develop solidarity, socialise with the institutional norms, or learn to care for nature.
3)    The early childhood educators encourage the children to play with different natural materials. This habit supports children’s autonomy (they can choose for themselves), it contributes to development and well-being (by establishing opportunities for outdoor play), and it give the children knowledge about nature (e.g. through playing with water). This habit does not help children develop solidarity, socialise with the institutional norms, or learn to care for nature.
4)    The early childhood educators help the children who ask for help, but also encourage them to do things themselves and help each other. This habit enhances children’s autonomy (they are only helped if they really need it), they develop solidarity (by helping each other and by seeing that some children need more help than others), they learn behavioural norms (the child is an individual in a large community), they develop and thrive (because the help makes it possible to do the activity), and they learn about nature (all the children can explore and play).
5)    The early childhood educators allow the children to decide for themselves where they want to play - they can choose between all the playgrounds at the institution. This habit also promotes personal autonomy (the choice), enhances personal development and well-being (because the choice is made), and it stimulates knowledge about nature (the choice enables exploration of nature).

Data was collected via 22 days’ and about 20 hours’ video footage of 1-3 year-old children during outdoor activities at a Swedish preschool. The preschool was selected as an ordinary average institution with respect to number of children and number of early childhood educators, outdoor facilities and choice of toys. The data was analysed by reviewing common, spontaneous activities among the children and adults. These activities were then analysed on the basis of operationalising the democratic approach (autonomy, solidarity and socialising with the institutional framework) and the outdoor-oriented approach (personal development and well-being, care for nature and knowledge about nature).

Klaar, S. & Öhman, J. (2014). ”Children’s meaning making of nature in an outdoor-oriented and democratic Swedish preschool practice”. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 22(2), 229-253.