Nature kindergartens: a space for children’s participation.

The study investigates how children and staff in nature kindergartens experience children's participation through play and everyday life, and how place and relationships affect situations in which the children participate.

The results show that the open and fluid character of nature creates a dynamic space for children's play, stimulates creativity and social inclusion, promotes responsibility and creates bonds between children and adults. The staff supports and participates in the children's initiatives, but avoids introducing and controlling activities. The researchers behind the study conclude that the environmental and pedagogical contexts in nature kindergartens offer a variety of participatory situations, while questioning whether all children have the abilities required for this active participation.

The data material consists of focus group interviews with children and staff in six different nature kindergartens. A total of 30 children (aged three to five years) and 20 staff members participated. The staff had different educational backgrounds (educator, special educator, skilled worker, apprentice and assistant) and between one and eleven years of experience working in nature kindergartens. Most of the employees also had experience from working in ordinary kindergartens. The children and staff participated in separate focus groups.

Alme, H. & Reime, M. A. (2021). "Nature kindergartens: a space for children’s participation". Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 24(2):113-131.