Pedagogical intentions or practical considerations when facilitating children's play? Teachers’ beliefs about the availability of play materials in the indoor ECEC environment.

The study investigates kindergarten teachers' perceptions of the availability of play materials in the physical indoor environment in kindergartens. The research question is: What do educators think about the availability of play materials when facilitating children's indoor play in the kindergarten environment? The focus was on (a) the kindergarten teachers' understanding of the concept of accessibility, and (b) understanding the factors that influence teachers' perceptions when facilitating children's play with play materials.

The results suggest a common ideological understanding among kindergarten teachers that play materials should be available in children's play to promote play, learning and development opportunities. However, many kindergarten teachers described placing play materials out of children's reach during play sessions. There are different practices among kindergarten teachers, but practical considerations often take precedence over pedagogical intentions when planning and facilitating children's play.

The data material consists of observations in eight kindergartens and semi-structured interviews with thirteen kindergarten teachers. The kindergartens varied in size and had between 28 to 220 children. The majority of the children in the groups were aged three to five years old.

Nilsen, T. R. (2021). "Pedagogical intentions or practical considerations when facilitating children's play? Teachers’ beliefs about the availability of play materials in the indoor ECEC environment". International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy, 15(1):1-16.