A Go to to a Swedish Preschool

I not too long ago returned from an educational journey to Stockholm, Sweden. This journey was a part of a category for honors faculty college students entitled, “A Cross-Cultural Comparability of Play.” I co-taught this class with a colleague of mine who’s a play therapist. We selected to go to Sweden after studying in regards to the significance that members of this tradition place on play, time spent outside, and a detailed relationship with nature.

In preparation for the go to, college students learn choices from There’s No Such Factor as Unhealthy Climate by Linda Åkeson McGurk. The writer of this ebook is from Sweden however is elevating her kids in the USA. All through the ebook, she discusses the variations she observes in child-rearing between the 2 nations. She additionally explains a number of cultural traditions among the many Swedish with regards to faculty and play for kids that impressed us to journey there to look at them first hand.

McGurk additionally particulars the preschool curriculum in Sweden. The 20-page lengthy nationwide curriculum options the phrase “play” 13 occasions and the phrase “nature” 6 occasions. She notes that the preschool curriculum in Sweden doesn’t simply promote play in all actions – it additionally establishes kids’s “authorized proper to play and study outdoors.” For city preschools that lack entry to pure environments or massive faculty yards, they will take their college students to public inexperienced areas on foot or through public transportation. Within the metropolis of Stockholm, town’s public parks and gardens cowl 40% of Stockholm’s space (a complete of practically 10.5 sq. miles of parks), and embody over 300 playgrounds.

Preschoolers in Sweden spend about an hour and a half outdoors each day – on a bad-weather day within the winter. On a pleasant day in the summertime, they spend about 6 hours outdoors. For youngsters who attend forest preschools, the kids spend nearly all of the college day outside all year-round, whatever the climate. This video exhibits an instance of a forest faculty in Denmark, and properly illustrates the instructing philosophy and practices of the sort of faculty, together with the methods during which kids are capable of play and behave.

There are greater than 180 forest preschools in Sweden. Happily, we had been capable of go to a kind of whereas on our journey – an “I Ur Och Skur” – “Rain or Shine” – preschool named Mulleborg Preschool. As could be seen from their (translated) signal, their motto is – the place the kids play, uncover, and snigger – out in nature! (Mulleborg Förskolan dar barnen leker, upptäcker och lär – ute i naturen!) After we arrived, we got a tour of their faculty yard, after which taken on a journey into the forest with the category of 3- to 4-year-olds.

The college yard itself was eye-opening, and stood out to us as contrasting sharply with what we sometimes see on U.S. faculty grounds. We handed a canoe leaned up in opposition to the aspect of the constructing, as a result of college students can take canoe rides with a trainer at a close-by pond in hotter climate (or they will ice skate on the pond on winter days). Within the yard, kids had been freely swinging from a rope swing, and there have been a number of climbing buildings that appeared to be do-it-yourself (reasonably than pre-fabricated). There have been additionally firepits, the inspiration for a big tee-pee, small shelters, instruments, toys, and many area.

The lecturers confirmed us a instrument shed the place kids are sometimes permitted to experiment (underneath supervision) with hammers, nails, saws, and free boards. On the aspect of this shed was an array of small items of trash nailed to a board. These trash objects had been buried by the kids within the floor and had been dug up 6 months later in order that the kids would see how little deterioration had taken place. This lesson within the impact that air pollution has on the earth was easy but highly effective. The truth is, after we did go to the forest, kids picked up a number of items of trash alongside the best way, unprompted.

The forest was a few 10 minute stroll from the college constructing, and the kids had been allowed to ‘lead’ the best way. They’d cease factors just a few occasions alongside the route in order that they didn’t ever enterprise out of the lecturers’ line of sight, but it surely didn’t really feel just like the lecturers had been ever hovering over or herding the kids. As we started our ascent into the forest, the kids stopped at a pile of rocks, the place Mulle – an imaginary forest troll that conjures up kids to care about nature – had left a small basket of raisins for them. One little one instantly picked up the basket and commenced to distribute them to everybody (together with us!), and the kids sang a music of because of Mulle.

After arriving on the summit, the kids unfold out foam mats, had been handled to a narrative (Eric Carle’s “The Hungry Caterpillar”), after which performed a reminiscence sport utilizing objects in nature. After a snack, they had been allowed to play freely for about half-hour. There have been no seen boundaries or limitations. The lecturers say that the youngsters find out about an “invisible fence” – they have to be capable to see the lecturers always. In the event that they need to climb timber or piles of sticks, they’re free to take action. The lecturers is not going to assist them – in any other case, “they received’t know the right way to climb down.” The lecturers emphasised how the kids have to construct their energy, coordination, motor abilities, and confidence by figuring issues out on their very own.

As the kids performed within the forest, we repeatedly famous the dearth of any aggression or hostility (in comparison with observations we had made at American playgrounds earlier than touring to Sweden). The kids cooperated, included each other, shared flowers, berries, rocks, and sticks with each other, and took turns seamlessly. Whereas a few of their good conduct might have been associated to the truth that we had been observing, the lecturers instructed us that they’ve been working actually exhausting on being respectful to at least one one other and to nature.

The kids freely explored, fortunately picked berries and flowers, inspected bugs, bounced on branches, and made stick forts. They climbed, leap, ran, hopped, and pretended. Maybe most evident – they had been all completely happy! They even introduced again “bouquets” as souvenirs to deliver residence.

The day that we visited Mulleborg was sunny and about 70 levels Fahrenheit. Nonetheless, the subsequent day it was forecast to rain and be within the 50’s – and the lecturers assured us that nothing would change in regards to the routine. The kids, they mentioned, truly typically favor when it rains, as a result of they just like the “rivers” it makes, and so they prefer to splash and play within the mud. They’ve washing machines and spare garments on the faculty, so messy play is inspired!

Think about how a lot completely different American society may look if our kids all attended forest preschools? And even simply “common” preschools, however had a minimal of an hour and a half outside each day? Would possibly we develop into adults who, just like the Swedish kids that we noticed, would share, cooperate, lack aggression, and simply, on the whole, be happier? Maybe American mother and father, lecturers, and directors ought to study from these Swedish kids – get outdoors, belief your self, respect nature and each other, get sweaty, get muddy, and simply have enjoyable!