Children’s perspectives of their time spent in preschool

• Published in: Netla
• Main Authors: Hreinsdóttir, Anna Magnea, Dýrfjörð, Kristín
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: Icelandic
• Published: Menntavísindasvið Háskóla Íslands 2021
• Subjects: preschool; children's perspectives; meaning making; preschool practice; leikskóli; dvalartími barna; starfshættir leikskóla; sjónarmið barna; merkingarbær reynsla; Maður; Iceland
• Online Access: https://ojs.hi.is/netla/article/view/3445; https://doi.org/10.24270/netla.2021.12

The aim of this research was to give preschool children the opportunity to express their views on their daily life within the preschool and their experience of length of stay for the purpose of shedding light on what affects their well-being in preschool. The study took place in six preschools in the capital area in Iceland. It describes the views of the children participating in the research.The theoretical background of the research relates to children’s perception of time in the light of theories and research. Time is a series of activities that take place in our lives and can pass quickly or slowly, depending on our perception of it. This is especially true for children of preschool age who often do not know how to measure time by the clock, but rather by what they are doing. Time is an important factor in preschool activities, and a key element in any curriculum is the schedule or timetable.The preschool day is divided into events and activities such as mealtime, rest time and play time. These regular activities map out what happens during the day and must be based on children’s perceptions of time with an emphasis on their rhythm, wellbeing, and learning. It is also important to consider what gives meaning to children in their daily lives, how they understand, interpret, and give meaning to the events of the day, subjects, and communication. The effects that time can have on the school’s work are discussed, as well as research related to friendships and subjects.The research is based on participatory research methods well suited to the aim of the research. When done in collaboration with children, they can provide insight into the world of children and increase adults’ understanding of their views, for example about the length of their stay during the day in the preschool and what gives it meaning. Two types of daily schedule occurred, a very tight one with many different activities and a program with fewer activities with emphasis on flow throughout the day.The results show that children understand the ...