As part of our studies we visited a local kindergarden to see how education for young children in Norway differed to what is available in our home countries.

I visited Prestheia Kindergarden, a private kindergarden which has a large complex of buildings and also operates out of Jegersberg. The frequency that this area in Jegersberg is used is dependent on the age of the children but the group that we were observing (3-5yrs) used it twice a week for 3-6hrs a day and were only inside on these days if the temperature dropped below -10 degrees C.

There were 3 leaders and approx. 25 children. Once we had reached the kindergarden’s outdoor area (a wooded area with small clearings, rocky outcrops, a fire pit and a marquee in case of inclement weather) the children were allowed free reign as to what they wanted to do, some immediately began climbing trees, some fought with sticks or chased each other through the woods, others just sat quietly by the fire. During this time the leaders did not have a large amount of interaction with the children, they were merely observers unless a child came to them.

After a while the children were called together and the leader led songs and told stories. These included things like the date and what the weather was like and so contained some hidden learning.

Whilst this was happening one of the other leaders had cooked pølse over the fire, the children all sat around the fire and ate.

After this they were given the freedom of the woods again, the children all seemed to know where they were allowed to go and where was out of bounds and I never heard a leader telling a child off.

I spent the day lifting children into the trees that they could not usually climb as the lowest branches were too high for them to reach, they would climb up and down these and then launch themselves off the branch for me to catch them.

I was also confined to their jail (a lean to structure) for losing a sword fight with a stick.

The focus seemed to be on allowing the children to make decisions regarding activity choice and risk management. Allowing them to use their imagination and develop at their own pace.

In the UK I think that children would not have this freedom and that the activities would be a lot more structured and boring.