Vuohensilta, Silja
(Helsingfors universitet; University of Helsinki; Helsingin yliopisto, 2017)
The purpose of this study is to compare children's actions and social orientations in the forest kindergartens to their actions and social orientations in more commonplace kindergartens. The child's social orientations were studied with the help of Reunamo's (2007) orientation -theory. Reunamo's theory is formed by four orientations: participative, adaptive, dominant and withdrawn orientation. These orientations show how the child acts towards the environment (agency) and how they view their relationships (perception).
In this study, the forest kindergartens are kindergartens operating mainly in the forest or in another nature environment. In the forest kindergarten children play and learn outside every day throughout the whole year. Finnish forest kindergartens have connections with Swedish "I ut och Skur" -kindergartens and German adventure education. Prior research has shown connections between forest kindergarten and children's strong self-esteem, social skills, good health, motor skills, close relationship with nature and rich play environment (Bentsen & Jensen, 2012; Fjortoft, 2001; Knight, 2009; Kyttä, 2003; Rickinson, 2004; Tovey, 2007).
This is a quantitative study. The data was collected by using systematic observation in three forest kindergarten groups in Southern Finland. There were 18 observation days in the forest kindergartens at 8am-12pm. The collected data was compared with data from a Helsinki University ongoing "Orientation Project", where children's every day activities, feelings, social relationships and involvement in early childhood education have been researched. In the Orientation project the data has been collected in 132 kindergarten groups in Southern Finland using the same method and systematic observation. The data collected for this study and data from the Orientation project was analyzed by using cross tabulation and chi square -test.
This study shows that children were more often participative and less often dominant or withdrawn in the forest kindergartens than in the comparison groups. In the forest kindergartens, children's higher participation was connected to more social interaction with others and higher physical activity than in comparison groups.
The purpose of this study is to compare children's actions and social orientations in the forest kindergartens to their actions and social orientations in more commonplace kindergartens. The child's social orientations were studied with the help of Reunamo's (2007) orientation -theory. Reunamo's theory is formed by four orientations: participative, adaptive, dominant and withdrawn orientation. These orientations show how the child acts towards the environment (agency) and how they view their relationships (perception).
In this study, the forest kindergartens are kindergartens operating mainly in the forest or in another nature environment. In the forest kindergarten children play and learn outside every day throughout the whole year. Finnish forest kindergartens have connections with Swedish "I ut och Skur" -kindergartens and German adventure education. Prior research has shown connections between forest kindergarten and children's strong self-esteem, social skills, good health, motor skills, close relationship with nature and rich play environment (Bentsen & Jensen, 2012; Fjortoft, 2001; Knight, 2009; Kyttä, 2003; Rickinson, 2004; Tovey, 2007).
This is a quantitative study. The data was collected by using systematic observation in three forest kindergarten groups in Southern Finland. There were 18 observation days in the forest kindergartens at 8am-12pm. The collected data was compared with data from a Helsinki University ongoing "Orientation Project", where children's every day activities, feelings, social relationships and involvement in early childhood education have been researched. In the Orientation project the data has been collected in 132 kindergarten groups in Southern Finland using the same method and systematic observation. The data collected for this study and data from the Orientation project was analyzed by using cross tabulation and chi square -test.
This study shows that children were more often participative and less often dominant or withdrawn in the forest kindergartens than in the comparison groups. In the forest kindergartens, children's higher participation was connected to more social interaction with others and higher physical activity than in comparison groups....
toimintaympäristö koostuu luonnonmukaisesta ympäristöstä, luonnon materiaaleista ja yksinkertaisista rakennetuista puitteista. Suomessa toiminnan taustalla on Ruotsista levinnyt "I ut och skur" eli Luonnossa kotonaan -pedagogiikka sekä saksalainen seikkailukasvatus...