The aim of this thesis is to get an overall view over preschool teacher’s perceptions about children's physical activity in preschool and also understand what impact the physical environment has on it. In Sweden children participate in preschool at an early age and spends the majority of their waken time there. Preschool therefore becomes an important platform to promote children’s early physical activities as it has great effect on their future lifestyle. The physical environment plays a significant role for children’s opportunity to be physically active and therefor also becomes an important part of this study. In this study I used a qualitative semi structured interview with six preschool teachers who worked in different preschools. The theoretical background is based on Osnes, Skaug, and Kaarbys (2012) five positioning categories which are guidance, spectator, playmate, play in parallel with the child as well as initiate play. Each and one of this positioning categories have an impact on children’s play and the movements they use in those plays (2012). I also use Gitz-Johansen, Kampmann and Kirkeby theory where they describe the complex relationship between children and the pedagogical room (2001 in Eriksson 2013). My study shows that the overall attitude toward physical activity is positive and is considered by the preschool teachers to be an essential part in children’s childhood. The preschool teachers are aware that they are the gatekeepers to physical activity and how their attitude can regulate children’s movements due to norms and values of the society they belong to. They expressed their dissatisfaction toward the preschool organization and highlighted the external factors that regulates the children’s movements which they expressed where out of their ability to impact such as large children groups, small staff density, narrow space to move in and so forth. They believe that children’s play is the gateway to physical activity and their positioning can help children to develop their physical abilities.
Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:sh-35573 |
Date | January 2018 |
Creators | Ahmad, Vina |
Publisher | Södertörns högskola, Lärarutbildningen |
Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
Language | Swedish |
Detected Language | English |
Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
Format | application/pdf |
Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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