Ole Hansen

Toddlers in Nordic Early Childhood Education and Care

Nordic countries were among the first to introduce parental leave, including a period earmarked for fathers, and have high childcare coverage, also among children under 3 years of age. While many countries distinguish between childcare (for children aged 0–2) and pre-school (3–6), the so-called Nordic model represents a unified system of early childhood education and care (ECEC). This chapter underlines the distinctive shared characteristics of the Nordic approach to play and learning, and care and education, where participation, democracy, respect for other cultures and religions and the possibility of achieving a healthy and stimulating childhood comprise the key elements. Furthermore, the chapter demonstrates some of the challenges when attempting to ensure quality childcare and education. The Nordic pedagogic tradition is seen as reflecting both social development and the culture and character of the Nordic people. Here, there is a strong foundation in an ideal of freedom, democracy, equality, influence and sustainability, but also a focus on education that emphasises the toddler as a learning being. However, toddlers in ECEC represent an area in need of more attention and new research.

Values in Danish Early Childhood Education and Care

Based on video observations, interviews and joint pedagogue/researcher analyses carried out in three Danish child cares, this chapter presents three common values: democracy, care and discipline, which were communicated, expressed and negotiated through interactions between pedagogues (In this paper, we use the term ‘pedagogues’ for professionals working in child cares.) and children. The study is part of a larger Nordic project (The research project, Values Education in Nordic Preschools: Basis of education for tomorrow, and Project No. 53381 were carried out together with Nordic research colleagues.) that aims to generate new knowledge on institutionalised fostering of values in Nordic child cares.