Children's participation positions in various activities within Norwegian Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) institutions

Abstract

This study focuses on children’s own perceptions of participation inNorwegian Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) settings.Research on children’s perceptions of participation in different ECECactivities has been limited. Semi-structured conversations wereconducted with a small group of 16 five-year-old children from twoECEC institutions. Utilizing Lundy’s model (2007) of participationpositions, we analysed the children’s perspectives. The findings indicatethat children perceive themselves as occupying different positions ofparticipation, including both ‘passive’ and ‘active’ roles across variousactivities. Notably, the study reveals greater opportunities for children’sparticipation in outdoor activities and hiking, encompassing positionssuch as ‘space, voice, audience, and influence’, compared to circle timeand indoor activities. Understanding children’s roles in influencingdecisions across different environments and participation processes iscrucial for staff members to consider and discuss. The findings revealthat the children’s lifeworld’s perceptions of participation are moreindividually than democratic oriented.