So today was my first day at my practicum site, Skovager, the forest kindergarten I will be observing this semester. And, as expected, it was completely different than what you'd see in America's kindergartens. Kindergarten in Denmark is more similar to nursery school in the United States, since it is from ages 3-6. Kids then enter grade 0, which helps to prepare them for more classroom time and school, which would be sort of like our kindergarten a year later. But then again, this is Denmark, so it's not exactly comparable either.
I arrived at the kindergarten at 8:30 this morning- it's about 45 minutes away by walking and buses, so it was an early morning. When I got there, kids were getting their adorable and oh-so-practical one piece
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| snowsuits! |
snowsuits on, with occasional help from a pedagog (the adult who runs kindergarten, not really a teacher). Some were still arriving and saying bye to their parents; I was able to talk to the mother of an adorable girl who just turned three named Ada about why she chose a forest kindergarten for both Ada and her older, 8 year old sister. This mom expressed very Danish views about the value of being outside (in this kindergarten, they try to spend 90% of each day outside), in that it allows the child to run and play and challenge him or herself more. She said that it was very important for her that her child would be able to take risks and learn, even if it means falling down a few times or getting a scrape now and then. It was really cool to hear these perspectives that I have been hearing about and reading about.
Once all the kids were ready, we gathered outside to take attendance to know who was missing, and
then they all got in pairs, or found the hand of a pedagog or DIS student to hold (I had Ada on my left and Nora on my right)- we were taking a field trip! Though normally, the kids just play in the forest in the backyard of the school, they do take trips to other outdoor places occasionally; they go to the place we went today about 4 times a year. We rode on a big coach bus for about 10 minutes until we arrived at the "nature center", paid for by people in the surrounding towns so it can be used by all the schools! I guess when there is better weather, all of the kids and pedagogs would bike to get here through a direct path in the woods (I told you biking was big here!), but right now the ground is too wet and snowy.
The nature center consisted of one simple building, and a few open areas covered by a roof. It was surrounded by HUGE hills on one side (I guess at one point they took all the municipal trash there and covered it with dirt, so kind of like a land fill). When we got there, the kids took off their tiny backpacks and we broke into groups. My group was first to go explore the big hills; we set off with about 10 kids and 2 pedagogs, up the extremely steep slope. Luckily, we took a path that wound up between the different peaks gradually, but it was still so, so slippery. There were parts of the path that were entirely ice. But of course, this was not a problem at all. Sure, the kids slipped and fell every now and then, and there were a few tears, but no one got hurt, and they learned to be careful on the ice, or to walk on the snowy grass.
At the top of the biggest hill, there is this cool flat rock that has a metal rotating arrow attached to the top- you can climb up and point the arrow at different parts of Denmark. The kids were climbing all over it (it
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| huge rock, kids on top- standard! |
was probably 6-7 feet high, with stone steps up), and sliding on the very slippery ice around the base. The adults were usually standing a short ways away, watching, but not concerned or worried about safety; they trusted that the children were competent and wouldn't
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edge of the hill, no big deal |
jump off the top, and the children, accordingly, had fun and did not jump off, break a bone, crack their skull on the ice, or any of the other number of things Americans would worry about. During this, 3 or 4 kids wandered maybe 50 yards away to a slightly lower part of the flat top of the hill, standing right at the edge and looking down. Again, no problem for kids or pedagogs- no one fell off, and the kids had a great time.
We then headed down and played outside for a little longer, before sitting down around the fire pit that was under one of the coverings. Yup, the kids just sat on benches 3 feet from the fire and ate their
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our pinecone feeders on the right.
saws and hammers in the background :) |
lunches, while the adults ate ours. No worries about the kids jumping or falling in the fire, and there were not even any near incidents. After a little more playing (no fancy playgrounds or anything, just grass to run around in, rocks and fences to climb on, sticks to play with, and something that kind of looked like an outdoor makeshift grill hanging from a metal pole inside a
"kitchen"/circle of rocks), we went inside to make pine cone bird feeders, and look at the snakes, various examples of types of wood, rocks, mice, and different stuffed (dead) animals- this kept the kids entertained for quite some time! And, I learned how to say rabbit (hare)- en hare! haha
Of course, after a little time inside to warm up, back outside we went, to play with all of the kids. It was a lot of fun, chasing them around and playing tag, picking them up and spinning them around, or just sitting and playing a silly game. Of course, there was a slight language barrier, but this could usually be overcome with a funny face or piggy back ride- some things are universal.
Overall, it was a great first day. The pedagogs were really nice and helpful, the kids were adorable in their one piece snowsuits, and I definitely experienced a big piece of Danish culture. It was so cool to see kids have the freedom to run, play, and invent their own fun. No one complained that they were cold, and no one said they were bored or wanted to go home. No one got hurt, despite much of their fun coming from sliding down hills (on their pedagog's lap, entirely appropriate in Denmark, as is hugging, tickling, etc), jumping off
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just playing with a huge stick, nbd |
picnic tables, climbing on rocks, and running around in snow boots and snow suits. The only slight mishap came right when we got there- one of the boys, Jacob I think, jumped onto a frozen stream, which proved not frozen, and soaked his socks and filled his boots with icy water. But of course, no one batted an eyelash- these things happen- and he was given new socks, his boots dried out by the fire, and everyone was happy.
I can't wait to go back in 2 weeks! (next week I'll be in Western Denmark on a study tour with my class)
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