Can everyday routines become a place for aesthetic experiences of togetherness? A critical exploration of togetherness and otherness in the kindergarten’s everyday routines

In the rewritten version of the Danish Day Care Act from 2018, aesthetic activities are now acknowledged as an important source of early childhood thriving, learning, development, and formation (Dagtilbudsloven, 2020). However, in kindergarten, aesthetics is often related with activities within the area of art (Johansen & Morsing, 2014). Additionally, the literature seems to approach early childhood research on aesthetics by examining aesthetical interventions framed and initiated by adults (Jensen & Kjeldahl, 2022 in prep), aiming at, among other aims, creating spaces of togetherness for children. Though, it is well-known, that most time in kindergarten is spent at “everyday rhythms” (Schmidt, 2019) as e.g., circle time, visiting the toilet and mealtimes.
Therefore, the aim of this paper is to rethink everyday routines in kindergarten and examine them as aesthetic encounters with potential for participation, togetherness, and inclusion by answering following research question:
How can everyday routines in kindergarten become a place for collective aesthetic experiences of togetherness and critical exploration of otherness?
In opposition to understand aesthetics as a learning process (Austring & Sørensen, 2012), this paper draws on philosophical theories where aesthetics is related with human senses, feelings, and experiences (Jørgensen, 2015). Hence, aesthetics is understood as a phenomenon that can appear among people and surroundings anytime, anywhere (Dewey, 2005)