Ready for school? Transition from kindergarten to school

The Early Childhood Education curricula in Denmark and Norway expects kindergarten to cooperate with school during the children’s last year in kindergarten i.e. by arranging different preschool activities in order to prepare children for school and make the transition successful for the children.
However, it is a complex question how kindergarten, in the contemporary society, shall fulfil the task. The idea of what is the best way to prepare children for school is defined in multiple ways, depending on values, traditions and imaginations of what children need in school and in the longer perspective. From the political perspective, there is a wish to prepare children to be academics, to become effective and productive citizens, since ECE institutions such as kindergarten are the first step on the education line in children’s lifespan. From a developmental psychological perspective, children shall experience a childhood with time and space for varied play. The aim of this presentation is to discuss how pedagogues in an outdoor kindergarten in Norway include societal values and traditions in the preschool activities and children’s participation in the activities.
The research question is: How is the Norwegian outdoor kindergarten preparing children for school and for future life?
The study is based on a Vygotskian theory of child development as a dialogical process, viewing play as the leading activity for child development. Video observations of preschool activities, interviews with pedagogues, conversations with children about school and analyses of Curriculum plans are the empirical material of the study.