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Nordic Social Pedagogical Approach to Early Years pp 115–132Cite as

Outdoor Education in the Nordic Region

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Abstract

The aim of this chapter is to give an insight into outdoor education in the Nordic region. Some important factors that form the base of the Nordic view of nature as an arena for outdoor education are discussed. The curricula of the different Nordic countries’ early childhood education and care (ECEC) institutions are shortly presented, and outdoor play in the curricula is highlighted. Nordic ECEC practitioners often look upon nature as an important place for play and learning, and children in Nordic ECEC settings normally spend a large part of their day outdoors. Nature preschools are those who spend most of their time in nature, and some of their characteristics and routines are described. Current research and future research needs are presented in the end of the chapter.

The authors are both Norwegian, and even though there are many similarities between the Nordic countries, our view will be based on our Norwegian thoughts and ideas. In that way some of our examples might not be representable for all the Nordic countries

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Queen Maud University College of Early Childhood Education, Trondheim, Norway

    Ellen Beate Hansen Sandseter & Olav Bjarne Lysklett

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  1. Ellen Beate Hansen Sandseter
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  2. Olav Bjarne Lysklett
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Correspondence to Ellen Beate Hansen Sandseter .

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  1. The Danish School of Education, Aarhus University, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Charlotte Ringsmose

  2. The Danish School of Education, Aarhus University, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Grethe Kragh-Müller

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Sandseter, E.B.H., Lysklett, O.B. (2017). Outdoor Education in the Nordic Region. In: Ringsmose, C., Kragh-Müller, G. (eds) Nordic Social Pedagogical Approach to Early Years. International Perspectives on Early Childhood Education and Development, vol 15. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42557-3_7

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