SWEDEN%20policy%20profile%20-%20published%2005-02-2013

32 - CHAPTER 2. WHERE DOES SWEDEN STAND COMPARED TO OTHER COUNTRIES?
The Swedish curriculum recommends that play should be an “omnipresent activity”, and the
Norwegian framework gives play a “prominent role in life at kindergartens”. New Zealand’s
Te Whāriki gives the opportunity for open-ended exploration and play as a way to integrate
children’s learning and development. Where Te Whāriki and the Swedish curriculum address
play as an effective learning strategy, the Swedish framework also emphasises how play
facilitates activities on children’s own terms. Sweden indicates that conscious use of play to
promote the development and learning of each individual child should always be present in
preschool activities, as play and enjoyment in learning in their various forms stimulate
imagination, insight, communication and the ability to think symbolically, co-operate and
solve problems. Portugal indicates that play is intrinsic to children’s development and
highlights that indoor and outdoor play should be both possible and encouraged in ECEC.
Children’s agency is regarded as important by Sweden. The curriculum states that “the
needs and interests which children themselves express in different ways should provide the
foundation for shaping the environment and planning activities” and that “children should
have real influence over working methods and contents of the preschool”. This compliments
research findings on curriculum approaches indicating that if children are free to choose their
activities and initiate play, it can facilitate confidence and a capacity for life-long learning.
Sweden, Norway and Portugal prescribe activities outside of the centre in their curriculum,
whereas New Zealand does not. The Swedish framework, for example, encourages activities
in outdoor environments at the ECEC setting and in nature. The Swedish curriculum
specifically addresses and encourages the use of the outdoors as an arena for exploration,
learning and child-initiated (child-agency based) play. It also uses child-initiated play in
outdoor environments to raise ecological and environmental awareness.
Recognition of the role of parents and families in child development
Democratic partnership and parental engagement are important aspects of ECEC curricula:
parents can be an important source of constructive feedback and input to ECEC
programmes. Co-operation between preschools and parents ensures that children receive
the opportunity of developing in accordance with children’s potential. Parents’ feedback,
consultation and interaction with a service provider and ECEC staff can contribute to making
parental preferences an important input of ECEC frameworks, and their opinions and
expectations can be reflected in the curriculum.
The World Values Survey 2 indicates that since the early 1980s, parental expectations
towards children have strengthened. The perceived importance of both hard work and
imagination as relevant qualities for children has risen. The Scandinavian countries stand
out with a comparatively low emphasis on “hard work” (Figure 2.3). In both Norway and
Sweden, parents consider “having imagination” as a more important skill for children.
Democratic partnership and parental engagement are important aspects of all four curricula
(New Zealand, Norway, Portugal and Sweden). Table 2.2 shows that it is a legal obligation
for ECEC provisions in New Zealand, Norway, Portugal and Sweden to engage parents in
ECEC. In these countries, parents have the possibility to be involved in decision-making
processes in ECEC. Parents and staff are regarded as having joint responsibility for the wellbeing
and development of children.
In Norway and Sweden in particular, children and their parents are expected to contribute to
activities and be included in processes. Co-operation between preschools and parents
ensures that children receive the opportunity for development in accordance with their
potential. Swedish parents are included in the curriculum development process and
expected to contribute to activities. They are involved in developing a curriculum specifically
QUALITY MATTERS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE: SWEDEN © OECD 2013