Måltiden i förskolan - barns utrymme i kommunikation och handling

The aim of the study is to investigate children’s room for manoeuvre during mealtimes in kindergarten. By studying how children communicate that they understand expectations and obligations during meal situations, the purpose of the study is to contribute knowledge about children’s room for manoeuvre as actors during kindergarten mealtimes.

The study’s research question is:

1) How are children positioned and how do children position themselves during meal situations?

2) What becomes apparent in these situations?

One main finding was that the children’s room for manoeuvre during meals was limited and linked to a structural framework around the meal. This structure limited the children’s participation and influence. In addition, the children positioned themselves in both challenging and playful ways during the conversations, and these positions emerged from the structural framework around the meal. On certain occasions, the children used either their age, position or an expression of resistance to be heard. This shows how important it is that the adults understand and take responsibility for how they give the children responsibility, and how this can affect the whole group of children. In this study, the children tried to create room for manoeuvre by breaking the rules, or through non-normative behaviour, either by moving a chair, spilling their water or not eating in the way the adults expected. Since mealtime is a kindergarten practice where topics of conversation are not planned in advance, the topics that the children raise often reflect their own experiences. The children wish to have ownership of their conversations and therefore try to get into a position to do so. 

The study has a sociocultural perspective based on the theories of Lev Vygotsky and Ervin Goffmann. It consists of a strategic sample of 24 children in two Swedish kindergarten departments, one department with children aged 1-3 years old and one department with children aged 4-6 years old. Four adults, two from each department, were also included in the sample. The interaction was observed using video recordings.

Ryberg, L. (2019). Måltiden i förskolan - barns utrymme i kommunikation och handling. Akademisk avhandling. Göteborgs universitet.