What keeps play alive? A Dynamic Systems approach to playing interactions of young newcomer children in Sweden

The study investigates how interaction play occurs among newly arrived immigrant children in the start-up phase of kindergarten, and how the dynamics of this play can be understood. The researcher is also interested in how a dynamic systems theory approach can be used in educational research and to understand the dynamics of this play. The research questions are: 1) What are the theoretical and methodological implications of a systematic systems theory approach to play among newly arrived children? 2) How do newly arrived children experience interaction play in the start-up phase in everyday Swedish kindergarten life? 3) What type of play patterns are maintained in interaction play, in each new situation, for the newly arrived children in the transition phase?

The results show that interaction play is influenced not only by individuals or social norms, but also by the play itself as a complex system of entangled patterns that refer to different contexts. There are many variations of how interaction play occurs among newly arrived immigrant children. The researcher believes that in each new play situation, there is a pattern where relational, emotional, activity and localisation categories are found in varying degrees and build dynamic networks. The thing that always connects these networks is the emotional category – what children describe as the positive emotions, joy and happiness, they associate with play. 

The data material consists of interviews with and observations of eight children between the ages of one and six who attended kindergarten at a reception centre for immigrants in Sweden. The children had Syrian, Iraqi, Eritrean or Palestinian backgrounds and the interviews were conducted with the help of interpreters who worked at the centre. The researcher also observed the children’s free play in kindergarten. The observations consist of approximately twelve hours of video recordings.

Lebedeva, N. (2020). “What keeps play alive? A Dynamic Systems approach to playing interactions of young newcomer children in Sweden”. Akademisk avhandling. Högskolan Dalarna.