The experiences and the meaning of using MyTime in the preschool context from the perspective of children in need of special support, 5–6 years of age.

The study investigates how preschool-age children in need of special support experience the use of the MyTime programme in kindergarten. Through analysing the children’s experiences, the study investigates how MyTime helps develop children’s understanding of time, including their perception of activities and time duration, and how this influences children’s participation and everyday life in kindergarten.

The results show that children experience MyTime as a meaningful tool for understanding and managing time in kindergarten. Through the use of MyTime, the children developed an understanding of time and how time can be structured. Many of the children expressed joy at being able to plan when they were going home and when activities were going to take place. The study concludes that MyTime can provide valuable support for children’s daily understanding of time and participation in kindergarten activities, which in turn can contribute to their general development and functioning in everyday life.

The data were collected through video recordings of interviews with 21 children aged 5-6 years, all requiring special needs adaptation. The interviews used Talking Mats, which is an adapted communication tool for children with cognitive challenges. The children were presented with images that symbolised different parts of the MyTime programme and placed these images on a mat according to preference (‘like’, ‘don’t know’, or ‘don’t like’). This method helped the children express their opinions through both body language and verbal expressions. The data were analysed hermeneutically.

Ahlström, S. W., Almqvist, L., Janeslätt, G., Gustavsson, C., & Harder, M. (2023). The experiences and the meaning of using MyTime in the preschool context from the perspective of children in need of special support, 5–6 years of age. Child: Care, Health and Development, 49(6), 1096–1103.