International perspectives on wellbeing and democratic living in early childhood curricula

The study investigates the position of children’s well-being and democratic lifestyle in the curriculum for kindergartens in five different countries. China, Colombia, Denmark, England and Portugal. The aim is to understand the values and perspectives reflected in these curricula, both nationally and internationally. The study is motivated by concerns that international, neoliberal agendas may limit the national and local design of curricula. The research questions are: 1) How is the well-being and democratic life of young children positioned in curricula and political documents on early childhood in China, Colombia, Denmark, England and Portugal? 2) How do these positions reflect the values and positioning of early childhood and young children, both nationally and internationally?

The study finds that all five countries emphasise holistic health and child participation. However, there are differences in how this is expressed. In the Chinese, Colombian, Danish and Portuguese curricula, there is a clear link between holistic health, children’s rights and democratic participation. The English curriculum stands out by having a greater focus on measurable outcomes and ‘school preparation’ activities. Here, children’s health and well-being are more often seen as a means to achieve good learning outcomes. A key finding is that well-being appears as a complex and multidimensional concept, with cultural differences in how it is expressed in the curricula of the different countries. The study concludes that it is important to critically assess who is developing international tests and how these affect kindergarten curricula.

The researchers used document analysis as a method to explore the relationship between democratic life and well-being in curricula for kindergarten children in five different countries: China, Colombia, Denmark, England and Portugal. The researchers analysed the most recent public curricula from each country. These were published between 2001 and 2021. The researchers focused on the content of the documents, and how they position children’s well-being and democratic lives.

Brogaard-Clausen, S., Guimaraes, S., Rubiano, C., & Tang, F. (2023). International perspectives on wellbeing and democratic living in early childhood curricula. Early Years, 43(4-5), 729–743.

Online year: 2022

Issue year: 2023

Review year: 2022