Reclaiming free play: A call for agency in Norwegian ECEC research
Research topic
Today, Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) in Norway is defined as the first step in the national education system (Nilsen 2021) and is considered an important part of an individual’s lifelong learning (Norwegian Ministry of Education 2017). The development in this direction has led to an increased emphasis on childhood as preparation for further education and adult life, and on children’s formal learning and achievements in kindergarten (Nygård 2017).
Given the shift toward a learning-oriented approach, we wanted to investigate how Norwegian ECEC researchers view play and what methods are used in research.
Methodology
We employed a scoping review methodology (Arksey and O`Malley 2005) to get an overview of how ECEC researchers view play and to reveal knowledge and possible assumptions about the ECEC research on play. We identified the articles on play from the larger dataset of 418 publications on ECEC in relevant research milieus in Norway in the period 2020-2023.
Findings
The review revealed that ECEC researchers claim to view play as a spontaneous and free activity that holds intrinsic value. At the same time, there is a prevailing tendency to frame play in utilitarian terms—primarily as a means to support developmental and academic learning through the facilitation of environments, provision of play materials and the structuring of learning and social interactions. Methodically, the research is predominantly qualitative, ranging from various types of observations.
This points to a gap in research into deeper philosophical engagement with the nature of play, reflected in the reliance on observational methods and a focus on contextual factors that support free play mainly as a tool for developmental learning.
Relevance to Nordic educational research
Research`s reliance on observational methods suggests a need for more agentic research approaches that engage with children's perspectives and the deeper meaning of play. More varied research methods might render it easier for researchers to pick up elements such as the meaning children themselves ascribe to their play, and to philosophically reflect on play as an existential phenomenon.
We therefore invite researchers to engage in critical reflection and open dialogue about the foundational premises of their work, including the influence of disciplinary traditions and underlying values on the direction of research. Ultimately, we argue that further inquiry and philosophical engagement with the ontological nature of play is needed to sustain a nuanced understanding of play.
Today, Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) in Norway is defined as the first step in the national education system (Nilsen 2021) and is considered an important part of an individual’s lifelong learning (Norwegian Ministry of Education 2017). The development in this direction has led to an increased emphasis on childhood as preparation for further education and adult life, and on children’s formal learning and achievements in kindergarten (Nygård 2017).
Given the shift toward a learning-oriented approach, we wanted to investigate how Norwegian ECEC researchers view play and what methods are used in research.
Methodology
We employed a scoping review methodology (Arksey and O`Malley 2005) to get an overview of how ECEC researchers view play and to reveal knowledge and possible assumptions about the ECEC research on play. We identified the articles on play from the larger dataset of 418 publications on ECEC in relevant research milieus in Norway in the period 2020-2023.
Findings
The review revealed that ECEC researchers claim to view play as a spontaneous and free activity that holds intrinsic value. At the same time, there is a prevailing tendency to frame play in utilitarian terms—primarily as a means to support developmental and academic learning through the facilitation of environments, provision of play materials and the structuring of learning and social interactions. Methodically, the research is predominantly qualitative, ranging from various types of observations.
This points to a gap in research into deeper philosophical engagement with the nature of play, reflected in the reliance on observational methods and a focus on contextual factors that support free play mainly as a tool for developmental learning.
Relevance to Nordic educational research
Research`s reliance on observational methods suggests a need for more agentic research approaches that engage with children's perspectives and the deeper meaning of play. More varied research methods might render it easier for researchers to pick up elements such as the meaning children themselves ascribe to their play, and to philosophically reflect on play as an existential phenomenon.
We therefore invite researchers to engage in critical reflection and open dialogue about the foundational premises of their work, including the influence of disciplinary traditions and underlying values on the direction of research. Ultimately, we argue that further inquiry and philosophical engagement with the ontological nature of play is needed to sustain a nuanced understanding of play.
Publisert i The Nordic Educational Research Association (NERA) Conference 2026, 2026
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