Play in the kindergarten: the case of Norway, Sweden, New Zealand and Japan

This paper discusses the kindergarten curricula of Norway, Sweden, Japan and New Zealand in terms of whether they recommend or suggest teachers unify play and pedagogy by employing a pedagogy of play. These countries were selected because, while they have to provide for children's right to play, they cover different geographical and cultural parts of the world – Europe, Asia and Oceania. Their curricula were examined because they can influence teachers in favour or against employing a pedagogy of play, since they express the official-state expectations regarding young children's play and learning. The documentary analysis indicates that Japan focuses on child-initiated and teacher-directed play only, which does not imply a pedagogy of play. In Norway and New Zealand, there is evidence of almost all aspects of a pedagogy of play, which is not recommended for all learning, while the Swedish curriculum recommends a pedagogy of play.