chapter 1
ernment in Oslo published a set of guidelines in 2001 emphasising that all naturbarnehager also need premises similar to ordinary kindergartens. Parents and employees, on the other hand, do not seem worried. They are motivated by a Norwegian value system that emphasises children spending time outdoors. It is assumed that it is good for children to go for walks in the woods. Parents give several reasons why this is desirable: 1) children learn to respect and enjoy nature, 2) they learn about plants and animals, and 3) they learn to enjoy going for walks in the country. Many seem to think that a happy childhood is closely connected to spending a lot of time outdoors. 6 Who, then, are the parents that send children to naturbarnehager? As a general rule, they are well educated with high incomes, and they themselves like to spend time on outdoor activities. This corresponds with research showing that it is the urban upper and middle classes who are the proponents of walks in the country in general.
Modifications How will Norwegians reading this chapter react? In my opinion, a majority will nod approvingly. But I also realise that some modifications are necessary. An obvious question is: Are values like equality, moderation and nearness to nature distinctly Norwegian? The answer is of course no. The Scandinavian countries all share an egalitarian value system. The feeling of anxiety when a person is challenged to stand out from the crowd, the social pressure towards consensus, the ideology of equality – all this has been described by sociologists as typical of most rural societies. The Norwegian cheese slicer, a symbol of moderation, has never been a success in France, but has been introduced with a certain success in countries with a Protestant Calvinist value system, like Holland. Consequently, equality, moderation and nearness to nature are not exclusively Norwegian values. The hypothesis underpinning this chapter is that these are values that permeate Norwegian society to a larger extent than elsewhere. But they are in no way unique to Norway.
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Lysklett, O.B., Emilsen, K. & Hansen, T.L. (2003). Hva kjennetegner natur- og friluftsbarnehager. Barnehagefolk, (4), 79–85.
