Hur påverkas barns fria lek i förskolan? : En vetenskaplig essä om lek och huruvida vuxnas roll är påverkande i barns fria lek

Free play in pre-school has been a widely discussed topic, and researchers have come to different conclusions about the role of the educator in free play. This essay is based on a self-perceived dilemma about free play. The main focus is whether children's free play should be free from adults and whether or not educators control free play. The dilemma occurs when a colleague points out that adults should not participate in children's play. The aim with this essay is to investigate and explore the presence of adults in the free play and in what way educators influence the free play. The research questions also consider children's experiences of play and how one can perceive the role of the educator in free play. The method has been to write a scientific essay by reasoning, reflecting and exploring the concept of "free play" with the help of theories, research and literature that highlights free play. In conclusion, there is no right or wrong about the presence of adults in the free play. Children need to both be completely free of adults to experiment on their own and time to play with an adult who can balance and enrich the game. The disadvantage is that the play without adults can result in certain children deciding at the expense of other children and with adults present, the development can be hampered, and the game can be controlled