The importance of preschool children\u27s play in the natural environment for learning early science

Igra je bistvenega pomena za vsa področja otrokovega razvoja v predšolskem obdobju. V sodobnem načinu življenja postaja vse bolj omejena na notranje prostore, v katerih je možnost spoznavanja sveta okrnjena. Pozabljamo pa na naravo, ki predstavlja razgibano igrišče in učno okolje, v katerem lahko najdemo številne nestrukturirane materiale in objekte, ki jim otroci pripisujejo simbolni pomen in jih uporabljajo kot igrače, ki spodbujajo prosto igro. Neživa, predvsem pa živa narava motivira otroke za igro in raziskovanje in je vir naravoslovnega znanja. Otrokom torej lahko približamo naravo predvsem s tem, da jim ponudimo možnost, da se v njej igrajo, raziskujejo, učijo. V magistrskem delu me je zanimal pomen igre predšolskih otrok v naravnem okolju za učenje začetnega naravoslovja. V teoretičnem delu sem opredelila pojem igre, še posebej me je zanimal napredek otrok na različnih področjih učenja skozi igro. V nadaljevanju sem opisala, kako na slednje vpliva naravno okolje in na katerih področjih so strokovnjaki že ugotovili pozitivne vplive. Zanimalo me je, kakšna je vloga odraslega. Opisala sem tudi sodobne pristope, ki v ospredje postavljajo učenje v tesni povezavi s preživljanjem prostega časa v naravi. V empirični raziskavi sem proučevala pogled na igro iz otrokove perspektive. Pri raziskavi smo uporabili kamere, ki so bile med igro nameščene okrog otrokovega pasu in so samodejno beležile sliko in glas. Poleg tega so imeli otroci ves čas na razpolago tudi fotoaparat, s katerim so lahko fotografirali, ter pripomočke za risanje. Strokovni delavci smo dogajanje ves čas opazovali in si dialoge otrok zapisovali. Na ta način smo raziskovali pomen igre v naravnem okolju na učenje otroka. Preko analiziranja podatkov smo ugotavljali tudi razlike v igri med spoloma. V raziskavo je bilo vključenih 21 otrok, starih od 4 do 6 let. Rezultati raziskave so pokazali, da otroci ob igri v naravnem okolju pridobivajo naravoslovna znanja in spretnosti preko zaznavanja z vsemi čutili. Otroci so pri tem uporabljali najosnovnejše naravoslovne postopke, ob pomoči odraslega pa so uporabili tudi zahtevnejše. Pozitivni učinek igre v naravnem okolju se ni kazal le na področju narave, pač pa tudi na vseh drugih področjih kurikula: gibanju, družbi, jeziku, umetnosti in matematiki. Področji, ki smo jima posvetili posebno pozornost, sta varnost in tvegana igra. V daljšem časovnem obdobju so otroci pridobili občutek, kako se v mejah varnosti preizkušati v novih izzivih. Pri igri v naravi so bili pogumnejši dečki, ki so se preizkušali v zelo raznolikih dejavnostih, kot je plezanje, drsanje po hribu, konstruiranje in igra lovcev. Deklice so se pogosteje igrale mirne dejavnosti, kot je simbolna igra družina, vendar se je sčasoma razlika med spoloma nekoliko zmanjšala. Pri igri so uporabljali najrazličnejše naravne materiale, najpogosteje uporabljena pa je bila palica, ki je imela funkcionalno (npr. pomoč pri hoji po hribu) ali simbolno vlogo (čarobna palica) v igri. Ugotovitve raziskave so pomembne za vzgojno delo z otroki. Predšolskim otrokom bi odrasli morali dati veliko več časa in možnosti za igro, predvsem v naravnih okoljih in jim na ta način omogočiti razvijanje v sklopu proste igre. S tem želimo poudariti vrednost proste igre. Ta namreč ni manjvredna, pač pa je vsaj enakovredna načrtovanim dejavnostim in bolje izkorišča potenciale naravnega okolja.Play is essential for all domains of a child\u27s development during the preschool period. However, the modern way of life has increasingly resulted in limiting play to indoor spaces that offer children diminished possibilities to explore the world. We are forgetting, though, that nature is a diverse playground and learning environment where numerous unstructured materials and objects can be found. Children attribute symbolic meaning to these, using them as toys that encourage free play. Non-living, and mainly living things in nature motivate children to play and explore, and are a source of scientific knowledge. Therefore, we can bring nature closer to children simply by offering them the opportunity to play, explore and learn in it. In my master\u27s thesis, I was primarily interested in the impact of preschool children’s play in the natural environment on their learning of early science. In the theoretical section, I define the concept of play, with particular focus on the progress that the children made in different domains of learning through play. In the continuation I describe how their learning through play is influenced by the natural environment and which areas were positively affected as identified by the experts. I was also interested in what the role was of adults in these activities. I describe modern approaches that foreground learning in its close relation with spending free time in the nature. The empirical study examines the views of play from the child\u27s perspective, using video cameras that were attached to each child’s waist and that automatically recorded image and voice during their play. The children were also given a camera with which they could take pictures, as well as being given drawing utensils. Expert workers continuously observed what was going on and recorded the children\u27s conversations. This enabled us to explore the impact of play in the natural environment on the child\u27s learning. Moreover, data analysis was used to determine gender differences related to the children\u27s play. Twenty-one children aged 4 to 6 were included in the study. The research results have shown that children acquire early science knowledge and skills by playing outside in the natural environment and using all their senses. In their play, the children used the most elementary scientific procedures and, with help from an adult, some more demanding ones. The positive effect of play in the natural environment was not only observed in the domain of natural science, but also in all other domains of the curriculum: physical movement, society, language, art and mathematics. Safety and risky play were two domains that were given special attention. After some time in the natural environment, the children acquired a sense of how to take risks and take on new challenges within safe boundaries. While playing in nature, boys were braver and took up challenges in very diverse activities, such as climbing, sliding down a hill, construction and chasing each other. Girls more often engaged in quiet symbolic activities, such as \u27playing house’. In time, the difference between the genders slightly diminished. During their play, the children used a wide variety of natural materials, most often a stick, which took on a functional (such as helping to walk uphill) or symbolic (the magic wand) role in their play. The findings of this study are relevant for educational work with children and show that much more time and opportunities should be offered to preschool children for play, in particular in natural environments, to enhance their development through free play. In saying this, I wish to emphasize the value of free play. Rather than being considered inferior to other planned activities, free play in the natural environment is at least equal to those activities and enables better use of the potentials of the natural environment