Adventure pedagogical principles in the everyday routines of preschools

Abstract

The aim of this thesis was to develop the adventure pedagogical approaches of preschool forest groups in Vuores municipal kindergarten, Tampere. Although the kindergarten develops its general pedagogies systematically, the emphasis on environmental and adventure education specific to the forest groups has mainly been developed by individual educators over the years. Furthermore, the educators recognised a lack of knowledge and consistency in their adventure pedagogical approach. This thesis explored what is essential for meaningful and high-quality adventure pedagogy in early childhood educators’ work, focusing on theories, approaches and attitudes.

Qualitative data for this research-based development project were gathered through semi-structured interviews with three Finnish early childhood educators who implement adventure pedagogy in their work. The interviews were conducted in September 2021 through an online video meeting platform. Data analysis followed the principles of thematic analysis. The interview data was supplemented with personal experience and incidental observations in the commissioning preschool during a practical training period in spring 2021.

The research produced information about and concrete examples of adventure pedagogical approaches in early childhood education. It showed that applying adventure pedagogical principles can be meaningful and motivating for both educators and children. The quality of their approaches was influenced by committed team members, situational awareness, and childrens’ participation. The study provided principles for further improving adventure pedagogical approaches in the everyday routines of the forest preschool.