Children’s cooperation in a number activity in kindergarten

Abstract

Norwegian kindergartens organize school-preparation activities for five- and six-year-old children. Prior studies have mainly focused on the distribution and content of preparatory activities, whereas there is less research about children’s perspectives and contributions. Video data was collected in a Norwegian kindergarten over a seven-month period, and the paper analyses how children cooperate and use verbal, non-verbal and material resources in an outdoor activity focused on numbers and counting. The children share knowledge about numbers and the rules of the activity, and they show strong willingness to include each other in the activity. The main implication for practice is that children at this age are in possession of quite advanced cooperative skills and capable of managing a number activity.