Patrick and his peers: ‘and the three of them walk into the room … ’ patterns of experience and peer relationships during children's transition into kindergarten

Abstract

ABSTRACT Although the transition into kindergarten of children at the age of three is regarded as a meaningful event in the lives of children and their families, little is known about the role of peer relationships during this transition phase. Based on a Viennese research project, in this article observational material is presented and analysed to describe how three-year-old Patrick experiences peer relationships during his transition into kindergarten. The authors describe Patrick's meaningful, recurring and characteristic interactions with his kindergarten peers; they also formulate patterns of experience. In addition, the analysis of the observation material is linked to publications on the topic of peer relationships, in order to show to what extent the presented form of research can enrich the current scientific discourse.