The Farm Kindergarten - Linking Learning in Rural and Urban Environments

Wenche Rønning, University of Nordland The farm kindergarten – linking learning in rural and urban environments In response to the continuing alienation of urban children from nature, an active outdoor life, and from natural food-producing environments such as farms, outdoor and farm kindergartens have become quite common in Norway. Farm kindergartens typically exist in rural areas, but often in rural areas not too far from more urban environments, which are able to make use of them. Like other Norwegian kindergartens, they provide full-day learning and care at a farm, either as an addition to a running farm or one that has become a kindergarten. This paper will explore this development in Norway in the context of trends elsewhere in outdoor and place–based education and the theory and practice of environmental education. It will focus on a farm kindergarten developed from a farm in Nordland, that is used by urban as well as rural families. Activities in this kindergarten, which is situated in a rural area just outside a small town, focus on the animals and poultry, growing vegetables, and food preparation and preservation. The paper will consider the contribution that farm kindergartens now make in the context of land ownership, longstanding traditions in pluriactivity and the implications this has had for urbanisation and urban–rural relationships in Norway. References Cohen, B. J. & Rønning, W. (2014) ‘Place –based learning in early years services: approaches and examples from Norway and Scotland’ in L. Miller & C. Cameron (eds.) International Perspectives in the Early Years. London: SAGE Publications. Cohen, B. J. & Rønning, W. (forthcoming 2015) “Education in Norway and Scotland: Developing and Re-forming the systems” in Northern Neighbours: Scotland and Norway since 1800. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. Mannion, G., Fenwick, A. and Lynch, J. (2013) ‘Place-responsive pedagogy: learning from teachers’ experiences of excursions in nature’. Environmental Education Research Vol.19 6 pp792-809. Key words: Farm kindergarten, land ownership, pluriactivity, physical activity, outdoor activity, health