Attitudes och Values toward Play and Toys – Reflections over Time Anette Sandberg and Tuula Vuorinen Mälardalen University Department of Social Science

A Human Being is Always a Product of its´ Time and Enviroment - a sociocultural perspective Vygotsky (1930; 1990), Säljö (2000)

The Purpose of this Study is to Describe and Analyze Play through a Contemporary Historical Perspective.

This study is based on interviews with 111 female preschoolteachers´and students´. 34 years and younger 35 years and older Total Preschool- teachers Students Total

Areas reflected in external conditions of play and /or in play content Increased welfare Women´s entry into working life Urbanization Secularization Increased range of media Results

Childrens´ play today were often described from a deficiency perspective e.g. there is a lack of time for play, there is a lack of fantasy and imagination within the play and play is often seen as to inspired by media. What opportunities do children have to influence the contents of activities in preschool when preschoolteachers look upon childrens own cultural activities and values from a deficieny perspective?, Values and Attitudes towards Childrens´Play Today ?

Influence of the Child The pre-school provides the foundations for children to understand what democracy is. /… / The needs and interests which children themselves express in different ways should provide the foundation for shaping the environment and planning pedagogical activities. The work-team should /…/ prepare the children for participating in and sharing the responsibilities, rights and obligations that apply in a democratic society. Curriculum for the pre-school, Lpfö 98, (p.11-12)

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9 2007