Children Under Two As Co-constructors of Their Transition From Home Care to Early Childhood Education and Care

Abstract

Only by observing and listening to children can we learn about their unique ways of understanding the world. This study explored the ways in which children under the age of two contributed to co-constructing their own transition process to an early childhood education and care (ECEC) setting and how their contributions were constructed by the space. Video-recorded arrivals of four children under two during their first months in ECEC were scrutinized following the principles of interaction analysis, supported by socio-spatial theory. The recordings were made on seven observation days over seven months. The results show that young children contribute to co-constructing their transition arrivals by creatively drawing on the opportunities available in the ECEC space during the transition period and by creating new ones. The results also illuminate how the space mediates children’s contributions.