Into the Wild: 1,000 Hours Outside in Norwegian Forest Kindergartens

The Zekavat Family Summer Sabbatical Endowment was established at MFS in 1996 to encourage the faculty to engage in creative and challenging summer travel and study.  The sabbatical is meant to contribute to the rejuvenation and education of teachers and to permit them to pursue opportunities for personal growth and learning. Full-time faculty members who have served three years teaching at MFS are eligible. A key goal of the Sabbatical is to share the ideas, experiences and traditions from other cultures with students and faculty at MFS both inside and outside of the classroom. 

Kindergarten Teacher Jenny Ragghianti explored outdoor Kindergarten programs and play in Norway. Working with the University of Minnesota and Norway House, Jenny visited two schools on the outskirts of Oslo – Solemsk Naturebarnehage and Floyen Naturebarnehage – where children spend more than half of their day outdoors, and have large areas of forest that they can explore freely. Jenny observed how the school day is structured to incorporate both academics and free play. She also visited playgrounds in Norway which have unique features that promote physical exploration and allow children to take calculated risks.

“Having the opportunity to visit Norway, and explore the culture of outdoor learning, renewed my enthusiasm for work that is so vital to a quality early education. It is quite common in Norway for young children to spend the bulk of their day outdoors. Children are able to attend free outdoor Kindergarten from ages one to five, where the primary focus is on play and exploration. In America, these practices are often anathema to educational practices that are increasingly regimented and sedentary. I feel so fortunate to work at an institution where children’s development is a priority, as is the development of their teachers. Being in Norway also enhanced my understanding of my family heritage. I got to see the spot where my great-grandfather Torger Bergi boarded a ship and embarked for a new life in America. I learned about the native Sami people, from whom I am descended, and took my son wading into the icy Auerlansfjord just like my ancestors did centuries ago.”