Barnehagelærerens syn på jenter og gutter i fysisk aktivitet

Abstract

Physical activity is important for developing good physical health, social competence, and cognitive abilities. The aim of the task was to find out whether the kindergarten teacher differentiates between girls and boys, and how this affects the children's physical activity. There is a lot of research on the difference between the sexes in physical activity, but not much concerning the kindergarten teacher's reflections on this topic. Through a qualitative survey, we have interviewed three kindergarten teachers from three different kindergartens in Norway. Our results show that the informants do not think about nor differentiate between the sexes. Furthermore, the informants believe that there is very little difference between the sexes in physical play, although research shows that there is a significant difference. Our main findings indicate that even if our informants say they do not differentiate between genders, it may still be done unconsciously. It is important for the kindergarten teacher to highlight equal opportunities in physical activity for boys and girls. The way adults talk to and treat the sexes stereotypically is something that, in our opinion, should be further researched in order to create a better environment for physical activity in the nursery. Keywords: Physical activity, Boys, Girls, Gender differences, Kindergarten teacher, Adult role.