Modern Childhood No. 1 2025

In Modern Barndom 1/25, the focus is on democracy. Margie Cooper, chair of NAREA (North American Reggio Emilia Alliance), talks about Reggio Emilia inspiration in the shadow casters of the USA. For the Nordic-Baltic network "Hear the Children," Article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and raising the voices of all children are central. At the Guldkusten preschool in Östersund, the preschool is seen as a studio for life, and through the Globträdet organization, children's thoughts have reached the UN office in Kenya. This issue also includes an interview with Maria Nikolajeva, professor emerita of children's and youth literature, about children's literary walks and numerous projects, such as "Balansfantasiskor" (Balance Fantasy Shoes), where children in Bagarmossen explore physical phenomena.

The panel

Preschool managers respond to the question: "Fewer children are being born in Sweden and preschools are closing down in many places – how does the decline in the number of children affect your work?"

Preschool as a studio for life

For many years now, the Guldkusten preschool in Östersund has been working with the concept of preschool as a studio for life – where the entire preschool is used and play is bothin andforlife. Through the Globträdet organization, the children's thoughts have even reached the UN office in Kenya. Here, teachers at the preschool talk about their work and Kajsa Dahlström from Globträdet talks about the "World Home" project.

In the shadow casters of the USA

How does the global situation affect preschools in the US? Meet Margie Cooper, chair of NAREA (North American Reggio Emilia Alliance), for a conversation about a study trip to Sweden, the US education system, and the importance of focusing on democracy.

Raise children's voices

How can we work to ensure that all children's voices are heard? This question is one of the starting points for the Hear the Children project, in which preschools from the Nordic and Baltic countries come together and work on the basis of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Here, differences, similarities, and the current challenges facing the countries are discussed—such as views on children, working methods, paradigm shifts, and the fragility of democracy.

Children's literature walks

Maria Nikolajeva, professor emerita of children's and young adult literature, has developed a method for children's literary walks that delves deeply into both text and place. Meet her for a conversation about the reading-promoting effects of the walks and brain research in relation to literature.

Projects that become special

Teachers at Solbacken Syd preschool in Bagarmossen share a transdisciplinary project that uses shoes to explore the phenomena of balance, gravity, and friction.

The shelf

Current titles and reviews.

Around Reggio

Obituary for Carlo Barsotti, introduction of a new member of the editorial team, Modern Barndom's web articles, and more.

The educator

Jens Hübner, art director at Musans preschool in Halmstad, in a conversation about the possibilities of art.

Documentation

"Using roller blinds as canvas" – Studio artist and art teacher Cecilia Högsveden East at Lemshaga Academy in Värmdö shares her experiences from a lesson.

The point of view

Anna Eklöf, special education teacher in Örebro and member of the Reggio Emilia Institute's board, on protecting the (special) rights of all children.            

Signed

Farhad Mazi Esfahani, Secretary General, Clowns Without Borders Sweden – "Let laughter drown out the darkness"