This is a qualitative investigation through observations, to describe the teachers’ occupation while the preschool children were playing. The overall purpose of this study is to categorize the teachers’ activities according to Åm’s categories (1986) as well as relate to what the relevant studies of Roslund & Sundell (2007) and Dömötri & Hajny’s (2006) results show. The questions at issue were;
· What are the preschool teachers’ occupations while the children are playing outside?
· How do the children act in the interaction with the teachers?
On the basis of this study and literature on the matter, I’ve tried to shed some light on my questions. My results show what the children and their teachers were doing during the time of the investigation. Surprisingly enough the teachers were doing more than I originally had foreseen. Such as initiating play and supporting the children during play, rather than talking to colleagues or watching the children from afar. Eventually I realized that the single most important thing for an educationalist to consider is to consciously think about and reflect on what your opinions on children and children’s play, are.
Keywords: teachers, occupation, preschool, observation