Rörelse i förskolan/Movement in early childhood education and (ECEC)

: Many children spend a large proportion of their waking hours in early childhood education and care (ECEC). Movement and physical activity (PA) are crucial for children’s development and sustainable health. The competence to manage and assess risks starts early in life and can be improved through opportunities for challenging PA. The aim of this study was to investigate ECEC educators’ experiences and perceptions of injury risks in ECEC and examine their reasoning about teaching movement and PA, and experiences of any restrictions and prohibitions of movement and PA. Eighteen ECEC educators were interviewed. The content analysis revealed three themes with adherent sub-themes: Responsibility for the children (Caretaking and Empathy); Fear of being accused (Fear of being exposed and Fear of being irresponsible in the work team); Low competence in movement (Low expectations of children and Perceived poor personal movement skills). The educators’ fear of injury risks limits the children’s movement and PA occasio

The educators’ fear of injury risks limits the children’s movement and PA occasions. The educators’ perceived poor personal motor skills and low fitness combined with their perceived low competence to teach movement limit the possibility for the children to develop their motor skills, which in turn might affect their physical literacy for sustainable PA and health later in life. As most children spend a large proportion of their waking hours in ECEC, educators are important for promoting, teaching, and modeling children’s movement and PA. The risk is that educators may spread their fear of PA-related injury and aversion to movement, which could have negative consequences from a sustainability perspective.