Children’s Experiences of Enchantment: A Case-study of two Steiner Waldorf Day-care Centres for 0-6 year olds

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Abstract

The present study explores how Steiner Waldorf teachers create enchanted experiences for young children in day-care. Enchantment is defined as a kind of experience, where every-day life takes on an extra dimension of something out-of-the-ordinary and slightly ‘magic’. Using infant observation to conduct a case-study of two Steiner Waldorf day-care centres it is shown that the teachers use the telling of fairy tales, rituals, sounds, and repetition to create enchanted experience for the children. This ‘enchantment’ creates a shift in the participants awareness and brings an otherworldly quality to the children’s experience of life in day-care. It is shown that enchanted experience does not arise by itself but demands both skill and effort on the part of the teachers. Finally it is suggested that the experience of enchantment is enriching the live of the children in day-care, by adding a sense of wonder and ‘magic’ to their everyday lives.
OriginalsprogEngelsk
TidsskriftInternational Journal of Children's Spirituality
StatusAfsendt - 2025

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