This is an integral part of the pedagogy taught in the Nordic countries.
At the end of school, it is often the same ritual, parents ask their child how his day went. And very often, the answer comes down to a simple “yes”, a “good” or an uptop of shoulders, leaving the adults a little hunger. Especially since this silence can be difficult to interpret: is it fatigue, a lack of desire to tell or a sign that something is wrong? Children, especially the youngest, sometimes find it difficult to put words on what they have experienced or do not see the point of detailing what they have done. Some days too, they just don’t want to share their day. This may tend to strengthen parents’ frustration.
In the Nordic countries, conversely, this is not the case. Indeed, in their book “Scandinavian parenting: the secrets of the happiest children in the world“(Editions of Boeck Supérieur), the authors Léa Johansen Bjarrum and Jonathan Vallantin reveal the specificities of Danish education. This is based on principles very different from those we know in France, and put above all on the pedagogy of exploration. Concretely, learning is not limited to classrooms: children spend a lot of time, whatever time, Experience and learn for themselves.
Thus, Scandinavian parents just have to look at a detail to know whether or not their child is happy to have gone to school: “The more dirty school in school, the more he had fun.” And for good reason, each morning, when they return to class, the students all decide together the program of the day which is organized around several outdoor activities. For example, they can “Take care of hens, cut wood, cook around the fire, count the leaves, tinker with huts”etc.
These activities “Are not only encouraged, but also valued, because they allow children to develop their creativity, their motor skills, and their link with the environment. Returning dirty is therefore perceived as a sign of joy, adventure and successful learning “, Note the authors in their work. So if your child comes back from a green class with his clothes covered with mud, leaves or grass, it is probably the sign that he had a great day!