Outdoor Preschool - Norway - July 2009

What if your child returned from nursery telling you they'd learned how to light a fire? Welcome to the world of Norway's outdoor pre-schools, where children are taught to manage risk, rather than avoid it.
'Everything is dangerous!' says outdoor teacher Heidi Buvang. 'We motivate children to expand their limits, to try hanging from branches and climbing trees.' Outdoor nurseries are trying to counteract concerns that childhood has become overprotected and believe external education makes children more creative and independent. 'We're competing with computer games', says Heidi, 'It's important to give children the desire to be outdoors.'
Best Youth Award, Northern Character TV Festival, Murmansk, 2009
Litmus Films