Boden prioritizes the children

Björkdungen’s preschool in Boden has been built with child safety, security, learning and work environment in focus. The preschool is the first of its kind in Boden and serves as a model for several planned investments in new and rebuilding of preschools in the municipality.

Today, a high proportion of all children go to preschool, which means that the curriculum and educational journey begins even before school age. This at the same time as the age group one to five years increases in Boden and the directives are to have smaller groups of children. This means both opportunities and responsibility for the municipality.

– Environment and materials have a huge impact on our learning. Successful schooling is the best vaccine against exclusion. How our preschools are designed says something about how we value our children. I am so happy that we in Boden municipality are in a time where we can value the children and preschools’ assignments, states Sara Nilsson Bruun, chair of the education committee in Boden.

Future model

Many preschools are run in older premises and when they are renovated, the Education Board of the municipality of Bodens has made an official decision to prioritize the necessary investments.

A role model in the continued work is Björkdungen’s preschool, which has recently opened in new premises developed in consultation between architects and representatives from staff and managers. The result was a preschool built for the demands of the future, with well-thought-out environments for both large and small. There are now six portals, two squares and a restaurant with its own kitchen where the food is prepared and served during two sessions per day. With a natural transition between outside and inside, there are places for creation, motor skills, water play, carpentry and more.

The windows are low so that the children can look out. Sinks, chairs and tables are in different heights to suit different children’s lengths and the materials are child – friendly. Consideration has also been given to the preschool curriculum, a multicultural society and the children’s language development.

One of the staff members is Jennie Backelind.

– We got to participate and like and were asked questions such as “if you could choose what would you like?”. It is exciting to be a part of it after having worked for many years in childcare. It became a fantastic environment to work in, she says.

The experiences from Björkdungen have been gathered in a document that will be included in the municipality’s continued rebuilding and new construction of preschools that will continue from now and for three years according to an established investment plan.

– Lunda in Sävast has begun and new preschools will be built on Sanden and in Trångfors to be taken into use in January 2023, says Sara Nilsson Bruun.