This study explores childrens peer touch in a Swedish preschool using video observations. Two main aspects of childrens touch in focus: (1) to what extent do children use touch within the peer group and with whom and (2) in what ways do children touch each other (i.e. what touch forms are used and what areas of other childrens bodies are touched). Data consists of 10 hours of video recordings, featuring 35 children aged 1-5 years. The results suggest that touch is available for children in a range of social arrangements: it was common in childrens peer-group interactions, and it was not limited to specific child constellations. The most prominent categories were affectionate touches (embraces, holding hands, or pats), but the children also used touch to control their peers conduct (grabbing, pulling, and pushing) as well as adult-like embodied directives (shepherding moves). The social and material context of a preschool may contribute to practices where touch is part of ordinary interactions and cultural practices within the peer group. The study demonstrates some differences between educator-child, and childrens peer touch thereby highlighting the importance for educators to consider childrens specific touch cultures when attending to, supporting, and shaping childrens peer - relations.
Funding Agencies|Vetenskapsrdet (The Swedish Research Council) [742-2013-7626]