This article discusses the views of 25 Icelandic preschool and compulsory school teachers who were interviewed on the role of the outdoor environment in children's learning. The teachers reported not being afraid to take children outside. These teachers valued the learning potentials of the outdoors more than they feared the possible risks. They believed that the outdoors could provide opportunities for (a) enhancing children's play and learning (b) promoting children's health, well-being, and courage, and (c) affecting children's views, knowledge, and actions towards sustainability.

The aim of this study is to investigate what characterizes the discourse on the role of the outdoor environment in young children's learning in educational policy documents in Iceland. Policy documents, laws and regulations, national curriculum guides for pre- and compulsory school levels, and documents from municipalities were analyzed. A six-step approach to discourse analysis was utilized. The main findings are that the outdoor environment is not highlighted in these documents, but is rather seen as a benefit to children's learning, health, and play and the fostering of children's positive environmental attitudes. Two types of contradictions were found: Silence about the outdoors versus emphasis on it, and discussion on risk versus learning opportunities.

This study examines discourse about sustainability education (SE) in Icelandic preschool curricula and their alignment with the Icelandic National Curriculum Guide for Preschools of 2011. Historical discourse analysis was used to analyze the curricula set by 16 preschools, focusing on how SE in early childhood education is viewed by the educators who write preschool curricula. The study draws on theories which argue that children’s participation is crucial in democratic societies. Major findings show that while preschool curricula include SE, their interpretation of sustainability were typically not broad enough to match the recommendations of the National Curriculum Guide. Rather, they focused on environmental and economic issues with scarce attention to the sociocultural aspects of sustainability and children’s participation. In response, the discussion and conclusion suggest how issues of equality and welfare, along with children’s democratic competence and children as agents of change for sustainability can be developed in this context.