Children’s culture of play and movement: rethinking health promotion in Danish kindergarten contexts

Purpose This study explores children’s self-initiated play and movement as inherently health-promoting practices in Danish kindergartens, drawing on children’s own perspectives. It critically examines how pedagogical and institutional practices shape – and at times delimit – children’s self-initiated play and how health promotion initiatives may further reinforce and intensify these conditions, thereby shaping children’s opportunities for play, movement, learning and well-being in everyday kindergarten life. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on qualitative fieldwork conducted in two Danish kindergartens, including 37 days of participant observation, 20 walking interviews and 15 photo-elicited interviews with children aged 3–6. The analysis draws on perspectives from the new sociology of childhood, phenomenology of the body and culture-oriented theories of children’s play. Findings Children’s play cultures are characterized by spontaneous movement, bodily exploration, risk-taking, peer learning and creative engagement with space and materiality. These practices support children’s physical, emotional and social well-being. However, institutional routines, spatial regulations and adult-led activities often limit children’s autonomy and disrupt opportunities for self-directed movement and play. Research limitations/implications Future interdisciplinary research is needed to further examine how institutional structures, routines and early intervention agendas shape children’s play, bodily expression and opportunities for self-organized activity. Studies could explore how material and sensory environments prompt movement and how children navigate adult-defined norms for appropriate behaviour. More attention is also needed on how pedagogical practices support or restrict children’s autonomy, including the role of risky play in fostering well-being. Longitudinal and participatory research involving children directly could provide deeper insights into how play cultures evolve within institutional constraints and how health-promotion initiatives intersect with children’s lived, situated experiences. Practical implications Health promotion in early childhood settings could be strengthened by improving physical environments, including outdoor areas, indoor movement spaces and access to nutritious food. Aligning institutional priorities with health-promoting values may also help bridge gaps between intentions and structural conditions. Rethinking the kindergarten day to allow more free play – supported by pedagogues who respond to children’s diverse ways of engaging – can enhance children’s movement and well-being. Valuing risky play can foster resilience and inclusivity, while children who need more structure may require additional guidance to participate meaningfully in play communities. Social implications These findings highlight a growing tension between children’s play cultures and societal demands for structure, measurement and early intervention. When rules, routines and health agendas dominate everyday life, children risk losing access to the autonomy, movement and spontaneous joy that underpin their well-being. More flexible institutional environments may reduce children’s stress and support their participation, particularly when adult norms conflict with children’s embodied ways of being. Recognizing play as a meaningful social practice – rather than a vehicle for predefined outcomes – could foster environments that value diversity, inclusion and children’s right to self-directed activity. Originality/value The study contributes a child-centred and cross-disciplinary perspective to health promotion research by demonstrating how children’s self-initiated play constitutes an inherently health-promoting practice. It integrates cultural and phenomenological perspectives from early childhood research into dialogue with contemporary health promotion frameworks, offering a critical reframing of structured, adult-led interventions in early childhood settings.