Science Education in Kindergarten: Sociocognitive perspective

This article deals with the different didactic strategies used for the initiation of preschool children to the natural sciences. There is a reference to the general characteristics of the activities that are based either on the empiricist theoretical approach or the theory of Piaget regarding cognitive development. Some facts from the neo‐piagetian, socioconstructive and vygotskian perspectives for learning are presented. Within this framework a new sociocognitive approach is put forward for the development of activities concerning the natural sciences in the kindergarten. An activity concerning the understanding of gasification is presented and used as an example of the sociocognitive perspective.