This report is undertaken from a small scale holistic study of preschool girls’ and boys’ experiences retrieved from literature and popular culture. Studies emphasising a holistic approach include practices and methods which are reflexive and process driven, producing culturally situated learning. The children's point of view, was in focus along with the parents’ choice of children's literature and popular culture in their homes, and  peer-group's confirmations of references to this material during playtime.

The main goal was to gain information of how young children, make use of their knowledge, retrieved from  popular culture and children's literature, while communicating and playing in two preschools in Reykjavík, Iceland.

The children's knowledge of popular culture and children's literature appeared as a part of cultural capital, or more specific as a cultural literacy that made them capable of participating in the preschools daily routines and situate themselves in the peer-group. The children constantly referred to popular culture and children’s literature during play and discussions.

The findings, which were created through an on-going interplay between theory and methods indicate that children’s literature and popular culture include gendered descriptions of people’s attainment attributes and practices. While comparing this material with real life experience, the children made their own inferences to construct gendered knowledge and meanings. The teachers believed they contributed to equality in the classrooms by focusing on each child as an individual, independent of gender, and explained gender differences as essential.

Findings from the survey indicated that parents’ choice of children’s literature and popular culture in their homes was based on their children’s gender. The problem is discussed further, focusing upon how implications of children’s gender can hinder the possibility of their working on subjects they are most interested in, but understood by them as unsuitable for their gender.

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