This article investigates the ways in which social class shapes children’s interactions and everyday experiences within Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) settings. By drawing on Pierre Bourdieu’s theoretical concepts of capital and habitus, the study aims to provide a deeper understanding of how social class operates in subtle and often unspoken ways in early childhood environments. In doing so, the article also examines the extent to which ECEC institutions contribute to either reproducing existing social inequalities or mitigating them through inclusive practices.

The empirical data consist of observations conducted in 18 ECEC centres and interviews with 74 staff members working in Swedish-speaking ECEC contexts in Finland. The observational data were collected over a period of one month in each centre and included both organised activities and free play situations. During these observations, informal discussions with children were also documented, offering insight into their lived experiences and social interactions. The data were analysed using critical discourse analysis, allowing the researchers to explore how language, practices, and everyday interactions reflect and shape understandings of social class.

The findings reveal that ECEC staff frequently adopt a class-evasive approach in their professional practices. Discussions about social class are often avoided or reframed, with staff members instead referring to differences between families in terms of attitudes, parenting styles, or available time resources. While this approach may be intended to promote equality and avoid stigmatization, it simultaneously obscures the structural dimensions of inequality.

In contrast, the observational data highlight how children themselves are acutely aware of socio-economic differences and actively navigate them in their daily interactions.