Research topic/aim This article critically analyses implied and expressed norms to identify perceptions of appropriate behaviour in children’s play, and to explore how social communicative arenas such as Internet forums construct knowledge and values. Adults’ responses to an incident that occurred amongst a group of children in Swedish early childhood education as part of free play during the preschool day were analysed. The incident was described in a thread posted on the Familjeliv (Family Life) internet forum. The research questions were: what images of children are prominent in discourse on appropriate behaviour as part of free play; what discursive categorisations of children related to age, gender and sexuality can be identified within this discourse; and how do these categorisations intersect? Netnography provided the method used together with thematic content analysis. Theoretical framework The thematic content analysis we conducted was qualitative in focus and adopted a poststructural feminist approach. Using this approach, the researcher’s gaze is directed not only towards expressions in the text, but also key linguistic formulations and discursive meanings. In this study, the focus was not only on discursively constructed identity-creating categories such as gender and ethnicity, but also on age, functionality and nationality. The intention when using an intersectional analysis is to shed light on issues that are taken for granted, such as assumptions about children’s ‘normal’ development or, as in this study, appropriate behaviour. In pursuit of such a goal it becomes central to visualise and examine unspoken and stated norms, such as constructed differences between something (a child’s behaviour) or someone (a child) that is perceived as normal or deviant in different situations or relationships. Methodological design The study involved the use of netnographic method. Instead of studying a situation using responses to questions from a researcher, we focused on the replies in Familjeliv forum thread. Expected conclusions/findings Findings reveal two contrasting views: first, the view that four-year-olds cannot commit sexual assault on another person; and second, the view that they can. Young children were constructed either as non-sexual, innocent, curious and playful, or as perpetrators who lack consequentialist thinking. Age was the dominant discursive category utilised in relation to sexuality and appropriate behaviour, followed by gender. Relevance to Nordic educational research In Sweden, preschool is a non-compulsory part of the education system. Early childhood education in Sweden is aligned with the Nordic tradition. It involves close contact between staff such as care givers, preschool teachers and special educators, and parents. Play is considered integral to education and central to learning. The Swedish national curriculum emphasises the central aspect of play for children’s development. Play can be viewed as a key part of preschool experience in which children are free to explore their surroundings, express themselves, and learn together. However, different types of governance linked to play in the preschool context have been identified in the literature related to gender, age and functionality. There is a lack of critical research that brings these discursive categories to bear on free play. The present study aims to fill this gap.