The aim of this article is to discuss sustainable development in terms of children’s learning, and the development of an identity, a sense of belonging to a specifi c discourse. The background is the Swedish curriculum that stresses children’s learning about different contents. This article is based on a study with the purpose of describing and analysing how preschool teachers and children address content matter within a science context that includes learning for sustainable development. Preschool children 3 to 6 years’ old and preschool teachers where observed by video. The results show that all themes that were spoken about include anthropomorphic statements and that it is the teacher who introduces and uses this speaking style. The discussion focuses on the value of using an anthropomorphic style of talking in the light of sustainable development for children’s´ learning. Questions about teachers’ attitudes towards the mission of the preschool and teachers’ knowledge are raised. Children’s possibilities to learn in context with meaning and communication are problematized. The development of identity separated from development and learning about specifi c content is noted.