Spaces for play: Listening to children's voices

Lynsey Burke; Divya Jindal-Snape; Angela Lindsay; Susan Whyte; Mhairi Wallace; Duncan Mercieca; Megan McKenzie; Brenda Keatch

doi:10.1080/03004279.2024.2318254

Spaces for play: Listening to children's voices

Lynsey Burke (Lead / Corresponding author)
, Divya Jindal-Snape
, Angela Lindsay
, Susan Whyte
, Mhairi Wallace
, Duncan Mercieca
, Megan McKenzie
, Brenda Keatch

Education and Society

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

271 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

This paper explores young children’s voices about their play spaces in one Scottish primary school. 45 children (ages 5-7 years) participated, choosing from a range of creative methods (e.g., InPhoTours, drawing, mapping) to share their voices. Using a ‘Playful Research Ethics Framework’, a developmentally appropriate framework which involved the use of visual aids, puppets, songs, Makaton symbols and discussions as well as attention to any cues of disengagement, this research aimed at achieving children’s ongoing informed assent. Four themes were identified: (a) the ‘whole child’ in the space, (b) space and relationships, (c) function of space, and (d) impact (or lack) of children’s voices about space. Children expressed differences in ownership, creativity and imagination in indoor and outdoor spaces. Further, despite perceiving there to be a lack of agency, children were willing to share their voices. There are implications for both practice and research in terms of adults willing to effectively listen to children’s voices and acting on them. This study makes original and significant contributions which have the potential to impact research and practice with young children internationally.

Original language	English
Number of pages	24
Journal	Education 3-13
Early online date	29 Feb 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/03004279.2024.2318254
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 29 Feb 2024

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

Playful Research Ethics Framework (PREF)
Space
children’s voices
creative methods
play
visual methods

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Education
Life-span and Life-course Studies

Access to Document

10.1080/03004279.2024.2318254Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Final published versionFinal published version, 5.05 MBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

@article{8ef1a01b8d2d41729d0e697a1fbdfc40,

title = "Spaces for play: Listening to children's voices",

abstract = "This paper explores young children{\textquoteright}s voices about their play spaces in one Scottish primary school. 45 children (ages 5-7 years) participated, choosing from a range of creative methods (e.g., InPhoTours, drawing, mapping) to share their voices. Using a {\textquoteleft}Playful Research Ethics Framework{\textquoteright}, a developmentally appropriate framework which involved the use of visual aids, puppets, songs, Makaton symbols and discussions as well as attention to any cues of disengagement, this research aimed at achieving children{\textquoteright}s ongoing informed assent. Four themes were identified: (a) the {\textquoteleft}whole child{\textquoteright} in the space, (b) space and relationships, (c) function of space, and (d) impact (or lack) of children{\textquoteright}s voices about space. Children expressed differences in ownership, creativity and imagination in indoor and outdoor spaces. Further, despite perceiving there to be a lack of agency, children were willing to share their voices. There are implications for both practice and research in terms of adults willing to effectively listen to children{\textquoteright}s voices and acting on them. This study makes original and significant contributions which have the potential to impact research and practice with young children internationally.",

keywords = "Playful Research Ethics Framework (PREF), Space, children{\textquoteright}s voices, creative methods, play, visual methods",

author = "Lynsey Burke and Divya Jindal-Snape and Angela Lindsay and Susan Whyte and Mhairi Wallace and Duncan Mercieca and Megan McKenzie and Brenda Keatch",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor \& Francis Group.",

year = "2024",

month = feb,

day = "29",

doi = "10.1080/03004279.2024.2318254",

language = "English",

journal = "Education 3-13",

issn = "0300-4279",

publisher = "Routledge",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Spaces for play

T2 - Listening to children's voices

AU - Burke, Lynsey

AU - Jindal-Snape, Divya

AU - Lindsay, Angela

AU - Whyte, Susan

AU - Wallace, Mhairi

AU - Mercieca, Duncan

AU - McKenzie, Megan

AU - Keatch, Brenda

PY - 2024/2/29

Y1 - 2024/2/29

N2 - This paper explores young children’s voices about their play spaces in one Scottish primary school. 45 children (ages 5-7 years) participated, choosing from a range of creative methods (e.g., InPhoTours, drawing, mapping) to share their voices. Using a ‘Playful Research Ethics Framework’, a developmentally appropriate framework which involved the use of visual aids, puppets, songs, Makaton symbols and discussions as well as attention to any cues of disengagement, this research aimed at achieving children’s ongoing informed assent. Four themes were identified: (a) the ‘whole child’ in the space, (b) space and relationships, (c) function of space, and (d) impact (or lack) of children’s voices about space. Children expressed differences in ownership, creativity and imagination in indoor and outdoor spaces. Further, despite perceiving there to be a lack of agency, children were willing to share their voices. There are implications for both practice and research in terms of adults willing to effectively listen to children’s voices and acting on them. This study makes original and significant contributions which have the potential to impact research and practice with young children internationally.

AB - This paper explores young children’s voices about their play spaces in one Scottish primary school. 45 children (ages 5-7 years) participated, choosing from a range of creative methods (e.g., InPhoTours, drawing, mapping) to share their voices. Using a ‘Playful Research Ethics Framework’, a developmentally appropriate framework which involved the use of visual aids, puppets, songs, Makaton symbols and discussions as well as attention to any cues of disengagement, this research aimed at achieving children’s ongoing informed assent. Four themes were identified: (a) the ‘whole child’ in the space, (b) space and relationships, (c) function of space, and (d) impact (or lack) of children’s voices about space. Children expressed differences in ownership, creativity and imagination in indoor and outdoor spaces. Further, despite perceiving there to be a lack of agency, children were willing to share their voices. There are implications for both practice and research in terms of adults willing to effectively listen to children’s voices and acting on them. This study makes original and significant contributions which have the potential to impact research and practice with young children internationally.

KW - Playful Research Ethics Framework (PREF)

KW - Space

KW - children’s voices

KW - creative methods

KW - play

KW - visual methods

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85186187117

U2 - 10.1080/03004279.2024.2318254

DO - 10.1080/03004279.2024.2318254

M3 - Article

SN - 0300-4279

JO - Education 3-13

JF - Education 3-13

ER -

Spaces for play: Listening to children's voices

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this