The Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) and Agenda 2030 (2015) em-phasize the importance of involving children in decision-making processes. In-ternational literature highlights that the most stimulating play contexts for chil-dren aged 3-6 are those discovered through free initiatives rather than solely designed by adults. However, play environments often reflect adult ideals, far from children’s desires. Therefore, it is crucial to include children in designing their spaces, recognizing them as playful designers capable of making mean-ingful contributions. This study focuses on the use of photovoice methodology to involve children from two kindergartens in Milano in order to transform their schoolyards. Through self-made photographs and group discussions, children documented their environment, expressing what they want to do and change. The thematic analysis of the data revealed how children perceive and imagine their garden, identifying physical and cultural constraints (e.g., adult rules) and proposing transformations. Photovoice proved to be an effective tool for pro-moting children’s participation and helping adults to observe the environment from children’s perspective, fostering participatory redesign processes.
Luini, L., Guerra, M. (2025). Re-designing schoolyards through photovoice. A participatory experience with preschoolers. In Scuola democratica (a cura di), Proceedings of the Third International Conference of the journal Scuola democratica. Education and/for Social Justice. Vol. 2: Cultures, Practices, and Change (pp. 829-835). Associazione “Per Scuola Democratica”.
Re-designing schoolyards through photovoice. A participatory experience with preschoolers
Luini, L;Guerra, M
2025
Abstract
The Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) and Agenda 2030 (2015) em-phasize the importance of involving children in decision-making processes. In-ternational literature highlights that the most stimulating play contexts for chil-dren aged 3-6 are those discovered through free initiatives rather than solely designed by adults. However, play environments often reflect adult ideals, far from children’s desires. Therefore, it is crucial to include children in designing their spaces, recognizing them as playful designers capable of making mean-ingful contributions. This study focuses on the use of photovoice methodology to involve children from two kindergartens in Milano in order to transform their schoolyards. Through self-made photographs and group discussions, children documented their environment, expressing what they want to do and change. The thematic analysis of the data revealed how children perceive and imagine their garden, identifying physical and cultural constraints (e.g., adult rules) and proposing transformations. Photovoice proved to be an effective tool for pro-moting children’s participation and helping adults to observe the environment from children’s perspective, fostering participatory redesign processes.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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