“This is me”: Children’s drawings as multimodal meaning-making, identity construction and participation in early childhood
Background: Contemporary childhood research recognises young children as competent social actors whose perspectives deserve meaningful consideration (James & Prout, 2015; Spyrou, 2018). Informed by sociocultural (Vygotsky, 1978) and social semiotic perspectives (Kress, 1997), drawing is understood as a participatory, meaning-making practice (Kress, 1997; Wright, 2022) that creates opportunities for listening to children beyond adult-centred linguistic expectations (Clark, 2017).
Aim: The study explored how young children use drawings, alongside narratives and interactions, as multimodal forms of meaning-making and communication through which they communicate their identities, lived experiences, emotions, and understandings of the world. It also considered how drawing-based methodologies can support more participatory and inclusive approaches to early childhood research and pedagogy.
Method/approach: Using a qualitative approach, the study involved three four-year-old children in Malta. The data included 223 drawings that were video-recorded. Ethical approval was granted by the University of Malta, Faculty Research Ethics Committee. Institutional permission, parental consent, and children’s ongoing assent were obtained.
Results/findings: The findings illustrate children’s drawings as rich multimodal representations through which children explored relationships, negotiated identities, communicated emotions, and made sense of everyday and imagined worlds. Family life, fantasy, and popular culture became intertwined within the drawings, revealing layered forms of meaning-making. Children’s voices emerged through the interplay of talk, gesture, silence, movement, and narrative.
Conclusion: The study highlights drawing-based methodologies as practices that support children’s communication and recognition, while broadening understandings of children’s voices and rights to participation (UNCRC, 1989). It further advocates for more equitable and inclusive educational practices aligned with SDG 4 and SDG 10 (United Nations, 2015).
Implications for children and families: Your children’s drawings and narratives matter because they offer meaningful insights into their experiences, ideas, feelings, and ways of understanding the world.
Implications for practitioners: Viewing children’s drawings as meaningful, communicative practices supports more inclusive and child-responsive pedagogy and research.
Keywords: children’s drawings, multimodal meaning-making, identity construction, child participation, communication
This presentation relates to the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: