Presentation – CVC2026-608

Children draw playing: Interdisciplinary insights from drawings from 10 countries

Carolyn Gregoric, Children’s Voices Centre, Charles Sturt University, Australia

Sharynne McLeod, Children’s Voices Centre, Charles Sturt University, Australia

Belinda Downey, Charles Sturt University, Australia

Brendon Hyndman, Charles Sturt University, Australia

Shukla Sikder, Charles Sturt University, Australia

Helen L. Blake, Charles Sturt University, Australia

Katharine Freire, Charles Sturt University, Australia

Katrina Gersbach, Charles Sturt University, Australia

Suzanne C. Hopf, Charles Sturt University, Australia

Kasey Hillyar, Charles Sturt University, Australia

Laura Hoffman, Charles Sturt University, Australia

Muhammad Hossain, Charles Sturt University, Australia

Janine Krecko, Charles Sturt University, Australia

Arifa Rahman, Charles Sturt University, Australia

Azizur Rahman, Charles Sturt University, Australia

Mehdi Rassafiani, Charles Sturt University, Australia

Goutam Roy, Charles Sturt University, Australia

Lindsay Smith, Charles Sturt University, Australia

Van H. Tran, Charles Sturt University, Australia

Background: Article 31 of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (1989) states that children have the right “to engage in play and recreational activities”. Drawings are not only a form of play, but also a tool for researchers to gain insight into children’s play.

Aim: The aim of this study was to consider how children draw themselves playing using an interdisciplinary approach to analyse the drawings.

Method: During the 2024 Early Childhood Voices Conference, children were invited to draw/create an artwork of themselves playing. Drawings were submitted from 83 children aged 1–12 years from 10 countries. With the children’s assent and parents' consent, the drawings were uploaded to the Children Draw Playing Global Online Gallery https://earlychildhoodresearch.csu.domains/early-childhood-voices-conference-2024/children-draw-playing/. The Charles Sturt University Human Research Ethics Committee gave approval to analyse the drawings using the following frameworks: descriptive, developmental, and focal points.

Results/findings: Descriptive. Most participants (83.1%) depicted physical or active play and playing outside (72.3%). Most children (74.7%) drew themselves playing with someone and portrayed themselves as happy (81.9%). Over half of the drawings included man-made objects (72.3%) and representations of nature (65.1%).

Developmental. A statistically significant positive correlation between age and the ability to draw a human figure was observed.

Focal Point. Focal points of relationships and connection (63.9%), play equipment (60.2%), and positivity (80.72%) were observed in many drawings.

Conclusion: Through drawing, children creatively contribute insights into their play, including who they play with, when and where they play, and how they feel about play. Interdisciplinary insights enhance professionals’ understanding of children’s play and can inform decision-making about play spaces.

Implications for children and families: Children’s concept of “play” mostly involved physical and active play with others.

Implications for practitioners: Children’s perspectives should be considered when designing and evaluating play spaces in homes, educational settings, and communities.

Funding: This research was supported by Charles Sturt University’s Children’s Voices Centre

Keywords: children’s voices, playing, drawing, arts-based methods, Convention on the Rights of the Child

This presentation relates to the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: