{"id":1316,"date":"2026-08-30T22:54:50","date_gmt":"2026-08-30T12:54:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/childrensvoicesconference.csu.domains\/2026\/?p=1316"},"modified":"2026-08-30T22:54:50","modified_gmt":"2026-08-30T12:54:50","slug":"cvc2026-608","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/childrensvoicesconference.csu.domains\/2026\/cvc2026-608\/","title":{"rendered":"CVC2026-608 \u2013 Children draw playing: Interdisciplinary insights from drawings from 10 countries"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"cvc-hero alignfull\">\n  <span class=\"cvc-chip\">Presentation \u2013 CVC2026-608<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">Children draw playing: Interdisciplinary insights from drawings from 10 countries<\/h1>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n<div class=\"cvc-authors\">\n<p><strong>Carolyn Gregoric, <\/strong>Children\u2019s Voices Centre, Charles Sturt University, Australia<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sharynne McLeod, <\/strong>Children\u2019s Voices Centre, Charles Sturt University, Australia<\/p>\n<p><strong>Belinda Downey, <\/strong>Charles Sturt University, Australia<\/p>\n<p><strong>Brendon Hyndman, <\/strong>Charles Sturt University, Australia<\/p>\n<p><strong>Shukla Sikder, <\/strong>Charles Sturt University, Australia<\/p>\n<p><strong>Helen L. Blake, <\/strong>Charles Sturt University, Australia<\/p>\n<p><strong>Katharine<\/strong><strong> <\/strong><strong>Freire<\/strong><strong>, <\/strong>Charles Sturt University, Australia<\/p>\n<p><strong>Katrina Gersbach, <\/strong>Charles Sturt University, Australia<\/p>\n<p><strong>Suzanne C. Hopf,<\/strong> Charles Sturt University, Australia<\/p>\n<p><strong>Kasey Hillyar, <\/strong>Charles Sturt University, Australia<\/p>\n<p><strong>Laura Hoffman, <\/strong>Charles Sturt University, Australia<\/p>\n<p><strong>Muhammad Hossain, <\/strong>Charles Sturt University, Australia<\/p>\n<p><strong>Janine Krecko, <\/strong>Charles Sturt University, Australia<\/p>\n<p><strong>Arifa Rahman, <\/strong>Charles Sturt University, Australia<\/p>\n<p><strong>Azizur Rahman, <\/strong>Charles Sturt University, Australia<\/p>\n<p><strong>Mehdi Rassafiani, <\/strong>Charles Sturt University, Australia<\/p>\n<p><strong>Goutam Roy, <\/strong>Charles Sturt University, Australia<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lindsay Smith, <\/strong>Charles Sturt University, Australia<\/p>\n<p><strong>Van H.<\/strong> <strong>Tran,<\/strong> Charles Sturt University, Australia<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n<div class=\"ast-oembed-container \" style=\"height: 100%;\"><iframe title=\"CVC2026-608 Children draw playing: Interdisciplinary insights from drawings from 10 countries\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/K4Rt9DUrvVA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n<p><strong>Background:<\/strong><strong> <\/strong>Article 31 of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (1989) states that children have the right \u201cto engage in play and recreational activities\u201d. Drawings are not only a form of play, but also a tool for researchers to gain insight into children\u2019s play.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Aim:<\/strong>\u00a0The aim of this study was to consider how children draw themselves playing using an interdisciplinary approach to analyse the drawings.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Method:<\/strong>\u00a0During 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\u201312 years from 10 countries. With the children\u2019s assent and parents&#x27; consent, the drawings were uploaded to the Children Draw Playing Global Online Gallery <a href=\"https:\/\/earlychildhoodresearch.csu.domains\/early-childhood-voices-conference-2024\/children-draw-playing\/\">https:\/\/earlychildhoodresearch.csu.domains\/early-childhood-voices-conference-2024\/children-draw-playing\/<\/a>. The Charles Sturt University Human Research Ethics Committee gave approval to analyse the drawings using the following frameworks: descriptive, developmental, and focal points.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Results\/findings<\/strong><strong>:<\/strong> 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%).<\/p>\n<p>Developmental. A statistically significant positive correlation between age and the ability to draw a human figure was observed.<\/p>\n<p>Focal Point. Focal points of relationships and connection (63.9%), play equipment (60.2%), and positivity (80.72%) were observed in many drawings.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Conclusion:<\/strong>\u00a0Through 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\u2019 understanding of children\u2019s play and can inform decision-making about play spaces.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Implications for children\u00a0and families:<\/strong> Children\u2019s concept of \u201cplay\u201d mostly involved physical and active play with others.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Implications for practitioners:<\/strong>\u00a0Children\u2019s perspectives should be considered when designing and evaluating play spaces in homes, educational settings, and communities.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Funding<\/strong><strong>:<\/strong> This research was supported by Charles Sturt University\u2019s Children\u2019s Voices Centre<strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Keywords<\/strong>:\u00a0children\u2019s voices, playing, drawing, arts-based methods, Convention on the Rights of the Child<\/p>\n<p><strong>This presentation relates to the following\u00a0<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/sdgs.un.org\/goals\"><strong>United Nations Sustainable Development Goals<\/strong><\/a><strong>:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"cvc-sdgs\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sdgs.un.org\/goals\/goal3\">SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sdgs.un.org\/goals\/goal4\">SDG 4: Quality Education<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sdgs.un.org\/goals\/goal10\">SDG 10: Reduced Inequality<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sdgs.un.org\/goals\/goal16\">SDG 16: Peace<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/sdgs.un.org\/goals\/goal16\">,<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/sdgs.un.org\/goals\/goal16\"> Justice <\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/sdgs.un.org\/goals\/goal16\">and <\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/sdgs.un.org\/goals\/goal16\">Strong Institutions<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sdgs.un.org\/goals\/goal17\">SDG 17:\u00a0Partnerships\u00a0to Achieve the Goals\u00a0<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Carolyn Gregoric, Children\u2019s Voices Centre, Charles Sturt University, Australia; Sharynne McLeod, Children\u2019s 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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[51,52,1],"tags":[45,46,47,30,48],"class_list":["post-1316","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-childrens-learning-and-activities","category-childrens-rights-voices-and-perspectives","category-presentations","tag-sdg-03","tag-sdg-04","tag-sdg-10","tag-sdg-16","tag-sdg-17"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/childrensvoicesconference.csu.domains\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1316","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/childrensvoicesconference.csu.domains\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/childrensvoicesconference.csu.domains\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childrensvoicesconference.csu.domains\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childrensvoicesconference.csu.domains\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1316"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/childrensvoicesconference.csu.domains\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1316\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1573,"href":"https:\/\/childrensvoicesconference.csu.domains\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1316\/revisions\/1573"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/childrensvoicesconference.csu.domains\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1316"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childrensvoicesconference.csu.domains\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1316"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/childrensvoicesconference.csu.domains\/2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1316"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}