{"id":1388,"date":"2026-08-30T22:53:58","date_gmt":"2026-08-30T12:53:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/childrensvoicesconference.csu.domains\/2026\/?p=1388"},"modified":"2026-08-30T22:53:58","modified_gmt":"2026-08-30T12:53:58","slug":"cvc2026-684","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/childrensvoicesconference.csu.domains\/2026\/cvc2026-684\/","title":{"rendered":"CVC2026-684 \u2013 Toys like me and you: Children\u2019s voices, representation, and anti-ableist pedagogy in early childhood"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"cvc-hero alignfull\">\n  <span class=\"cvc-chip\">Presentation \u2013 CVC2026-684<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">Toys like me and you: Children\u2019s voices, representation, and anti-ableist pedagogy in early childhood<\/h1>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n<div class=\"cvc-authors\">\n<p><strong>Aliza Salvador,<\/strong> Macquarie University, Australia<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n<div class=\"ast-oembed-container \" style=\"height: 100%;\"><iframe title=\"CVC2026-684 Toys like me and you: Children\u2019s voices, representation, and anti-ableist pedagogy in ea\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/u-oR5fX1aEk?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>Creating a more inclusive world requires more than just the presence of inclusive resources; it requires pedagogies that support critical dialogue about disability and belonging. Toys that represent disability have been recognised for their potential to support children\u2019s inclusive understandings. However, research on how children engage with such toys in early childhood education (ECE) settings remains limited. Further, while toys can reflect dominant social values, children do not passively receive their intended meanings; they reinterpret meanings as they engage with the toys.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Aim: <\/strong>To explore how three early childhood teachers (ECTs) planned for, introduced, and reflected on toys representing disability in preschool classrooms, and how their pedagogical decisions supported children\u2019s meaning-making about disability, access, participation, and inclusion.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Method\/approach:<\/strong> The study was conducted across three ECE centres in Sydney, Australia, in collaboration with three ECTs. Through cycles of planning, implementation, reflection, and re-planning, the study examined how toys that represent disability could be used in ECE to promote inclusion and anti-ableism. Ethical approval was obtained from Macquarie University, with teacher and parent consent, and ongoing child assent.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Results\/findings: <\/strong>The toys did not foster inclusive understandings simply by being present. Instead, they functioned as provocations for critical pedagogy. Three major shifts emerged: from relying solely on the toys to intentionally planning for questioning, reflection, and creative problem-solving; from focusing on \u2018awareness\u2019 and \u2018difference\u2019 to exploring barriers, access, and participation; and from framing inclusion as \u2018being kind\u2019 to understanding it as ongoing anti-ableist practice. Engagement was playful and creative, but also non-linear and sometimes contradictory.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Conclusion: <\/strong>Representation opens important doors, but intentional pedagogy shapes what learning is possible.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Implications for children and families: <\/strong>Children are active meaning-makers who can engage critically with ideas about disability and inclusion when given meaningful opportunities.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Implications for practitioners:<\/strong> Anti-ableist practice requires time, space, and ongoing support.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Keywords<\/strong><strong>:<\/strong> toys, disability representation, early childhood education, inclusion, anti-ableism, play, critical pedagogy<\/p>\n<p><strong>This presentation relates to the following <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/sdgs.un.org\/goals\/\"><strong>United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<ul class=\"cvc-sdgs\">\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\u00a010: Reduced Inequality<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sdgs.un.org\/goals\/goal16\">SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Aliza Salvador, Macquarie 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 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