Children’s working theories about Covid-19 in Aotearoa New Zealand

ABSTRACT

As the COVID-19 virus has spread worldwide, much attention has been paid to its impact on the health and wellbeing of adults, with less attention to how the virus has impacted on young children. This article draws on documentation and video data from a kindergarten in Aotearoa New Zealand. It discusses the working theories of 4 year-old children whose teachers encouraged them to draw, construct images, explain and tell stories about their experiences, ideas and feelings about the virus. A main argument is that children’s working theories about the virus, knowledge of the virus and sense of personal control over keeping themselves safe developed over time. Arts-based and storytelling pedagogy were central in enabling children to communicate with others, to be understood themselves and to extend their own understanding.

KEYWORDS:

• Covid-19
• working theories
• funds of knowledge
• arts-based pedagogy
• early childhood education

Acknowledgements

Our thanks to director Jacqui Lees for her support and leadership, and to the kindergarten children and their families, for their participation.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).