LEG, FORMATION, ART, CULTURE, AESTHETIC PROCESSES, CO-CREATION, COLLABORATION, COMMUNITY, MUSIC, DANCE, MOVEMENT, THEATER, DRAMA

REGION: Southern Denmark
MUNICIPALITY: Esbjerg
PROCEDURE: 2023
DAILY OFFER: Childminders Hjerting

Snippet: Childminders Hjerting (2023)

How have you experienced the co-creation between artist/cultural educator/cultural school teacher, daycare providers and children?

The more times Kathrine comes, the more confident the children are with her and they are excited and already know what is going to happen when we say that Kathrine is coming.

Kathrine has been very adaptable and solution-oriented - one child didn't want Kathrine to sing at all, so we had to find another solution - the childminder sang instead.

- How have children's perspectives been expressed/included?

When we play or rattle together, the kids have been quick to figure out that they can control when to play and when to be quiet. They've also been great at playing with the rattle eggs - hiding them under their clothes, using them for massages, or running around with silk scarves in the doll's pram.

The children have been a bit adult-controlled, and then they have taken over themselves - for example, with the rattle eggs in the beginning they were rattled and thrown, but later they were put in the kitchen sink and used for massaging. There has also been a good development in the individual child - who in the beginning stood completely still with rattle eggs in her pants to later running around and enjoying the sounds when you move your legs.

- Do children play different games and with different people than usual?

The older ones give an egg to the younger ones - it gives more security for the younger ones and a sense of pride for the older ones that they can lead the way. It gives confidence - I can play and I can play with scarves. Because the daycare group is small, the children don't play with others, but they have gotten better at experimenting (or maybe we adults have gotten better at noticing when they experiment?)

- How do childminders act differently than they did before PlayArt?

We listen more to classical music and it also gets the kids dancing around or putting on a scarf. Before, we mostly listened to children's songs or relaxation music.

I've become more clear that NOW we're making music, it used to be very spontaneous - it still is, but I go into it more and say, let's get the eggs out.

- What has it been like to work with action learning?

Especially the reflections have been difficult to get everything out because the children are always there and are tired and hungry. Kathrine: I have written and we have talked a little along the way, but it would definitely have been better if someone came and took the children so we could talk alone together.

- To the culture school teacher, if present: What have you gained from participating in LegeKunst?

This is the first time I've been in the homes of childminders, it has been very positive to experience what everyday life is like with them and PlayArt has been a perfect fit for the childminder group. The 2 childminders in the group have been very positive and ready to participate. Even though there was one child who was upset, there was still a calmness in a different way than in a daycare center. The children were also more/quicker to trust compared to when I have been in daycare centers.

It has been easier to do PlayArt with daycare children compared to kindergarten - the age group is perfect for PlayArt.

- What are the childminders still/now curious about?

We would like to try to do PlayArt with the whole playgroup so that the whole group can experience playing with music.

Colleagues have been curious and want to try it out.

At home, we continue with rattle eggs and scarves and expand as needed.

- How will you use art, culture and aesthetic processes in the further process?

Childminder: I have a child who struggles with eye contact, but playing with scarves meant that we could actually make eye contact through the chiffon scarf for a long time - I will continue to work on this and it has given me a new opportunity to understand and meet the child.

- What points for attention should we take forward?

Maybe someone who comes out and looks after the children while we have a reflection.

It's very meaningful with PlayArt for this age group - they are spontaneous and impulsive and don't think about what they can't do, focusing more on exploring.

Going forward: perhaps a "package" of rattle eggs/scarves could be offered to those who participate - this might attract more participants to the project.

- In the box below, you can formulate your own questions and answers:

It has been good to try PlayArt both in the playroom (2 childminders) and at home. Wondering: would it have been better if it had been the other way around? First at home and then in the group afterwards.