VISUAL ARTS, NARRATIVE, CO-CREATION, PAINTING, AESTHETIC PROCESSES, COMMUNITY

Region: Sjælland
Municipality: Næstved
By: Næstved - Rønnede
Year: 2021
Artist: Maria Wolder
DAILY OFFER: Forest kindergarten Svend Gønge

We wanted to investigate: how do we give all children equal opportunities to have the courage to offer and say yes to co-creation? How do we find courage in ourselves?

We have become very careful to divide the children into even smaller groups than we used to! The fact that the children have been in groups of 3-4 children meant that all children had space to contribute, including those who normally hold back a little. They were totally into being creative, everyone was wildly engaged.

Likewise, the free choice of materials helped to strengthen the children's ownership and courage! When we were at Rønnebæksholm, each group got a suitcase with all sorts of things, and then it was the children who decided what to make and how to make it. I think it made a difference that they could choose the materials themselves, it was their ideas and not the adults. I was wildly impressed with how long they played / were creative in each of their worlds. I really think the participation made them more engaged and interested in their play. We worked on talking and listening to each other so everyone had a say. Everyone being in charge also gives more ownership in the play.

We focused on the fact that although there were 3 groups, each with their own small project, it was great that Maria created cohesion and community across these groups, through the invitations where they could offer each other chocolate hearts, cocoa and strawberries. They loved it, so excited to surprise the others. They couldn't wait.

When we were together the last time, we had to paint a huge common picture, but where they were still in their groups and worlds. Here I had chosen different materials, but again it was up to them to choose and do what they wanted. It was so cool to see their big arm movements. Throw, hit, sprinkle, paint, no rules, they just had to remember to listen and talk together and agree.

It was so wonderful for the educator to find the courage to dare to jump into the unexpected. To be in the process with the children.

Whoa! It is clearly a new focus in the Forest to dare the chaotic, to be curious about equal democratic processes.

We really hope the Sfo benefits from the good cooperation the children have experienced in the process. We would have liked to have had them in the time after, and felt the difference, the dialogue and seen the games inspired by the experiences.