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Involving children and young people in creative processes requires knowledge about children and young people, and how to communicate with them without accidentally interfering with their own perspectives, values and ideas. In addition, tools and methods are needed to best bring out children’s perspectives and then interpret and translate children’s thoughts into realistic concepts. Different methods elicit different answers and angles, so more methods are often needed. By using playful but thoughtful methods and tools, we can stimulate children to narrate and fantasise freely and in different ways get closer to them and their imaginary world. We can understand their perspectives more clearly and thereby discern patterns and needs that we would otherwise have missed. We can also reach a higher level of ideas, as creativity is making new combinations of things we already know – and children are the best at coming up with unexpected combinations. Read more of our tips for child engagement processes heretips for child engagement processes here.
Below we have summarised in points what we in Gatulabba think about when we interact with children and young people and it is our dialogue methodology. For us, these guidelines are invaluable and serve as the backbone of our work. We hope they can help you open up to playfulness and creativity in your dialogue processes.
Your energy affects others, especially children. For the process to be as good as possible and for the children to feel safe and dare to be creative, your energy is extra important.
Enter with a creative and playful energy. Let playfulness be an important part of the process. When children realise that we adults are having fun, it rubs off on them and they have fun too.
Be a yes man and go with the flow. Avoid saying no unnecessarily, and instead encourage exploration and see where you end up.
Hold off on prompts, admonitions, interrogations and interviews. Let children explore their ideas at their own pace and ask simple follow-up questions. Don’t just ask: What do you want? Because, honestly, could you have answered that yourself, straight up?
As adults, we can often carry performance mindsets from our working lives, you have experience from your professional life that many others do not. When we meet children, it’s easy to forget to shake off the prestige that this can bring.
Look the children in the eye and let your own spontaneous ideas be judged by the children. Be part of the group instead of standing outside. Try to build on their ideas and play with them together.
Of course you need to make a plan, but dare to deviate from it when necessary. Dare to trust the process. You may need to take a detour to reach your final goal. Going with the flow of ideas doesn’t have to be bad, maybe it will lead to something new and unexpected?
Build relationships. When children feel safe talking to you, they will also be confident enough to tell you if they think your ideas are bad from their point of view. Take their criticism, change, rethink and be part of the process together with your group.
Ask yourself: do you get inspired by a blank white sheet? Neither do the children. Bring out lots of examples from around the world related to your topic: creative concepts, colour combinations, exciting designs, temporary installations, before and after pictures, play signals, safety solutions – anything you can think of.
Showing inspirational examples from near and far creates an understanding of possibilities and sparks children’s creativity. Do this at the beginning of an idea phase, when it’s still about ideas and you don’t yet need to limit it to realistic solutions.
If children feel pressure to be creative, try reminding them that creativity is really just new combinations of things we already know (and who is best at coming up with new unexpected combinations… aren’t children?)
Be open, attentive and take in what children say and express.
Listen for creative ideas and bounce them back. Being responsive means truly understanding and feeding back children’s creative ideas in a way that shows you value their input.
Note: It’s between the lines that the most important information is found. Don’t just listen to what the children say, listen for what they express – the essence and patterns of their thoughts.
Pay attention to the atmosphere in the room and pause for play when necessary.
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