How does the child feel about their day at daycare? Are they listened to? Do they have a say? Do they find meaningful things to do? Do they feel safe and comfortable at daycare?
The new RALLA “The Child’s Experiences ” tool, which is currently moving into the pilot phase. It is a self-assessment and discussion tool for early childhood education and preschool that is based on the child’s own perspective.
The tool is based on the idea that a child is the best expert on their own daily life. Children’s experiences are shaped by situations that recur daily: arrivals, transitions, play, mealtimes, peer relationships, and interactions with daycare staff. It is precisely these everyday moments that form the pedagogical core of early childhood education.
The tool is based on the perspective of full-day pedagogy (Lämsä, 2021), in which pedagogy does not take place only during planned moments, but throughout the entire day in all everyday situations. At the same time, the tool helps highlight how the daycare center’s structures, culture of interaction, and pedagogical approaches appear from the children’s perspective.
“A Child’s Day” examines, among other things:
🕒 Daily routines and structures🤝 Relationships and a sense of belonging🌱 Participation and agency🎲 Play and meaningful activities💛 Well-being and a sense of security🌿 Everyday resources available to the child
RALLA: A Child’s Experiences draws on research findings regarding children’s well-being, participation, peer relationships, and daily experiences, and is based on Tiina Lämsä’s postdoctoral research, supported by the Finnish Cultural Foundation , titled *Beyond the Verbal: Combining Art and Science to Develop New Electronic Solutions to Prevent Bullying and Measure Children’s Customer Satisfaction in Early Childhood Education Services, which was carried out with support from the Finnish Cultural Foundation.
When children are asked about their own experiences, perspectives come to light that an adult may not necessarily be able to perceive from the outside. The goal is to provide early childhood education professionals with a new tool for listening to children’s voices and for improving pedagogical practices and service quality from the child’s perspective.
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