Brief outline of methodology9F

Two early learning centres with children of an appropriate age were recruited to

participate in a set of consultation activities based on the theme of ‘I wonder what

you like’. The children’s familiar educators in the centres were instructed on the

methodology for the consultation by Hub na nÓg. A total of 30 children aged either 3

or 4 years participated in the consultation. Informed consent was collected from the

associated parents in advance.

Different activities were incorporated into the children’s daily routines over

approximately one week. These activities included drawing pictures, taking

photographs, and creating with Duplo-type blocks and Play-Doh. The educators

asked the children to explain the significance of each of their artistic creations, and

10 The independent report on the consultation with 3-year-olds by Carey et al. (2024) is published as an appendix to this report.

verbatim notes were added to photographs of the artworks for later analysis. There

were also discussions with the children structured around telling a ‘visiting puppet’

who asks, ‘I wonder what you like to (do, play with etc)?’.

The materials generated in this way were then forwarded, anonymously, to an

external researcher familiar with these methodologies to summarise into themes for

the Growing Up in Ireland team.

Summary of results