Tell Us About It: Children's Expressive Narratives About Head Start

The present study aims to examine children’s experiences in childcare programs that serve at-risk populations in the city of Ottawa. To achieve this goal, we engaged children in art-based activities and conversations about their own experiences at childcare. Twelve childcare centers agreed to participate in this study: ten municipally funded Head Start programs and two not-for-profit programs. This study employed art-based methods to involve children in semi-structured discussions about childcare. Interviews were accompanied by artistic activities. Through thematic analysis, we found that children shared stories of important experiences, their daily lives, and activities they enjoy most. Children highlighted play and friends as some of the most important experiences. Additionally, themes of nature, animals, physical activity, reading and writing were commonly discussed. This study demonstrated that children are capable of identifying experiences in their lives that are important to them.