To explore children’s understanding of family practices and roles
Aim
To explore children's understanding of family practices and roles.
Evidence and reflection
Ask the children to draw a house with a family in the house ‘doing things that people in families do'.
Individually or in groups encourage the children to explain their drawings. Have they drawn their own family? If not, how did they decide what to draw? What are different members of the family doing in the drawing? Why were those particular activities chosen for the picture? What might each member of the family be feeling? Discuss the variations in their drawings.
Analyse the differences that emerge in the children's understandings of what constitutes a family. Perhaps you could discuss your conclusions with a colleague who has also done this activity.
Extension
You might like to consider ways of discussing and exploring with the children the variety of families and family lifestyles in this country. You could start with your own family or the families of the children in the class, encouraging a positive view of variety and difference.
