It may seem odd to write about planning a party, but perhaps now is a great time to plan a party with children. Times have been tough and strange for both children and adults. Young children are for the first time pretending to wear masks in their role play and pretending to wipe things down. There have been few positives from this pandemic, but one thing is clear: social collaboration matters.
In many areas, neighbours came together to help the more vulnerable with shopping and errands. Indeed, until a vaccine appears, social collaboration looks to be the basis of keeping the disease under wraps.
Now is the time to come together and increase the opportunities in settings to learn about social collaboration. This approach, of course, is central to other countries’ pedagogies, notably Finland.
IMPORTANCE
Being able to co-operate with other people to achieve is the basis of how societies have worked together for years. Unfortunately, I would argue that its value has been downgraded in the English education system over a number of years. Competitive individualism has triumphed.
Few observations or assessments, for example, are carried out on how well groups of children work together. The focus tends to be on individual attainment rather than group cohesion. This is a shame as the benefits of social collaboration are life-long. If we help young children learn how to work together, we do them a great service as the benefits are significant.
Cognitive benefits
A range of cognitive benefits are opened up when children come together to solve a problem or work on a shared goal with the support of an adult. Children can learn how to think systematically about processes.
In the context of planning a party, this might be creating a list of things to consider, such as who will come, when it might take place, what everyone might do. Children also have to think about practical problems such as where tables might be placed and when the food would need to be bought.
Self-regulation
Social collaboration provides plenty of opportunities for self-regulation. A child’s idea to play pass the parcel could be rejected by their peers, and so strong emotions may need to be curbed. Children will also need to show patience and perseverance as things may not always work out as decorations fall down or the pizza mix does not rise.
Emotional benefits
Being part of a group that has some responsibility is very empowering for children, however large or small their role. Perhaps a pair of children work together to put a paper cloth on the table before decorating it. They may direct an adult as to how many balloons need blowing up.
Genuine responsibility can give children a strong sense of self-efficacy (a can-do mentality) and thus confidence. Social collaboration is also an inclusive process. It can help children feel valued and that they belong.
Social benefits
Learning to come together with others can support children’s long-term social skills. Children learn that others may have different perspectives and ideas as their experiences can be different.
They learn to take turns, to listen to others and the important life lesson that working together can be rewarding and enriching.
Creativity
Social collaboration also provides opportunities for children to show their creativity. By encouraging children to choose a project or line of enquiry, they can experiment and express themselves.
ROLE OF THE ADULT
The adult role is key to helping children develop the skills of social collaboration. Young children need help and guidance, so in some ways the role of the adult is to act as a facilitator, helping children to manage their time and ideas.
They could, for example, make sure that individual children do not dominate and that younger children are given the time and space they need to contribute.
Adults may raise questions to help focus children’s thinking, as well as taking an administrative role – for example, writing down ideas or the tasks needed for preparation. They may also need to prompt children and make sure that tasks and times are realistic:
- What do we need to consider?
- Is there any information that we need? Where could we find it?
- What skills will we need to learn? And how could we gain them?
- How can we make sure that everyone is involved and we hear everyone’s ideas?
- Who will keep a record of what needs doing?
Time and understanding
Adults skilled at supporting social collaboration also recognise that time plays an important factor. They allow children plenty of time to think, and recognise that young children’s enthusiasm can ebb and flow. They expect this and know that children often need to go off to do something else before returning to the ‘project’.
They know there could be squabbles and artistic differences between children, but they use these as learning opportunities.
Recognising the role of the adult as a sensitive facilitator is important. Where settings do provide the necessary scaffolding needed by children, the shared goal may not be achieved despite early enthusiasm.
GROUP SIZES
Young children can work best when they collaborate in pairs and in small groups. This is because they are still developing the skills of turn-taking and listening.
It also means that while some goals, such as having a party, can involve large groups, some of the discussions and practical activity will work better in ‘sub-groups’.
There is also the danger that when large group discussions take place, it is the adult who does most of the talking!
GETTING STARTED
There are many starting points for social collaboration. Routines can work well. A small group of children can decide on the snacks to be served and so work together to plan and prepare them. In happier times, this would include going to the shops, but for the time being it may mean online shopping.
For settings wanting to create more opportunities for social collaboration, think through all parts of the session and about how you can empower children to work together more.
Opportunities may also arise spontaneously. Children could be hiding behind a shed that is unsafe, but the practitioner may pick up on it and encourage the children to think about what they could do to make a new hiding place.
Then there are activities that adults may propose – anything from planning a garden project to planning a party. Interestingly, once this style of working becomes established, children soon start proposing their own ideas.
PARTY, PARTY, PARTY
Proposing a party in these uncertain times might lift the spirits in your setting. There will be many children who missed out on birthday parties and family events. Planning a party with children also has the advantage that it can involve many children of different ages and at different levels.
Depending on children’s ideas, it is also likely to cover a wide range of aspects within the EYFS. If you are working as a team, each staff member could talk to their key children about having a party and record their thoughts to be shared with the larger group. There are many things that we can guide children to think about, including:
Party What is a party? What happens at a party?
Music Does a party need music? What type of music and songs do the children want?
Food Will the party need food? What kinds of food are eaten at a party? How long will the food take to prepare? Who will prepare it?
Games Do you need games at a party? What type of games?
Decorations Are decorations needed for a party? What kind could be made in the setting?
Invitations Are invitations important? What information is needed on an invitation?
Photographs and films Do parties need to be recorded in some way – for example, in photographs or films? Who does this and what could be used?
Bringing life to the party
While children may have many ideas, the next step is to help children structure these so the party can actually take place. This might mean breaking their ideas down into tasks with them and then talking through who might like to do them. Ideally, it would be great if children can identify which tasks they need adults to help them with, so the project remains with the children.
Adults may need to gently help children prioritise, although reviewing progress in small or large groups could be part of the learning process.
Process, not perfection
Adults have the tendency to do things ‘properly’. Your setting’s first foray into creating a party may not be perfect, but provided children have remained the driving force, it does not matter. Afterwards, we help children learn the process of simple evaluation. What did they enjoy and how would they do things differently? Who knows, another party could be on the horizon!