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Short abstract:

The paper presents two workshops held at a preschool and elementary school focusing on multispecies encounters through applying child-led research approaches. The workshops aim was to learn about a site through the eyes of children, including their perspectives and visions of a multispecies future.

Long abstract:

In response to the call to address scientism in early childhood education, this paper presents two workshops that follow alternative pedagogies, conducted consecutively in a Swedish preschool and a Norwegian elementary school. These workshops focus on multispecies encounters and envisioning a future shaped by young children's perspectives.

Employing a child-led research approach, the workshops aimed to integrate children's voices into planning processes and foster literacy through different sets of tools for envisioning multispecies futures. The central questions guiding this research are: 1) What unconventional methods and tools are needed to inform sustainable design while mediating the needs of children and nature? 2) What can be learned from child-led research to incorporate multispecies considerations in planning practice?

The workshop design included attunement exercises outdoors and role-playing with local species, facilitated by nature pedagogues, immersing children in multispecies perspectives. Elementary school children explored their local surroundings through the lens of local species, while preschoolers engaged in sensory experiences to deepen their understanding. The workshops also incorporated visioning exercises to generate alternative perspectives and foster collective thinking.

Embedded learning about local species was integrated into the school curriculum, highlighting the interconnectedness of humans and more-than-human entities. Through prototyping and storytelling activities, emerging themes of protection, comfort, and care were identified, reflecting children's concerns for the multispecies world.

As such, these workshops contribute to advancing dialogues on multispecies pedagogies and the active participation of children in shaping sustainable futures while considering their voices in the planning processes of today.