Doing Movement With Children In Ways That Promote Gender Equity

For activity 1 a mat with a road map of sorts was placed in one area. The mat had clearly defined roads, parking, and greenery. On it was various types of vehicles such as cars and trucks that the children could drive around on and park on the designated parking lots. For activity 2, a circular mat was placed in a different area within the same room. On the mat were some musical instruments such as the tambourine and the maraca placed on it. In activity 1, it was interesting to see that the little girls were rushing towards the mat with the different vehicles. However, it was more intriguing to see that they picked out the large trucks and Lorries rather than the small cars that had been laid out.

In activity 2 I noted that one girl and one boy went to that station, and they not only played with the instruments separately, but they attempted to create their own music together. In activity 3, boys went over to play with the stuffed animals while a girl picked out the stuffed doll in the woven basket. In particular 3 boys took the animals from the suitcase and they included the girl in their game. The approach is supported by readings which assert that social theory enables us to understand gender as a multilevel system that involves cultural beliefs, people’s patterns of behavior, organizational practices, and the distribution of resources (Ridgeway & Corell, 2004). For instance, the boys had the freedom to play with stuffed animals, which is typically viewed as an activity that only girls participate in.

Also, we created a “comfy circle” where comfortable blankets and cushions were placed on the carpet with a few simple puzzles for the children to play with. This section of the room was very cozy and would typically be viewed as an area where girls would rush to but were interesting to note that boy’s movement was dominant in this area. All in all, the approach played two important roles. I had anticipated that the girls would more interested in seating at the section that had the cushions and blankets or the section that had stuffed animals. However these girls chose to play with the trucks and the cars, and they were also drawn towards playing with the paint outside.

My expectations were guided by the social norms that dictated the games children played, the activities they took part in and the careers that people ended up choosing are based on their gender. The possibilities form moving with children that were generated through my experience included moving with children at their own pace, such that the children who are not naturally as active and involved can be given equal opportunity to explore activities that may not be as active as what the other children engage in. There are changes that I would make to my curricular experience to create different opportunities for moving with children in ways that promote gender equity. References Atkinson, K. A touch of paint: transgressing unspoken boundaries, Journal of childhood studies, 41(2), 60-65.