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Michael Brain Martins, Yorkville University, CanadaAbstract
The gender binary, as a socially constructed framework, continues to shape early childhood experiences in ways that marginalise gender diverse identities. This critical arts-based research (CABR) study examines how children aged 3–9 understood and expressed gender through artistic creation within a community-based setting in Oshawa, Ontario. Grounded in a Pedagogy of Care (POC) and Critical Transformative Learning (CTL), participants created visual representations of gender using loose-parts and engaged in semi-structured interviews and a gallery walk. Qualitative thematic and resonance analysis revealed that these participant children actively negotiate gender through processes of social regulation, imagination, and resistance, rather than passively internalising gender norms. Findings highlight the role of their socialisation agents in reinforcing binary constructs while also demonstrating children’s capacity to reimagine gender in fluid and expansive ways. This study contributes to transformative pedagogical approaches that centre relational care, creativity, and inclusive gender possibilities in early years educational settings.
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Conference: ECE2026Stream: Education
Published: Wednesday, September 23, 2026
This paper is part of the ECE2026 Conference Proceedings (View)
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To cite this article:
Martins M. (2026) Artful Early Years: Children’s Gendered Awareness and Expression ISSN: 2188-1162 The European Conference on Education 2026: Official Conference Proceedings (pp. 1003-1027) https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2188-1162.2026.76
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2188-1162.2026.76
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