Children’s chatter: Daily reflections of young children during Covid-19 lockdown

Abstract

Adults perceive the world using existing knowledge and experience (Gregory, 1970). However, adults may then impose their perspectives onto their children, whilst failing to understand the world through their child’s eyes (Christakis, 2017). This qualitative study provides an exploratory insight into the perspectives of 19 children, aged 7–11 years, during the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic lockdown in the UK, when national restrictions on movement and online learning for all children were mandatory. Over a 10-day period, parents asked their children four short open questions at the end of each day: 1) ‘What was the best thing that happened today?’, 2) ‘What was your least favourite part of today?’, 3) ‘What did you learn today that you didn’t know yesterday?’, and 4) ‘What made you smile or laugh today?’ Parents were specifically asked to make no mention of lockdown or school or virus (Covid-19). Thematic analysis revealed the importance of technology (both for online lessons, social communication, and recreation), proximity to family (parents and siblings), time with pets, and joint pastimes (walking, cooking, creative arts). This study provides insight into the world in which children were living and coping with the challenges of a lockdown during a national crisis and provides alternative methods for obtaining and evaluating qualitative data within a population of young children.