Co-Constructing Stories

Delivery Method: 

This is a clip of two children co-constructing a dramatic play story. The children continually use the terms: “and then,” “how ‘bout,” and “OK?” as they negotiate the play. What does this strategy tell us about the children’s understanding of effective collaboration? The children offer each other space to lead the story at alternating times. The girl tells about a child who needs a blanket and the boy enacts fighting between his animal toys. To merge his play with the girl’s play, the boy pretends each of his animals gives the child a blanket (2:01). He then puts his animals aside, which ends his story line and allows him to move more directly into the girl’s play. He suggests they put the doll under the blanket, but the girl counter suggests they put the doll inside a hammock-like blanket and asks the boy to help by holding a corner of the fabric (02:49). The girl then adds another scarf to the hammock they are holding and says, “She’s sleeping (3:15).” The boy takes some initiative to rearrange the scarves but the girl says, “No, no, no, no, no (3:21).” Notice his reaction when she rejects his participation. He struggles to find his place back in the play. What does his body language tell us about his feelings in that moment? The play continues with the girl’s request, “Can you help me?” So what general strategies do the children use to maintain the quality of their play together? What might be longer term extensions of these different strategies, such as the boy’s strategy of creating drama – “We’re going to catch you (0:22)” and the girl’s strategy of clearly asking for help (2:50 and 3:38)?