Reflection of Covid-19 pandemic on the drawings of pre-school children: A phenomenological study

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate how pre-school children perceive the covid-19 pandemic through their drawings. Therefore, 58 children from the age groups 3, 4 and 5 were asked to draw a corona virusthemed picture and then individual interviews which were recorded were conducted with 30 children including 10 from each age group. In the study, while the content analysis was used for the analysis of the data from the pictures, descriptive analysis was used for the interviews. According to the results of the study, there is consistency between the drawings and interviews of the children. As the children in the age group 3 depicted the virüs including fear elements, the ones in the age group 4 and 5 drew corona virus in various categories. The results of the interviews suggest that the children are nervous and worried about the virus and they are afraid of it. They know what the corona virüs is, how it infects the people and how they could protect themselves from the virus. For the children, the methods of protection from the virus are wearing masks, a healthy diet, washing hands, staying at home and keeping social distance. In addition, though their homes are the safest places, they have missed their school, friends and playing in the parks.