Let's Take Care of the Water: Social Representations in Preschoolers

Abstract

Teaching in times of crisis is a challenge for the current educational system, and the impact of the environmental crisis on the global framework is affecting the quality of life of children. Diminishing rainfall in South America and Chilean water private rights are threats that impact them strongly. Children are aware of the increasingly severe water shortage in Chile, and from their standpoint, they understand the environmental problem and propose solutions. The purpose of this study is to reveal and describe the social representations of preschoolers regarding water care. These social representations were investigated using a qualitative study with visual methods, with a sample of N = 33 children aged from 5 to 6 years old attending kindergarten in Santiago, Chile. The social representations were detected through a structural analysis to later establish findings from the narratives about drawings made in various school activities. The results indicate that children positively value water as a critical element for ecological balance, are aware of the environmental crisis, and express concerns derived from the water shortage in the country. Today, preschoolers will soon grasp the concept that water is a vital national resource. However, our endeavor should be toward fostering a society that acknowledges and asserts water as a fundamental human right.