‘Third Objects’ and Sandboxes

Childhood is often presented as a state of becoming constrained by discourses of ignorance, passivity and powerlessness, which negate the active role children can effectively play in research and policy; however, children should be supported to have a voice about their everyday lives, experiences and communities (Groundwater-Smith et al., 2015; Lomax, 2012a, 2015; Prout & James, 2015). The voice of the child needs to be heard to both comprehend historical periods of childhood and enable an understanding of the temporality of children’s lived moments in contemporary society (Hodges, 2016). Consequently, it is important to explore methodological approaches that centralise the subjective lived experiences of children. Accordingly, this chapter explores the methodological techniques of object work and sandboxing as visual and creative approaches that can engage children and prioritise their views and meaning-making. The chapter draws from two studies undertaken in Wales, UK. One worked directly with young children who had siblings with cystic fibrosis and the other with children in foster care. The chapter argues that children have much to contribute to extending our understandings of childhood and its multiplicities. It outlines the practicalities, potentialities and limitations of working with visual and creative methods, and the data presented offers the reader an insight into innovative ways of seeing the world through children’s eyes.