Non-verbal co-creation with children: when play becomes the shared language

In child-centred design, involving children as design partners (Druin, 1999), maybe even as protagonists
(Iversen et al.) is essential. However, language barriers can pose challenges, especially when designers and
children do not share a common verbal language. In that situation, play can function as the shared language,
as children are experts in being playful (Feder, 2020). But success requires that the adults are able to communicate through play (Feder, 2022).
During the “Child-Centered Design for Play” course at Kolding School of Design, master’s students engaged in fieldwork and co-creation with children in the rural coffee areas of Marsella, Colombia. Lacking a
shared spoken language, students and children communicated through play, facilitating mutual understanding and insight.
The research employed methods including participant observation and reflective dialogues with students,
revealing that communication naturally evolved into various forms of play:
- Body movement (active and moving around)
- Role play and sounds (initiating playing birds by imitating squeaks and fluttering wings)
- Body gestures and facial expressions (often exaggerated to stress messages and feelings)
- Creative activities (drawing and building together)
- Nature materials (leaves, fruit and sticks)
Findings suggest that prioritizing play over verbal communication in co-creation allows for a deeper understanding of children’s perspectives, enriching the design process.
This approach aligns with the conference’s focus on the aesthetic, practical, and ideological dimensions of
child culture, highlighting play’s role in transcending language barriers and fostering inclusive, participatory
design practices.

Keywords: child-centred design; children’s right to play; play design; play as shared language; co-creation