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School of Education

Exploring Childhood through Art

Exploring Childhood - BA Childhood Studies Students at bangor University visit the Walker gallery in Liverpool

Childhood Studies students enjoyed a visit to the Walker Art Gallery and Sudley House in Liverpool recently. As part of their BA Childhood Studies course students were encouraged to explore a selection of paintings from different historical eras which depict childhood in different ways.

Dr Anne-Marie Smith, a newly appointed lecturer in the School of Education commented:

“This helps students understand childhood as a social construction, over time and place. The visit is also intended as a creative way of making sense of theories of childhood, in particular the idea of Philippe Ariès that childhood is a ‘modern invention’.

In consultation with education officers at the gallery, specific paintings are reproduced on a workshop, with questions for students to explore such as: How are the children depicted? What does this tell us of perceptions of childhood in that particular era? What is the story or purpose of the painting?

Sudley House includes a ‘Childhood Room’ with examples of children’s toys and clothes over different historical periods; these help students reflect on how childhood is constructed according to gender, race and class.”

Dr Anne-Marie Smith introduced this visit to the Childhood Studies course when appointed in 2011. She brings her expertise in cross-cultural understandings and perceptions of childhood and young people and currently teaches on the following Undergraduate Childhood Studies modules.

  • A child’s world
  • Developing partnerships
  • Equity in childhood

“By ‘reading art’ they are able to unpack complex ideas. These are then revisited and discussed following the trip. Students often identify particular paintings of interest or curiosity, which can lead to debate and deeper understanding of different perceptions of childhood.”

Find out more about the BA Childhood Studies here.