What is Co-construction in Early Years?

Co-construction is a way of working with young children where learning is built together. It is about the child and the adult sharing ideas, thinking, and problem-solving as partners. Both voices matter. The adult does not simply tell the child the answers. Instead, they guide, suggest, question, and listen. The child actively contributes to what happens next.

In early years practice, co-construction happens when adults respond to children’s interests and ideas, and children respond to the adult’s questions or provocations. This shared process creates rich learning experiences. Instead of a one-way teaching approach, it becomes a two-way conversation that shapes the activity.

How Co-construction Differs from Traditional Teaching

Traditional teaching in early years often means adults set the learning plans. Children follow these plans without influencing them much. In co-construction, children’s ideas play a central role in shaping the experience.

Some key differences include:

• Traditional approaches centre on adult-led instructions
• Co-construction values child agency and input
• Adults in co-construction adapt their plans in response to children’s actions
• The process unfolds dynamically rather than following a fixed script

Co-construction blends guidance and freedom. The adult offers structure through prompts and resources, but remains open to unexpected directions chosen by the child.

Why Co-construction is Important

Co-construction supports deeper engagement. Children feel invested when their ideas matter. This engagement boosts motivation and can lead to longer focus on tasks.

It also fosters critical thinking. When children explain their thinking and make decisions, they develop problem-solving skills. They practise social skills such as negotiating, taking turns, and listening to others. These moments also build language development as children discuss plans and describe their actions.

It helps adults too. Practitioners gain insight into how children think and learn. This allows them to offer the right level of support and introduce concepts that connect closely with the child’s current curiosity.

Key Elements of Co-construction

Co-construction works best when certain elements are present:

• Respect for children’s ideas
• Genuine listening
• Opportunities for decision-making
• A flexible environment
• Time to explore and adapt

Adults encourage children to express themselves in different ways. This can include talking, drawing, building, role play, or movement activities. Each child’s style of learning is recognised and used as part of the shared building of knowledge.

The Role of the Adult in Co-construction

The adult acts as a guide and collaborator. This role involves:

• Observing carefully
• Noticing what interests a child
• Asking open-ended questions
• Offering resources to build on ideas
• Adjusting support based on the child’s responses

The adult looks for moments to extend thinking. For example, if a child builds a tower, the adult might ask, “What could we add to make it stronger?” This type of prompt encourages the child to think about stability, materials, and height, sparking further exploration.

Adults practising co-construction need to be confident in allowing activities to change direction. Letting go of control can be challenging, but it is key to making space for genuine collaboration.

The Role of the Child in Co-construction

The child is an active participant in shaping the activity. Their role includes:

• Bringing ideas and interests to the table
• Responding to questions or provocations
• Suggesting solutions
• Testing and adapting their plans
• Sometimes leading parts of the activity

Children often make unexpected suggestions. In co-construction, these suggestions are taken seriously and may change the planned activity. This helps the child see themselves as capable and valued thinkers.

How Co-construction Supports Development

Co-construction has a direct impact on multiple areas of early childhood development:

• Language skills grow through shared discussion
• Social skills strengthen as children take turns and work together
• Cognitive skills are challenged through problem-solving
• Creative thinking is inspired by open-ended exploration
• Emotional confidence increases when children see their ideas matter

The process shows children that learning is collaborative, not competitive. This can shape lasting positive attitudes toward learning.

Environments that Support Co-construction

The setting plays a big role in whether co-construction can thrive. A physical environment with flexible, accessible resources enables children to act on their ideas. Low-level shelving, open-ended materials, and spaces that can be re-arranged give freedom to adapt activities.

The social environment matters too. Children need to feel their ideas are valued. Adults must create a safe atmosphere where trying and changing is supported rather than judged.

Examples of Co-construction in Practice

Here are some examples that illustrate co-construction:

• A group of children create a pretend café. The adult notices and joins, asking what is on the menu. Together they invent new dishes, make signs, and organise seating. Children decide the roles people play.
• A child draws a picture of a rocket. The adult asks what might happen during the launch. This leads to building a rocket from blocks and talking about space travel. The adult introduces vocabulary about planets while the child adds creative details.
• Two children start building a bridge with planks. The adult asks, “How will we make sure it holds cars?” They discuss strength, weight, and shapes, experimenting with different designs together.

Observation in Co-construction

Observation is essential in co-construction. It helps the adult understand the child’s interests and thinking. This information guides which questions to ask and which resources to offer.

Observations may be written down, photographed, or recorded in notes. They help track how children’s ideas change over time, and how collaboration affects their learning patterns.

Planning with Co-construction in Mind

Planning for co-construction means preparing flexible activities rather than fixed lessons. Adults can set up environments rich in materials that relate to current interests. They can leave space for children to introduce their own ideas.

Plans may include:

• Possible questions to ask
• Materials to support a variety of directions
• Time blocks for exploratory play

A co-construction approach benefits from adults being comfortable with unpredictability.

Assessment and Co-construction

When assessing learning, co-construction requires paying attention to process. The success of an activity is not judged only by the end result, but by how ideas were shared, developed, and adapted.

Assessments can look at:

• How a child contributed ideas
• How they responded to peer or adult suggestions
• Skills displayed during collaboration
• Growth in confidence and communication

This approach values innovation and the ability to think flexibly.

Challenges in Applying Co-construction

Practitioners may find some challenges:

• Time pressures can push toward structured plans
• Some children may be hesitant to share ideas
• Adults may worry about losing control of sessions
• Resources may limit the range of possible activities

These challenges can be addressed through training, reflection, and support from colleagues. Encouraging risk-taking in ideas and allowing extra time for open-ended projects can help.

Benefits to Adults in Using Co-construction

Adults learn alongside children in co-construction. They discover new ways of seeing problems and can be inspired by children’s perspectives. This keeps practice fresh and responsive.

It also strengthens the adult-child relationship. Shared learning builds trust and mutual respect. Children are more likely to seek help from adults they see as partners rather than solely as instructors.

Links to Early Years Frameworks

UK early years frameworks such as the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) highlight the value of child-led and adult-supported play. Co-construction aligns with principles of active learning, critical thinking, and enabling environments found in these frameworks.

It connects strongly with Characteristics of Effective Learning:

• Playing and exploring
• Active learning
• Creating and thinking critically

Co-construction engages all three by encouraging curiosity, persistence, and reflective thinking.

Skills for Adults Using Co-construction

Adults need strong skills to make co-construction work well:

• Active listening
• Skill in asking open-ended questions
• Patience
• Creativity in adapting activities
• Ability to share control

These skills can be built through practice and peer discussion.

Examples of Open-ended Questions

Asking open-ended questions is central to co-construction. Examples include:

• “What do you think will happen next?”
• “How could we change this?”
• “Why did you choose that material?”
• “What would happen if we tried it a different way?”

These questions encourage thinking beyond yes or no answers.

Supporting Quiet or Reluctant Children

Some children may be reluctant to share ideas. For these children:

• Give extra time to respond
• Offer choices with visual prompts
• Use small group activities
• Allow individual play before group collaboration

Gentle encouragement builds confidence over time.

Training and Reflection in Co-construction

Training can help staff feel confident in the approach. Reflection after sessions helps identify successes and areas to change. Peer observation can also highlight new strategies.

Reflection questions might include:

• Did children’s ideas guide the activity?
• How was decision-making shared?
• Were all children able to contribute?

This keeps practice aligned with the values of co-construction.

Final Thoughts

Co-construction in early years places the child and adult side by side in the process of learning. It is about listening, responding, and building together. This shared approach strengthens engagement and allows ideas to grow in unexpected and creative directions. Children learn that their voices matter, and adults gain deeper insight into children’s thinking.

In practice, co-construction brings colour and variety to everyday activities. It builds relationships based on respect and curiosity. By committing to shared learning, early years practitioners help create confident, collaborative, and thoughtful learners ready for the next stages of their development.