A Pedagogy of Presence: Material Encounters with Infants and Toddlers

Abstract

This article introduces a Pedagogy of Presence framework developed through a qualitative case study exploring visual arts pedagogy with infants and toddlers in four early childhood education (ECE) settings in Aotearoa New Zealand. The study examined how teachers design and facilitate meaningful material encounters with infants and toddlers, emphasising relational pedagogy, material exploration, and teachers’ image of the child. Drawing on interviews, observations, and pedagogical documentation, we found that teachers engaged in a responsive ‘dance’ of listening, echoing, and provoking new ideas and thinking, underpinned by a foundation of attuned care. Organisational structures and thoughtfully designed environments enabled sustained engagement, while teachers’ inquiries and collaborative dialogue supported ongoing pedagogical growth. The Pedagogy of Presence framework offers ECE teachers and leaders insight into effective practices for supporting and engaging with infants and toddlers in material exploration and inquiry. This research foregrounds infants and toddlers as capable participants in artistic and cultural life, and positions visual arts not as peripheral, but as central to early learning, identity, and wellbeing.