This week a Training of Trainers course is being held in Zagreb, Croatia, as part of TOY4Participation, — a project funded by the European Commission and led by ICDI, focused on embedding meaningful child participation at the heart of early childhood practice.
TOY4Participation focuses on children aged 0–10 and their families, with particular attention to often excluded and underrepresented communities such as migrants, refugees, Roma, and children with special needs. The initiative aims to empower these young children to express their views, influence decisions that affect their lives, and actively engage in their own learning, all within safe and inclusive environments.
Over three intensive days, trainers from nine countries1 are learning how to turn the Toolkit recently developed by ICDI as part of this initiative, into everyday routines in Play Hubs and other non-formal and formal ECEC settings.
The training and the toolkit serve as a guide for fostering a mindset shift among practitioners and caregivers. They provide practical examples of simple, play-based methods that create real Space, Voice, Audience and Influence for children.
Training sessions combine brief theoretical input with hands-on modelling of activities tailored to different age groups (0–2, 3–6, 7–10). They also build coaching skills, enabling trainers to confidently deliver a three-day local training back home.
Why this matters: Small routine changes in Play Hubs, other non-formal and formal ECEC setting, communities, and even at home can transform everyday moments into opportunities for democratic practice. When children are consistently given genuine opportunities to express their opinions and make choices, and observe adults listen and respond, participation becomes a habit rather than a one-off activity.
Follow our journey and see how Play Hubs pilot child participation in the coming months.
Learn more: https://www.reyn.eu/toy4inclusion/toy-for-participation/
TOY4Participation is co-funded by the European Commission CERV-Child Programme.
[1] International Child Development Initiatives (NL), Open Academy Step by Step (Croatia), Partners for Democratic Change/Partners Hungary Foundation (Hungary), Associazione 21 Luglio and Cubo Libro (Italy), Centre for Education Initiatives – CEI (Latvia), Wide Open School (Slovakia), Educational Research Institute (Slovenia), Labor and Health Social Initiatives (Ukraine), and For Our Children Foundation (Bulgaria), and the ISSA Hub.
