Abstract

Photovoice projects using Polaroid cameras in early childhood education are usually excluded from some early childhood curricula or small group activities. This may occur because Polaroid cameras are something of the past or teachers prioritize subjects such as literacy, math, and science. This paper argues for the value of Polaroid photography in young children’s play and small group activities in an early childhood classroom to develop art concepts. I describe the use of art-based methodologies in a city preschool setting in the Western region of the United States. The study explores (1) how children describe and evaluate their pictures, (2) what concepts they discuss while reviewing their instamatic images, and (3) children’s creative moves within the activity.