The Wonder Project is an early years music and visual arts programme for Traveller children and their mothers
from Fingal, County Dublin. Two artists – from music and the visual arts - partnered with Fingal Childcare
Committee (FCCC) and Travellers Organisation (FTO) to deliver the early year's arts programme in a
community based setting in 2012 and 2013.
The Wonder Project was developed to enhance engagement and participation amongst mothers and children
from the Traveller community. The project aimed to develop an accessible and creative space where parents
could be supported to play, create, enquire, participate and communicate. A key question was; 'Do the arts
impact on and enhance the relationship between Traveller mother and child?'
The theoretical framework informing this paper derives from Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed, in
particular his notion of a horizontal learning exchange, where pedagogy was influenced so that the children,
mothers and artists could explore the creative world of music and visual arts together. Other theoretical
influences included elements of the Reggio Emilia's approach where adults worked with 'the child as
collaborator' creating a rich social/learning workshop environment, where the environment acts as the third
teacher.
Evaluation of the Wonder project indicates that:
• The Wonder Project did enhance the relationship between mother and child;
• Enhanced participation and engagement occurred when mothers were playing with their children using
creative methods
• The Wonder Project facilitated engagement and particaption with a 'hard to reach' population
The findings of this study support the important role of the arts in the lives of parents and young children and
provide guidance on how such a programme works in practice.