An Interview with ICDI on Reimagining Voice, Choice, and Democracy in the Early Years

What does democracy look like for a toddler?

That question sits at the heart of the new TOY for Participation Toolkit—a practical, thoughtful, and surprisingly inspiring initiative developed by International Child Development Initiatives (ICDI) under a European Commission-funded project. Designed to promote genuine participation even for the youngest children, this toolkit is now available online, will be piloted and is being translated into multiple languages, including: Bulgarian, Croatian, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Slovak, Slovenian, and Ukrainian. A final version will be available in the various languages by the end of 2026.
👉 Explore the toolkit here: reyn.eu/resources/toy4participation-toolkit

In a recent interview, ISSA’s Maya Autret sat down with ICDI's, Giulia Cortellesi and Mariana Palazuelos, to dig into the origins, purpose, and aspirations behind this initiative—and what they shared will make you want to rethink how you view participation, power, and the very youngest citizens in our communities.

From Theory to Transformation

The conversation opens with a powerful observation: meaningful child participation isn’t just a concept—it’s a mindset shift. Designed for use in early childhood settings, particularly in TOY for Inclusion Play Hubs operating across nine countries, the toolkit aims to make child participation real, doable, and democratic—even for children aged 0–3.

That’s right. Even pre-verbal children.

Through real-life examples, beautifully designed activity cards, and deep reflection, the toolkit encourages practitioners to tune into the voices children are already expressing—through choices, actions, relationships, and routines—and to amplify those voices in ethical, inclusive ways.

“We’re not asking for a new set of tasks,” says Mariana, “We’re asking for a new lens.”

Grounded in Reality, Built for Impact

But creating such a toolkit wasn’t easy. One challenge the team discussed was balancing comprehensive theory (like Article 12 of the UNCRC and the Lundy model) with hands-on practicality. Another was ensuring that the content would be relevant across cultures and contexts—from Roma communities to refugee families to children with special needs.

And then there was the delicate work of ensuring participation was not tokenistic—not a box to tick, but a process that is safe, ethical, and truly child-led.

To get it right, the team worked closely with practitioners and partners, iterating on both form and content. According to Giulia, what surprised them most was how much professionals resonated with the visual tools and concrete examples—and how many realized they were already practicing participation, just without the language to name it.

“They had the instinct, but not the framework. The toolkit helped name what was already there.”

Inclusive by Design

A powerful moment in the interview arises when the discussion turns to inclusivity. TOY for Participation doesn't just assume inclusion—it designs for it. Drawing from research on participation barriers faced by girls, minority language speakers, children with disabilities, and marginalized groups, the toolkit actively offers adaptable strategies to ensure no child is left unheard.

Especially striking is how the team approaches participation for children aged 0–3. Instead of framing them as too young to engage, the toolkit makes a case for honoring their autonomy through everyday decisions—from choosing a toy to selecting a play partner.

“It’s about giving children a voice, a space, and an audience. And understanding that being heard doesn’t always mean getting a ‘yes’—it means getting a response.”

What’s Next? Pilots, Play Hubs, and Possibilities

The toolkit is now in its next phase: being piloted in 11 Play Hubs across eight countries, reaching over 150 practitioners and potentially 2,000+ children and families. This hands-on testing will provide vital feedback—from those who use the toolkit and, crucially, from the children themselves.

What would the team do with more funding? Expand training, adapt the toolkit to more countries, and embed its philosophy deeper into systems that shape early childhood. But for now, their focus is on impact—real impact—in the hands of practitioners.

🎧 Want More?

This conversation isn’t just about a toolkit. It’s about:

• Rethinking power in the early years
• Learning how small, everyday interactions build the muscle for civic engagement
• Being reminded that children—even the youngest—are already participating. We just need to learn how to listen.

From the role of culture to the tension between adult control and child autonomy, this interview unpacks layers of complexity with clarity and heart.

👉 Listen to or watch the full interview and explore the toolkit here:
https://www.reyn.eu/resources/toy4participation-toolkit/

Whether you're a practitioner, policymaker, or parent, it might just change the way you understand participation—and the potential of childhood.

Partners: We are a consortium of partners, led by the International Child Development Initiatives (ICDI), working across 8 European countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine. Our network includes practitioners, local governments, formal education institutions, and community organizations united in the goal of promoting early childhood participation. Our collaborative efforts have already established 40 Play Hubs, reaching over 40,000 children and families, and continuing to expand to new regions.

The TOY4Participation consortium, comprised of ISSA members, funded by the European Commission, and led by International Child Development Initiatives (NL), includes: 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 as a communication impact and dissemination partner.

Co-Funded by: The European Commission support for this project does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflect the views only of the hosts, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.