ANNANDALE, Va. (AP) — While lawmakers at the U.S. Capitol voted on a budget deal, a different kind of voting was happening a dozen miles away in a sunlit preschool classroom in Virginia. Preschoolers were deciding which animated dog from “PAW Patrol” was the best character.
In a spirited primary, the 3- and 4-year-olds in room 14 at the ACCA Child Development Center chose two finalists: Chase, a police German shepherd, and Skye, a pink-pup wearing a “pup pack” who is popular among girls in the class. The children voted by writing their names in crayon beneath pictures of the two characters. By mid-morning, the vote was tied at five each.
Four-year-old Benejas Abeselome supported Chase. “Police take bad guys,” he explained. “I wanted police because I like policing.”
While these young children won’t vote in a real election for years, ACCA is among many preschools nationwide that are introducing civics education early. The aim is to nurture responsible citizens and strengthen democracy.
At this age, children are not learning about the three branches of government or how a bill becomes law. Instead, teachers focus on helping them solve problems with classmates, manage anger or disappointment without being hurtful, and consider the needs of others. Teachers believe these lessons are crucial, especially during a harsh political climate.
“We’re all here to help develop these children to become better citizens,” said Mary Folks, a teacher at ACCA. “We want them to be better problem-solvers and more socially and emotionally equipped. Once they understand this, their actions will positively impact the world.”
Dan Gartrell, an early education expert, emphasizes the importance of “social democracy” as the key civics lesson for preschoolers. His book, “Education for a Civil Society,” is used at ACCA and other preschools.
This concept starts with recognizing each member of the group as important and worthy of sharing their thoughts. From there, children can learn kindness, conflict resolution, and negotiation skills without resorting to hurtful words.
Rachel Robertson, chief academic officer for Bright Horizons, which runs over 1,000 preschool centers worldwide, believes engaging toddlers in ways that make them feel their voices matter is vital.
At ages 3 and 4, children begin to see themselves as community members, contributing to their classroom and thinking more about the world around them, Robertson said.
At ACCA, children enjoy considerable autonomy. They have hours for free play and get to vote on what topics to study and what food to eat. Recently, the children studied sand after beach trips and sampled various apples to vote on which variety the school should order.
This approach is designed to show children that their thoughts, along with their classmates’, are valuable. On this particular Thursday, the focus was on “PAW Patrol.”
In Room 11, 3-year-old Jade, wearing light-up pink sneakers, shared her reason for supporting Skye. “I like her helicopter,” she said. “I like that she saves everybody.”
In Room 13, teachers created ballots in English and Spanish. When asked who had won the election, one boy confidently shouted, “Me!”
Many students at the preschool are the first generation in their families born in the United States. Executive director María-Isabel Ballivian emphasizes the importance of helping them feel American, even if their families speak little English and recently immigrated. She organizes large Fourth of July celebrations to foster this sense of belonging.
“If we instill this sense of belonging now, it will help them become resilient when facing discrimination,” Ballivian said.
Ballivian believes many politicians could learn valuable lessons from preschoolers about dealing with disappointment and considering the well-being of others.
“I don’t know how to change the adults,” she said, “but I believe we can prepare our children for a better future through hard work.”
Back in Room 14, another student named Janet voted for Skye, writing her name under Skye’s photo with a backward ‘J.’ The students counted the votes aloud, and Skye emerged as the winner.
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