Observing and imitating as a pre-opening: Exploring toddler sociality in the peer group

Gunnarsdóttir, Bryndís and Pálmadóttir, Hrönn and Bateman, Amanda (2026) Observing and imitating as a pre-opening: Exploring toddler sociality in the peer group. Journal of Pragmatics, 256. pp. 31-42. ISSN 0378-2166

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Abstract

In our study, we examined how two young toddlers — Vera and Harry — used the embodied actions of observing and imitating as pre-openings in peer interactions in an Icelandic early childhood education setting. Drawing on ethnomethodology and multimodal conversation analysis, the study investigated how toddlers display their sociality within naturally occurring peer interactions. Approximately 50 h of video-recorded free-play sessions were collected over 9 months with a group of 16 toddlers aged 19–38 months. A detailed sequential analysis of Vera and Harry’s actions revealed how they situated themselves as ‘hearers’ to peers' ongoing participation frameworks and used the embodied actions of observing, imitating, and body alignment to signal interest and co-construct social participation. The findings suggest that observing allows toddlers to gather cues about ongoing play, while imitating functions as a cooperative stance and affords a method for becoming copresent. Those embodied actions also allow toddlers to assert their presence among peers, align with them, and attempt to extend dyadic interactions into wider social situations. Such findings make original insights into toddler sociality and highlight their competence in using embodied actions as members of the peer group. They also underscore the importance of recognising toddler sociality and call for greater awareness among early childhood educators to ensure that those meaningful interactions are acknowledged and supported, which can foster more inclusive peer interactions and ultimately enhance toddlers' social experiences in institutional settings.

Item Type:	Article
Identification Number:	10.1016/j.pragma.2026.02.003
Dates:	Date Event 6 February 2026 Accepted 24 February 2026 Published Online
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Toddler, Observing, Imitating, Sociality, Participation frameworks, Multimodal conversation analysis, Pre-opening
Subjects:	CAH22 - education and teaching > CAH22-01 - education and teaching > CAH22-01-01 - education
Divisions:	Law and Social Sciences > Education
Depositing User:	Gemma Tonks
Date Deposited:	09 Sep 2026 09:19
Last Modified:	09 Sep 2026 09:19
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/17233

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