Developing a Framework for Visual Narratives in Children's Learning

Abstract

Visual narratives play a crucial role in child development, shaping how they perceive stories, emotions, and relationships. This study draws inspiration from Cohn's Visual Narrative Reader (2016) to design and implement a structured framework for creating effective visual narratives tailored specifically for children. The proposed framework incorporates key elements such as character design, story flow, colour psychology, and age-based adaptation, ensuring that each component aligns with children’s developmental needs. To validate this framework, an experimental study was conducted with children of age group 10-12 years to assess COMPREHENSION, ENGAGEMENT, AND EMOTIONAL RESPONSE to Visual narratives developed under this model. The Visual Narratives are Illustrated by myself (illustrator-Shruti Soharia Singh). The findings highlight the importance of cohesive narrative structure, relatable characters, and colour choice in enhancing children's understanding and emotional connection to visual stories. This paper contributes to the field of visual storytelling by providing a robust, child-centred narrative framework with practical implications for educators, designers, and researchers interested in leveraging visual narratives as a tool for learning and engagement in early childhood development. 60 students of age 10-12 years are evaluated, through a Questionnaire. The visual narrative Version A and B were created, with difference in the three Elements of Design: Line, Colour and Space. Observation of the changes among these three variables affect the Engagement, Comprehension and Emotional Response. The impact and efficacy of the VN leading to Curiosity. A key aspect or Conjunction between the known and to be known. Knowledge to be attained.