Resource
Children’s Program Voting Sheet
Gather preferences about feasible program options without promising a simple majority result. Includes a two-page A4 printable, specific educator guidance, adaptations and a cut-off quick-reference card.
Ready for a real OSHC session
Preview both printable pages
Download 2-page practical printableCheck the preview, printing notes and licence before use.
When this resource is useful
A transparent voting sheet supports consultation while making constraints and minority needs visible.
What children do
Mark up to three options and add one suggestion. Educators explain how safety, resources and fairness affect the final program.
Materials and preparation
Materials: Printed guide, pencils, selected station materials and current service planning information.
Allow about 10 minutes to print and place the resource. The activity itself usually takes 20 minutes and can pause when the group needs to transition.
Run the activity
List only options that could realistically occur. Count anonymously and publish what was chosen, changed or deferred.
The child-facing prompts are:
- Creative project
- Outdoor active game
- Indoor team game
- STEM or maker challenge
- Cooking or food activity
- Nature investigation
- Performance or storytelling
- Quiet puzzle or reading choice
Adapt participation
Simpler way to join: Use three picture tokens.
More challenge: Rank priorities and write one condition that would make an option workable.
Children may draw, dictate, point, work beside a peer, observe or join later. Start, Explore and Extend labels describe task routes, not children.
Extend the idea
- Compare voting methods.
- Create a second vote for timing or format.
Safety and privacy
Do not collect names, popularity data or private explanations on a public tally.
Learning opportunities
Look for program participation, planning, collaboration and reflection. Record what children choose, explain, test or revise rather than treating completion as proof of learning.
Checking an open-ended response
There is no single required answer. A useful response follows the printed condition and can be explained, demonstrated or revised by the child.
Printing notes
Print at actual size on A4 paper. Page one is child-facing. Page two contains educator guidance and a dashed cut-off reference card that can be kept with the activity or laminated.
