Researchers conducting child-centered studies are expected to develop strategies
that allow them to not only gain access to and accurately understand children’s expe-
riences, but also position children’s participation and empowerment in the forefront.
One possible way to promote this research approach is through the use of metaphori-
cal methods. However, little is known about the use of such methods. This article
aims to introduce an innovative metaphorical narrative-based data collection meth-
odology developed and validated in a study documenting immigrant children’s
understandings and experiences of their well-being. The study was conducted in
collaboration with two community centres in Montréal, Québec, Canada, offering
services to a majoritively immigrant population. Twenty-two children between the
ages of six and twelve attending these organizations’ programs participated in four
multi-activity workshops. The various activities were developed around a metaphor-
ical character: an alien named Miinx visiting planet Earth on a mission to better
understand Earthling children’s conceptions and experiences of well-being. Each
workshop was connected to a letter the alien sent the children. The activities fos-
tered self-expression through discussions, image sorting, drawing, crafting, writing,
and acting. The metaphorical framework was appreciated by children and seem to
allowed them to share personal opinions and life events in an indirect way. Using a
pretend character to interact with children can help them feel comfortable, as they
are positioned as the experts, tasked with teaching someone unfamiliar with their
reality about the way they experience and understand it. By demonstrating the use
of a metaphorical character in research, this study contributes to the development of
participative methods in child-centred research.