Research through Play
Participatory Methods in Early Childhood
- Lorna Arnott - University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
- Kate Wall - University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
Doing research with young children can be challenging for many reasons, but this book provides clear guidance on how to engage in appropriate methods. Focusing on researching through play, careful consideration is given to:
· the founding principles of playful research
· understanding young children’s perspectives
· prioritising the rights of the child and the voice of the child
· examples of innovative research methods
Real life examples and research projects are presented, to enable common challenges to be anticipated and to showcase successful creative approaches, and to inspire new paths in research.
Research about children’s lives should always include the child’s own voice. This book encourages students to think about what they can do to ensure a child is enabled to tell their story and how they view the world, offering valuable insights into what it means to be that child.
This book offers a broad perspective on the possibilities of play for research. Particularly useful for dissertation students completing early years degrees. The case studies are a useful addition to complement the complex issues. Inspiring chapters offer thought-provoking ideas about how play research can be used in individual contexts.
This book will support the students wider development of understanding how research can be done with children. It will complement other research books that concentrate on structure. However this will bring a richness as it promotes the child's voice and allows students to think deeper to the importance of capturing this when researching with and alongside children.
Excellent resource for early childhood studies students, generating rich discussion around participatory methods and ethical engagement with children and families.
The book is filling a gap in the enlightning participatory approaches to research in ECEC
