Children’s Views Bibliography

Birth to 5 Matters – Listening to young children’s perspectives research review bibliography, March 2021

This bibliography contains journal articles that were found in electronic searches or recommended by colleagues in response to requests for papers published since 2015 in peer reviewed journals, in the English language about young children’s views of early childhood education. Many articles were excluded from our review of evidence about young children’s views of the EYFS. This was because they were not specifically about England / the EYFS; or did not include the perspectives or direct experiences of young children (birth to five years); or because they were about methodologies for listening to young children, which was not our brief.

The bibliography may be a useful list for anyone interested in recent research and scholarship about children’s perspectives. Many of the articles are open access; others can only be accessed via a journal subscription or through a library request.

  • Alan, Ü. & Erdoğan, S. (2018) Of Course Scientists Haven’t Seen Dinosaurs on the Beach: Turkish Kindergartners’ Developing Understanding of the Nature of Science Through Explicit–Reflective Instruction. Early Childhood Education Journal 46: 695–706. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-018-0892-z
  • Arnott, L., Martinez-Lejarreta, L., Wall, K., Blaisdell, C. & Palaiologou, I. (2020) Reflecting on Three Creative Approaches to Informed Consent with Children under Six. British Educational Research Journal, 46(4): 786-810
  • Atiles, J.T., Almodóvar, M., Chavarría Vargas, A., Dias, M.J.A. & Zúñiga León, I.M. (2021) International responses to COVID-19: challenges faced by early childhood professionals, European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 29:1, 66-78, DOI: 10.1080/1350293X.2021.1872674
  • Barnett, W.S., Grafwallner, R. & Weisenfeld, G.G. (2021) Corona pandemic in the United States shapes new normal for young children and their families, European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 29:1, 109-124, DOI: 10.1080/1350293X.2021.1872670
  • Bateman, A. (2017) “Hearing Children’s Voices through a Conversation Analysis Approach.” International Journal of Early Years Education 25(3): 241-56. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669760.2017.1344624
  • Bertram, T. & Pascal, C. (2021) Creating forums for plural Covid narratives and dialogues in early childhood, European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 29:1, 1-5, DOI: 10.1080/1350293X.2021.1873673
  • Blackburn, C. and Aubrey, C. (2016) Policy-to-practice context to the delays and difficulties in the acquisition of speech, language and communication in the early years, International Journal of Early Years Education, 24:4, 414-434, DOI: 10.1080/09669760.2016.1244046
  • Boardman, K. (2020) “Too young to read”: early years practitioners’ perceptions of early reading with under-threes, International Journal of Early Years Education, 28:1, 81-96, DOI: 10.1080/09669760.2019.1605886
  • Brace, D. (2021): “Settling In”: Exploring the complexities of observing and responding to young children’s communications of distress as they start day care, Infant Observation, DOI: 10.1080/13698036.2021.1875869
  • Bradwell, M. (2019) Voice, views and the UNCRC Articles 12 and 13. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 17(4) 423–433. https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718X19875780
  • Breathnach, H., Danby, S. & O’Gorman, L. (2017) “Are you working or playing?” Investigating young children’s perspectives of classroom activities. International Journal of Early Years Education, 25(4): 439-454. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669760.2017.1316241
  • Brooks, E. and Murray, J. (2018) Ready, steady, learn: school readiness and children’s voices in English early childhood settings, Education 3-13, 46:2, 143-156, DOI: 10.1080/03004279.2016.1204335
  • Canning, N. Payler, J., Horsley, K. and Gomez, C. (2017) An innovative methodology for capturing young children’s curiosity, imagination and voices using a free app: Our Story, International Journal of Early Years Education, 25:3, 292-307, DOI: 10.1080/09669760.2017.1353953
  • Carter, C. and Nutbrown, C. (2016) A Pedagogy of Friendship: young children’s friendships and how schools can support them, International Journal of Early Years Education, 24:4, 395-413, DOI: 10.1080/09669760.2016.1189813
  • Chesworth, L. (2016) A funds of knowledge approach to examining play interests: listening to children’s and parents’ perspectives, International Journal of Early Years Education, 24:3, 294-308, DOI: 10.1080/09669760.2016.1188370
  • Chesworth, L. (2019). Theorising young children’s interests: Making connections and in-the-moment happenings. Learning, Culture and Social Interaction. 23(3): 100263 doi.org/10.1016/j.lcsi.2018.11.010
  • Clausen S.B. (2015) Schoolification or early years democracy? A cross-curricular perspective from Denmark and England. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 16(4) 355–373. DOI: 10.1177/1463949115616327
  • Coad J, Harding S, Hambly H, et al. (2020) Perspectives of preschool children in England with speech and language needs in the development of evidence-based activities. Child Care Health Dev. 2020;46:283–293. https://doi.org/10.1111/cch.12746
  • Colliver, Y. (2017) From listening to understanding: interpreting young children’s perspectives, European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 25:6, 854-865, DOI: 10.1080/1350293X.2017.1380882
  • Colliver, Y. & Fleer, M. (2016) ‘I already know what I learned’: young children’s perspectives on learning through play, Early Child Development and Care, 186:10, 1559-1570, DOI: 10.1080/03004430.2015.1111880
  • Cousins. S.B. (2017) Practitioners’ constructions of love in early childhood education and care, International Journal of Early Years Education, 25:1, 16-29, DOI: 10.1080/09669760.2016.1263939
  • Daniels, K. (2021) Movement, meaning and affect and young children’s early literacy practices, International Journal of Early Years Education, 29:1, 41-55, https://doi.org/10.1080/09669760.2019.1701998
  • Dayan, Y. & Ziv, M. (2012) Children’s perspective research in pre-service early childhood student education. International Journal of Early Years Education
    20(3): 280-289 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09669760.2012.718114
  • Demetriou K, & Nikiforidou Z. (2019) The relational space of educational technology: Early childhood students’ views. Global Studies of Childhood. 9(4): 290-305. doi:10.1177/2043610619881458
  • Diaz-Diaz, C. (2016) Can You Tell Me That Story Again? The Need for a Counter Story of the Teacher-Child Relationship. Journal of Childhoods and Pedagogies Capilano University School of Education and Childhood Studies, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2016. ISSN: 2368-948X
  • Dong, C., Cao, S.M. & Li, H. (2021) Young children’s online learning during COVID-19 pandemic: Chinese parents’ beliefs and attitudes. Children and Youth Services Review, 118: 105440. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105440.
  • Dunn, J., Gray, C., Moffett, P. & Mitchell, D. (2018) ‘It’s more funner than doing work’: children’s perspectives on using tablet computers in the early years of school, Early Child Development and Care, 188:6, 819-831, DOI: 10.1080/03004430.2016.1238824
  • Elfer, P. and Page, J. (2015) Pedagogy with babies: perspectives of eight nursery managers. Early Child Development and Care. 185 (11-12): 1762-1782. DOI: 10.1080/03004430.2015.1028399
  • Flückiger B, Dunn J, Stinson M. (2018) What supports and limits learning in the early years? Listening to the voices of 200 children. Australian Journal of Education. 2018;62(2):94-107. doi:10.1177/0004944118779467
  • Georgeson, J., Campbell-Barr, V., Bakosi, É., Nemes, M., Pálfi, S. and Sorzio, P. (2015) Can we have an international approach to child-centred early childhood practice?  Early Child Development and Care, 185:11-12, 1862-1879, DOI: 10.1080/03004430.2015.1028388
  • Gripton, C. (2020). Children’s lived experiences of ‘ability’ in the Key Stage One classroom: life on the ‘tricky table’. Cambridge Journal of Education, 1-20. doi:10.1080/0305764X.2020.1745149
  • Howe, S. (2016). What play means to us: Exploring children’s perspectives on play in an English Year 1 classroom. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 24(5), 748-759. doi:10.1080/1350293X.2016.1213567
  • Im H & Swadener EB. (2016) Children Voice their Kindergarten Experiences: A Cross-Cultural Exploratory Study in Korea & the US. Australasian J. of Early Childhood, 41(1):28-35. doi:10.1177/183693911604100105
  • Jack, C. and Higgins, C. (2019) What is educational technology and how is it being used to support teaching and learning in the early years? International Journal of Early Years Education, 27:3, 222-237, DOI: 10.1080/09669760.2018.1504754
  • Jones, C. and Aubrey, C. (2019) How gender is constructed and experienced in the social world of the nursery school, International Journal of Early Years Education, 27:2, 153-169, DOI: 10.1080/09669760.2019.1602515
  • Kahuroa R., Mitchell, L., Ng, O. & Johns, T. (2021) Children’s working theories about Covid-19 in Aotearoa New Zealand, European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 29:1, 6-20, DOI: 10.1080/1350293X.2021.1872672
  • Kingdon, Z. (2018) Young children as beings, becomings, having beens: an integrated approach to role-play, International Journal of Early Years Education, 26:4, 354-368, DOI: 10.1080/09669760.2018.1524325
  • Kinnunen, S. & Einarsdottir, J. (2013) Feeling, Wondering, Sharing and Constructing Life: Aesthetic Experience and Life Changes in Young Children’s Drawing Stories International Journal of Early Childhood,  45: 359–385. DOI 10.1007/s13158-013-0085-2
  • Lawrence, P., Gallagher, T. & the Pen Green Team (2015) ‘Pedagogic Strategies’: a conceptual framework for effective parent and practitioner strategies when working with children under five, Early Child Development and Care, 185:11-12, 1978-1994, DOI: 10.1080/03004430.2015.1028390
  • Luff, P. and Kanyal, M. (2015) Maternal thinking and beyond: towards a care-full pedagogy for early childhood. Early Child Development and Care. 185:11-12, 1748-1761, https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2015.1028389
  • Luff, P., Kanyal, M., Shehu, M. and Brewis, N. (2016) Educating the youngest citizens–possibilities for early childhood education and care, in England. Journal for Critical Education Policy Studies, 14(3).
  • Lundqvist, J. Westling Allodi, M. & Siljehag, E. (2019) Values and Needs of Children With and Without Special Educational Needs in Early School Years: A Study of Young Children’s Views on What Matters to Them, Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 63:6, 951-967, DOI: 10.1080/00313831.2018.1466360
  • MacDonald, M., Bowen, W. & Hill, C. (2017) Using engaged philosophical inquiry to deepen young children’s understanding of environmental sustainability: Being, becoming and belonging. Journal of Philosophy in Schools, 4 (1):50-73. DOI: 10.21913/JPS.v4i1.1419
  • Malta Campos, M. & Fraga Vieira, L. (2021) COVID-19 and early childhood in Brazil: impacts on children’s well-being, education and care, European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 29:1, 125-140, DOI: 10.1080/1350293X.2021.1872671
  • Mantovani, S., Bove, C., Ferri, P., Manzoni, P., Cesa Bianchi, A. & Picca, M. (2021) Children ‘under lockdown’: voices, experiences, and resources during and after the COVID-19 emergency. Insights from a survey with children and families in the Lombardy region of Italy, European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 29:1, 35-50, DOI: 10.1080/1350293X.2021.1872673
  • Martin, S., & Buckley, L. (2020). Including children’s voices in a multiple stakeholder study on a community-wide approach to improving quality in early years setting. Early Child Development and Care, 190(9), 1411-1424. doi:10.1080/03004430.2018.1538135
  • May, H. & Coulston, H. (2021) He Whānau Manaaki kindergartens, Aotearoa New Zealand: a pandemic outreach in new political times, European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 29:1, 96-108, DOI: 10.1080/1350293X.2021.1872675
  • McInnes, K. Howard, J., Crowley, K. & Miles, G. (2013) The nature of adult–child interaction in the early years classroom: Implications for children’s perceptions of play and subsequent learning behaviour, European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 21:2, 268-282, DOI: 10.1080/1350293X.2013.789194
  • McNair, L. J. & Powell, S. (2020): Friedrich Froebel: a path least trodden, Early Child Development and Care, DOI: 10.1080/03004430.2020.1803299
  • Meehan, C. (2016). Every child mattered in England: but what matters to children? Early Child Development and Care, 186(3), 382-402. doi:10.1080/03004430.2015.1032957
  • Mochida, S., Sanada, M., Shao, Q., Lee, J., Takaoka, J.,  Ando, S. & Sakakihara, Y. (2021) Factors modifying children’s stress during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 29:1, 51-65, DOI: 10.1080/1350293X.2021.1872669
  • Moore, D., Morrissey, A.-M. & Robertson, N. (2019) ‘I feel like I’m getting sad there’: early childhood outdoor playspaces as places for children’s wellbeing, Early Child Development Care, DOI: 10.1080/03004430.2019.1651306
  • Murray (2017) Welcome in! How the academy can warrant recognition of young children as researchers, European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 25:2, 224-242, DOI: 10.1080/1350293X.2017.1288016
  • Murray, J. (2015) Early childhood pedagogies: spaces for young children to flourish, Early Child Development and Care, 185:11-12, 1715-1732, DOI: 10.1080/03004430.2015.1029245
  • Murray, J. (2019) Hearing young children’s voices (Editorial), International Journal of Early Years Education, 27:1, 1-5, DOI: 10.1080/09669760.2018.1563352
  • Murray, J. (2021) How do children build knowledge in early childhood education? Susan Isaacs, Young Children Are Researchers and what happens next. Early Child Development and Care. 10.1080/03004430.2020.1854242
  • Nah, K.-O. and Waller, T. (2015) Outdoor play in preschools in England and South Korea: learning from polyvocal methods, Early Child Development and Care, 185:11-12, 2010-2025, DOI: 10.1080/03004430.2015.1028397
  • Neaum, S. (2016) School readiness and pedagogies of Competence and Performance: theorising the troubled relationship between early years and early years policy, International Journal of Early Years Education, 24:3, 239-253, DOI: 10.1080/09669760.2016.1205970
  • Nikiforidou, Z. and Stack, J. (2020) ‘The wolf was only feeling hungry’: emotional understanding and embodied cognition through dramatic play, International Journal of Early Years Education, 28:1, 50-62, DOI: 10.1080/09669760.2019.1685470
  • Norðdahl, K. & Einarsdóttir, J. (2015) Children’s views and preferences regarding their outdoor environment, Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning, 15:2, 152-167, DOI: 10.1080/14729679.2014.896746
  • Nugent, C., MacQuarrie, S. and Beames, S.  (2019) ‘Mud in my ears and jam in my beard’: Challenging gendered ways of being in nature kindergarten practitioners, International Journal of Early Years Education, 27:2, 143-152, DOI: 10.1080/09669760.2018.1562884
  • O’Farrelly, C. (2021) Bringing young children’s voices into programme development, randomized controlled trials and other unlikely places. Children and Society, 35: 34-47. DOI: 10.1111/chso.12390
  • O’Farrelly, C., Booth, A., Tatlow-Golden, M. & Barker, B. (2020) Reconstructing readiness: Young children’s priorities for their early school adjustment, Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 50(2): 3-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2018.12.001.
  • O’Sullivan, J. (2021) Replacing a reading scheme with dialogic reading: an action research case study in 15 London nurseries, International Journal of Early Years Education, 29:1, 25-40, DOI: 10.1080/09669760.2020.1754172
  • Page, J. (2018) Characterising the principles of Professional Love in early childhood care and education, International Journal of Early Years Education, 26:2, 125-141, DOI: 10.1080/09669760.2018.1459508
  • Palaiologou, I. (2016) Children under five and digital technologies: implications for early years pedagogy European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 2016 Vol. 24, No. 1, 5–24, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2014.929876
  • Palaiologou, I. (2017) The use of vignettes in participatory research with young children, International Journal of Early Years Education, 25:3, 308-322, DOI: 10.1080/09669760.2017.1352493
  • Pálmadóttir, H. & Einarsdóttir, J. (2015) Young children’s views of the role of preschool educators, Early Child Development and Care, 185:9, 1480-1494, DOI: 10.1080/03004430.2015.1004056
  • Pascal, C. & Bertram, T. (2021) What do young children have to say? Recognising their voices, wisdom, agency and need for companionship during the COVID pandemic, European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 29:1, 21-34, DOI: 10.1080/1350293X.2021.1872676
  • Penderi, E. & Rekalidou, G. (2016) Young children’s views concerning distribution of clean-up duties in the classroom: Responsibility and self-interest, European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 24:5, 734-747, DOI: 10.1080/1350293X.2016.1213566
  • Pihlainen, K., Reunamo, J., Sajaniemi, N. and Kärnä, E. (2020) Children’s negative experiences as a part of quality evaluation in early childhood education and care. Early Child Development and Care, pp.1-12.
  • Pyle, A. & Alaca, B. (2018) Kindergarten children’s perspectives on play and learning, Early Child Development and Care, 188:8, 1063-1075, DOI: 10.1080/03004430.2016.1245190
  • Robertson, L., Kinos, J., Barbour, N., Pukk, M. and Rosqvist, L. (2015) Child-initiated pedagogies in Finland, Estonia and England: exploring young children’s views on decisions. Early Child Development and Care, 185 (11-12): 1815-1827. DOI: 10.1080/03004430.2015.1028392
  • Robson, J.v.K.  (2019) How do practitioners in early years provision promote Fundamental British Values?, International Journal of Early Years Education, 27:1, 95-110, DOI: 10.1080/09669760.2018.1507904
  • Rodríguez-Carrillo, J., Mérida-Serrano, R., & González-Alfaya, M.E. (2020) “‘A Teacher’s Hug Can Make You Feel Better’: Listening to U.S. Children’s Voices on High-quality Early Childhood Teaching.” European Early Childhood Education Research Journal 28(4): 504-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2020.1783925
  • Rojas-Bustos, K. (2020) The Invisibility of “Other Languages” in an Early Years Language Program in England: An Examination of Monolingual Discourses and Ways to Forge Culturally Inclusive Practice, Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 34:1, 28-42, DOI: 10.1080/02568543.2019.1692103
  • Rouvali, A.& Riga, V. (2019) “Redefining the Importance of Children’s Voices in Personal Social Emotional Development Curriculum Using the Mosaic Approach.” Education 3-13 47(8): 998-1013. Web.
  • Sandseter, E.B.H. and Seland, M. (2018) 4-6 year-old children’s experience of subjective well-being and social relations in ECEC institutions. Child Indicators Research 11(5): 1585-1601.
  • Seland, M., Beate Hansen Sandseter, E. and Bratterud, Å., 2015. One-to three-year-old children’s experience of subjective wellbeing in day care. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 16(1): 70-83.
  • Shaw, P.A., 2020. Photo-elicitation and photo-voice: using visual methodological tools to engage with younger children’s voices about inclusion in education. International Journal of Research & Method in Education, pp.1-15.
  • Shaw, P.A.  (2019). Engaging with young children’s voices: implications for practitioners’ pedagogical practice, Education 3-13, 47(7): 806-818, DOI: 10.1080/03004279.2019.1622496, https://doi.org/10.1080/03004279.2019.1622496
  • Smith, K. (2014) Discourses of childhood safety: what do children say?, European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 22:4, 525-537, DOI: 10.1080/1350293X.2014.947834
  • Sproule, L., Walsh, G. and McGuinness, C. (2019) More than ‘just play’: picking out three dimensions of a balanced early years pedagogy, International Journal of Early Years Education, 27:4, 409-422, DOI: 10.1080/09669760.2019.1628011
  • Theobald, M., Danby, S., Einarsdóttir, J., Bourne, J., Jones, D., Ross, S., Knaggs, H. & Carter-Jones, C. (2015) Children’s Perspectives of Play and Learning for Educational Practice. Educ. Sci. 5: 345-362. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci5040345
  • Tytler, K. (2016) ‘It’s just because it went really high and we go wheeee…!’ Young children’s views on risk-taking play in their early years setting. Educational Psychology Research and Practice, 2(1): 21-32. https://www.uel.ac.uk/-/media/main/images/psychology/eprap/vol-2-no-1-march-2016/educational-psychology-research-and-practice-2016-03-tytler.ashx
  • Urbina-García, M. (2019). Methodological Strategies to Listen to Children’s Voices: A Systematic Critical Review. Revista Colombiana de Educación, 77, 61-85. doi: 10.17227/rce.num77-9650
  • Wall, K., Cassidy, C., Robinson, C., Hall, E., Beaton, M., Kanyal, M., & Mitra, D. (2019). Look who’s talking: Factors for considering the facilitation of very young children’s voices. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 17(4), 263-278. doi:10.1177/1476718×19875767
  • Wastell, S.J. and Degotardi, S. (2017) ‘I belong here; I been coming a big time’: An exploration of belonging that includes the voice of children. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 42(4): 38-46.
  • Wiescholek, J., Hilkenmeier, J. Greiner, C. & Buhl, H.M. (2018) Six-year-olds’ perception of home literacy environment and its influence on children’s literacy enjoyment, frequency, and early literacy skills, Reading Psychology, 39:1, 41-68, DOI: 10.1080/02702711.2017.1361495
  • Wong, M. & Power, T.G. (2019) Childhood depressive symptoms during the transition to primary school in Hong Kong: Comparison of child and maternal reports. Children and Youth Services Review, 100: 183-190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.02.035
  • Wong, M. (2015) Voices of children, parents and teachers: how children cope with stress during school transition, Early Child Development and Care, 185:4, 658-678, DOI: 10.1080/03004430.2014.948872
  • Yates, E. and Oates, R. (2019) Young children’s views on play provision in two local parks: A research project by early childhood studies students and staff. Childhood, 26(4): 491-508. https://doi.org/10.1177/0907568219839115
  • Zava, F., Watanabe, L.K., Sette, S., Baumgartner, E., Laghi, F. & Coplan, R.J. (2019) Young children’s perceptions and beliefs about hypothetical shy, unsociable, and socially avoidant peers at school. Social Development, 29: 89–109. DOI: 10.1111/sode.12386
  • Zheng, G., Schwanenflugel, P.J. & Rogers, S.M. (2016) Emergent Motivation to Read in Prekindergarten Children, Reading Psychology, 37(3): 392-423. DOI: 10.1080/02702711.2015.1057787