The notion of children's working theories is an overarching outcome of Te Whāriki, Aotearoa New
Zealand's early childhood curriculum. Growing research examines children’s working theories and
teacher support strategies. This article draws on doctoral research to present the spiral of working
theory development model, providing a framework for understanding working theory development
processes. Teachers can use this model to enhance strategies for fostering and supporting working
theory formation, resulting in improved learning outcomes for young children.