Available 22 August
This book invites educators, researchers, and advocates to reimagine early childhood education through the powerful lens of inquiry-based learning. Rooted in neuroscience and sociocultural theory, this book positions children as natural inquirers, born with a deep desire to explore, connect, and understand the world around them. It argues that when this innate curiosity is nurtured within a responsive, respectful environment, children are empowered as co-constructors of knowledge and active participants in shaping their own learning.
Through rich examples from ealy learning centres across Aotearoa New Zealand, this book explores how collaborative investigations support deep engagement, critical thinking, creativity, and democratic participation. Grounded in the rights-based approach of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, it affirms children’s right to influence what and how they learn, recognising the significance of their interests, experiences, and voices.
As the 21st century presents complex global challenges, Children’s Inquiry offers a timely and transformative framework for fostering ecological literacy, ethical understanding, and community-connected learning. It is an essential resource for educators seeking to cultivate inclusive, empowering, and future-focused learning environments where children thrive not just as learners, but as citizens of today.