This fully rewritten second edition invites readers into a deeper, more confident engagement with the rich and distinctive world of early years pedagogy. Far more than a set of methods or curriculum frameworks, pedagogy is explored here as a lived, relational, and reflective practice, something shaped moment by moment in the encounters between children, educators, materials, and the wider world. Throughout the book, practice-based charts sit alongside narrative discussion, offering accessible ways into complex ideas and supporting different reading rhythms within busy professional lives.
Across the reimagined chapters, the book offers a fresh, human-centred account of early years pedagogy. It weaves together updated research, practice-rooted examples, reflective invitations, and gentle provocations to help readers cultivate presence, curiosity, and ethical awareness in their work with young children. Rather than advocating a single approach, it encourages a broad, critical, and inclusive pedagogical repertoire that recognises the diversity of children’s experiences and the complexity of contemporary early childhood education and care settings.
Readers will explore:
· how to develop an authentic pedagogical identity rooted in care, curiosity, and relational understanding
· ways of nurturing children’s wonder, agency, and sense of belonging
· approaches to creating inclusive, culturally responsive environments that honour every child’s story
· how children’s rights and lived experiences can sit at the heart of everyday practice.
Warm, reflective, and deeply grounded in the realities of early years practice, this second edition offers both inspiration and practical depth. It speaks to students, as well as early years educators, practitioners, teachers, leaders, families, and scholars who wish to enrich their practice, think critically, and truly honour the complexity and beauty of childhood.
Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements
Preface: being with children
Introduction: a case for early years pedagogy
Part 1: Finding pedagogy in context
1. The historical foundations of pedagogy: exploring the fragments
2. Exploring pedagogy for the early years: the realities of the sector
Part 2: Seeing pedagogy in practice
3. Dimensions of pedagogy in practice: making the everyday work of pedagogy visible
4. Foundations and futures: glimpses of key early years pedagogies
Part 3: Holding pedagogy rationally
5. Relationships at the heart of pedagogy: foundations of relational pedagogy
6. Social pedagogy in practice: being with children within their social words
7. A flourishing pedagogy: wellbeing and the conditions for growth
Part 4: Living pedagogy with children
8. Child-initiated and adult-led pedgaogy: embracing the synergy
9. The pedagogy of play: the natural language of children
10. Creative pedagogy: nurturing the characteristics of creativity
11: Nature pedagogy: moving beyond outdoor play
12. Early digital pedagogy: using digital technologies for play, learning, and development
Part 5: Pedagogy, justice, and belonging
13. A pedagogy of diference: advancing inclusion and equity
14. A participatory pedagogy: the human right of every child
15. A pedagogy for parents and families: embodying the natural pedagogy of parents
16. A culturally response pedagogy: embracing children's cultures and communities
Part 6: Caring for pedagogy over time
17. Sustainable pedagogical leadership: the preservation and development of early years pedagogies
18. Final thoughts: pedagogy as a way of being
References
About the Author :
Ruksana Beigi has over 30 years of experience in the sector and is currently a Course Leader and Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Studies at the University of East London. She teaches across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the Department of Education. Her work is grounded in a deep commitment to creative and socially responsive pedagogies, with a particular focus on how creativity can transform teaching, professional identity, and children’s experiences. Ruksana’s research interests centre on the role of the arts in education and care, exploring how creative practices can strengthen professional confidence, deepen relational practice, and support reflective thinking in early years settings. She is also passionate about how creative methods can amplify overlooked voices, challenge inequalities, and improve experiences in education. Across her work, she advocates for education that is relational, imaginative, and rooted in care. She believes creativity is not an optional extra but a vital part of how we teach, learn, and live with children and one another.
