Includes appendices, bibliographical references and index.

Series editors' preface - Acknowledgements -- Introduction -- What does it mean to know? -- Young children explore -- Young children find solutions -- Young children conceptualise -- Young children base decisions on evidence -- Conclusions : young children build knowledge, young children are researchers.

Early childhood practitioners often experience challenges in being confident enough to make high quality judgements about young children's own constructions of knowledge. This book presents research findings suggesting how everyday activities undertaken by young children expose the many ways they construct knowledge and understanding, and the similarities between their learning behaviours and those of professional researchers. It gives practical suggestions to create opportunities to identify, value and facilitate young children's own constructions of knowledge and understanding within early years settings, not only in terms of statutory requirements but far beyond them.