Reviews of the first edition

"In addition to expected information about developmental stages and caregiver response, Duffy discusses diversity and accessibility issues that affect children's response to opportunities to express their creativity ... an admirably detailed guide to creativity for persons involved in caring for young children."
Education Review

"The strength of Bernadette Duffy's book is her ability to share through tables, examples, theory and reflections her deep understanding of children's creative process..."
Montessori International Magazine

Learning through the arts has the potential to stimulate open ended activity that encourages discovery, exploration, experimentation and invention, thus contributing to children's development in all areas of learning and helping to make the curriculum meaningful to them. Bernadette Duffy draws on her extensive experience of promoting young children's creativity and imagination to examine how visual representations, music, dance, imaginative play and drama can enable children to express their feelings, thoughts and responses. She highlights examples of good practice and provides practical guidance for those working with young children in a variety of settings, including home, school and centre-based care.

Updated throughout, this second edition considers creativity and imagination in the light of contemporary initiatives such as Every Child Matters, Birth to Three Matters, Sure Start and the Foundation Stage curriculum.

Supporting Creativity and Imagination in the Early Years is essential reading for early years practitioners and students, as well as anyone who delights in young children's learning and development and wants to explore new ways of supporting it.

Bernadette Duffy is Head of the Thomas Coram Early Childhood Centre. She originally trained as an early years teacher and has worked in a variety of early years settings. She is Vice-Chair of the British Association for Early Childhood Education and was part of the Working Group for the Birth to Three Matters Project, as well as of the QCA Foundation Stage working party which devised the Guidance for the Foundation Stage

Introduction

Part One What are Creativity and Imagination and Why are they Important?

Chapter 1.The importance of creativity and imagination
Chapter 2.Defining creativity and imagination
Chapter 3.The creative process

Part Two How do Creativity and Imagination Develop?

Chapter 4.Child development, creativity and imagination from birth to six years
Chapter 5.Creativity across the curriculum
Chapter 6.The contribution of the arts to creativity and imagination
Chapter 7.Development in the visual and performing arts

Part Three Theory into practice

Chapter 8.The role of the adult
Chapter 9.The organisation of space, time and social contexts
Chapter 10.Widening children's experiences
Chapter 11.Planning, implementing, observing, recording and assessing
Conclusion

Bibliography
Index