Breaking methodological boundaries? Exploring visual, participatory methods with adults and young children

There have been an increasing number of research studies using participatory, visual methods with young children. This article will explore the possibilities and challenges of extending these methods as tools for listening to early childhood practitioners as well as to young children. This research is based on a longitudinal study carried out using the Mosaic approach to involve young children and adults in the design and review of two early childhood environments in England. The findings offer possibilities for re-examining rather than breaking the methodological boundaries in the field of early childhood between participatory research with young children and with adults.