Creative Thinking in the Early Years of Education

This paper proposes a framework for exploring creative thinking in the early years of school. It explores creative thinking as characterised in two significant curriculum landmarks applicable to young children: Plowden from the 1960s and the Early Learning Goals from 2000. It proposes 'little c creativity' as a way of conceptu alising creativity, arguing that it represents the start of a 'third wave' of understanding the meaning and potential of creativity in the early years of education. Drawing on empirical observations from a number of nursery and early years classrooms in England, it raises some pedagogical and systemic issues around fostering 'little c creativity' in the early years of education.