This text was written to give students experience in using effective methods for observing young children's development (ages 0-8) and documenting their observations.

Designed to guide students' participation with children of different age groups in a variety of early childhood settings, the text encourages students to interact with children as they learn more about development by carrying out the activities outlined in each chapter.

This text models the educational approaches that professionals advocate for early childhood classrooms: observational learning, active learning, guided discovery, choice, mini-lessons and cooperative learning. These approaches are incorporated into this text through concise overviews and numerous activities related to early childhood development and education.