Honoring Children’s Agency

Citation: Underwood, C. (2026). Honoring children’s agency: A systematic review of research with and by children in environmental contexts. International Journal of Early Childhood Environmental Education. https://naturalstart.org/sites/default/files/2026-02/6-final-underwood_0.pdf 

As climate impacts increase, research that meaningfully engages young children as agents of change could contribute to children’s confidence, sense of belonging, and agency. Further, research with and by young children has been identified as an emerging trend in the field of Environmental Education Research (Green, 2015). This systematic literature review explores the theoretical and methodological approaches utilized in research conducted with and by young children in environmental contexts and seeks to contribute to a broader conversation that will equip researchers and early childhood educators to engage in effective and impactful participatory action research with young children. It appears that it is not the specific theoretical or methodological approach that ensures research by children, but the child’s active involvement in the project before and beyond the data collection phase which requires the researcher’s active reflexivity and willingness to release control and power over the research process.