Recently, a new understanding of creative thought and creative performance has surfaced. In addition, an
interest has emerged in professional organizations especially those in early childhood education. In addition,
current creativity researchers have initiated a far more sophisticated understanding of young children's
creative thinking, ways to assess creativity, strategies to promote creativity, and research methodologies. The
purpose of this volume is to present a wide range of different theories and areas in the study of creativity to
help researchers and theorists work toward the development of different perspectives on creativity with
young children. It focuses on critical analyses and reviews of the literature on topics related to creativity
research, development, theories, and practices. It will serve as a reference for early childhood education
researchers, scholars, academics, general educators, teacher educators, teachers, graduate students, and
scientists to stimulate further "dialogue" on ways to enhance creativity. The chapters are of high quality and
provide scholarly analyses of research studies that capture the full range of approaches to the study of creativity --- behavioral, clinical, cognitive,
cross-cultural, developmental, educational, genetic, organizational, psychoanalytic, psychometric, and social. Interdisciplinary research is also
included, as is research within specific domains such as art and science, as well as on critical issues (e.g., aesthetics, genius, imagery, imagination,
insight, intuition, metaphor, play, problem finding and solving). Thus, it offers critical analyses on reviews of research in a form that are useful to
early childhood researchers, scholars, educators, and graduate students. It also places the current research in its historical context. The volume is also
of interest to the general readers who are interested in the young children's creativity. The chapters are authored by established scholars in the field of
young children's creativity.