Dr Natalie Canning

Professional biography

Natalie is a Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood and Co-director of the Children's Research Centre at The Open University.  She is also a Co-convenor of the Special Interest Group for Outdoor Play and Learning for the European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA).  Her background is in playwork and social work, supporting children to explore personal, social and emotional development through play.  She has published within the field of children's rights, professional development in the early childhood, children’s play, empowerment and creative spaces.  She has taught across a variety of early childhood undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and has authored and edited multiple books on Early Childhood practice which focus on child centred pedagogy. 

Natalie's main research is centred on young children's play, especially how children are empowered through the play process.  Using mainly ethnographic and qualitative methods Natalie utilises video as a tool for observation and artefacts generated by children for analysis.  Her interest in children’s play preferences is distinctive because it focuses on how child initiated interests can support children's social and emotional wellbeing as well as gaining a deeper understanding of the process of empowerment. The significance of understanding children’s decisions and choices when they play through an empowerment lens makes an original contribution to Early Childhood practice and research.

As well as developing a conceptual framework for looking at children’s play through empowerment opportunities, her research supports new ways of thinking about play and how children approach learning.  This provides opportunities for early childhood settings to look beyond the curriculum, to a whole child approach.  The implications for professional practice in thinking and prioritising children's perspectives is transformative but sustainable through implimenting the Empowerment Framework alongside curriculum goals in everyday practice.

Teaching interests

Natalie has taught in a variety of institutions before joining the Open University in 2009.  Her main teaching interests support child centred practice leading to the professional development of early childhood practitioners. She has expertise in work based learning and learning and teaching strategies for mature students supporting self-directed learning and development.  

At the heart of her teaching interest is exploring children’s experiences.  She has experience of working on diverse Open University child development modules and in supporting Professional Doctorate and PhD students.    

Impact and engagement

Natalie has been the key note speaker at National conferences and involved with organisations promoting early childhood education.  She  been the Principle Investigator on a diverse range of projects promoting early childhood, with promoting children's voice at the centre of practice.  She has worked with practitioners and schools to develop professional practice using the most recent research to inform key aims.  She has worked in European countires developing research strategies and projects promoting children's rights with outputs that are meaningful and relevant to the children and adults involved.  Through creating connections between educators, researchers and children, Natalie's work impacts on daily interactions and conversations about the wellbeing of children, leading to more positive and empowering outcomes.

.