Book excerpt: This new edition of The Thinking Child is fully-updated with reference to the new Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Every Child Matters. The book considers the most recent research into the brain and learning, and offers practical advice on how to reflect these findings in the classroom. There is new guidance on current challenges facing practitioners, such as dealing with stressed and over-scheduled children, the philosophy and benefits of including every child and how to address practical issues that might arise in different settings. Other new material includes: - Collaborative working, - Foreign language learning and English as an additional language (EAL), - Outdoor learning and healthy settings, - Extended provision and the key person approach, and - Managing ICT and the dangers of information overload. The authors offer practical advice on implementing statutory requirements, maintaining a balance between child-initiated and adult-led activities and making the most of existing resources.