Exploring the applicability of Arts-Based Research (ABR) in early childhood education

This study addresses the limitations of traditional positivist educational research in capturing the complexity, emotional depth, and aesthetic dimensions of human experience. It explores how Arts-Based Research (ABR) can be theoretically and practically applied to early childhood education. Through literature analysis, the emergence and academic legitimacy of ABR and its conceptual distinctions from arts education are examined. Various artistic approaches— visual arts, performance-based inquiry, literary and poetic inquiry, and digital storytelling—are systematically reviewed for their applicability. Case analyses illustrate how ABR expands academic inquiry and offers new interpretive pathways for understanding teachers’, young children’s, and parents’ experiences through artistic practices. The findings suggest that ABR captures emotions, symbols, and interactions multisensorially and supports reflective exploration of teacher identity and practice. ABR’s focus on multisensory representation, integration of symbolic thinking, and critical reflection highlights its potential as an innovative methodology. This study concludes that ABR can deepen emotional and ontological understanding in early childhood education and open new directions for educational research.