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This open access book s theme is Teaching mathematics as to be meaningful foregrounding children s play and perspectives. It discusses the relation between teachers, children and mathematical content within the context of play with a particular focus on the framing of these relations within this context, which is an important theme in the debate on whether teaching should be integrated with or separated from children s play. The work further addresses meaningfulness in the learning process, particularly from the child s perspective.

Globally, most guidelines and curricula for early childhood education mention play as one of the key features for young children s learning. Still, there are quite different views on the definitions of play and in what ways play should become part of children s learning. The chapters of the book mirror the research topics presented at the fifth POEM conference in May 2022 divided into four sub-themes: Play and learning, Children s perspectives on mathematics, Teachers competencies and Theorizing aspects of early mathematics education.