Early childhood educators work in a wide variety of settings and with a range of curriculum models and expectations. Intentional teachers draw on their knowledge of child development as well as the interests, experiences, and contexts of children to help them master meaningful learning goals (Bredekamp & Willer 2022). For over a century, projects or project-based work, including the project approach, have been commonly used approaches to curriculum planning and pedagogical implementation (Kilpatrick [1918] 2018; NASEM 2024). Central to projects are principles of child-driven inquiry and opportunities for deep learning through authentic experiences (Baines & DeBarger 2021).

We (the authors) have served for many years as teacher educators at the university level and have taught in preschool, kindergarten, and primary grade settings. Barbara (second author) also studied and worked closely with Lilian G. Katz, a key figure in the history and development of the project approach in early childhood settings. These experiences have convinced us that the project approach is appropriate and helpful in a wide range of early childhood educational settings. In this article, we explain the components of projects, recognize two thought leaders who contributed to the project approach, and describe how the approach can be incorporated into early childhood educators’ professional toolboxes today, especially for those who serve children in preschool, kindergarten, and primary-grade settings.