The Journal of Play and Pedagogy is an open-access, peer-reviewed publication dedicated to advancing understanding of play and early childhood pedagogy for children aged 0–8. Our mission is to bridge academic research, reflective professional practice, and lived experience by creating an inclusive platform where scholars, educators, families, and children’s voices are valued equally. We are committed to ethical, relational and rights-respecting approaches that honour play as intrinsically motivated and central to childhood, while supporting dialogue that informs practice, policy and innovation across the early years sector.