
BY THE SAME AUTHOR.
PREFACE.
CHAPTER I. - THE REALM OF FANCY.
CHAPTER II. - THE ENCHANTMENT OF PLAY.
CHAPTER III. - ATTACKING OUR LANGUAGE.
CHAPTER IV. - THE SERIOUS SEARCHER.
CHAPTER V. - FIRST THOUGHTS: (a) THE NATURAL WORLD.
CHAPTER VI. - FIRST THOUGHTS: (b) SELF AND OTHER MYSTERIES.
CHAPTER VII. - THE BATTLE WITH FEARS: (a) THE ONSLAUGHT.
CHAPTER VIII. - THE BATTLE WITH FEARS (Continued). - The Assault of the Beasts.
An inviting, lightly edited version of a scholarly study, this work opens a window onto the vivid world of children’s imagination. By stripping away dense jargon, the author presents everyday observations that reveal how youngsters turn ordinary sights into living stories, making the subject approachable for anyone curious about the mind’s early adventures.
The book explores the surprising diversity of youthful fancy—some children picture bright, colourful scenes, others hear a chorus of sounds, and a few linger on darker, more mysterious images. Through charming anecdotes—like a toddler calling spectacles “little windows” or describing a star as an “eye”—the reader sees how tiny minds personify the world, attributing life and feeling to wind, stones and shadows. These snapshots illustrate the author’s call for fresh, careful observation of childhood wonder.
Listening to these lively sketches offers a gentle reminder that imagination is not a uniform pastime but a personal, ever‑shifting landscape. The gentle humor and vivid examples encourage a deeper appreciation of how the youngest among us make sense of the world around them.
Full title
Children's Ways Being selections from the author's "Studies of childhood," with some additional matter
Language
en
Duration
~4 hours (284K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2011-08-09
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1842–1923
A pioneering English psychologist and philosopher, he helped bring the study of mind and childhood into public conversation in late Victorian Britain. His books joined careful thought with a lively interest in imagination, emotion, and everyday mental life.
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