This book contains everything necessary for teaching an introduction

to philosophy class in elementary schools. It is the result of my own ex- perience

discussing philosophical issues with young children, from first to fifth graders,
over the past twenty years. Since the very idea that kids are capable of taking
part in a philosophical dialogue will surprise many of you, the book also explains
quite carefully the rationale for discussing philosophy with them and, indeed, the
importance of doing so.
My goal in introducing philosophy to young children has always been to encourage
and support elementary-school classroom teachers in their efforts to bring
philosophy into their classrooms. Because my hope is that this book will spur the
efforts of teachers to do so, I emphasize the fact that you do not have to have a
background in philosophy to become an elementary-school philosophy teacher. All you
need is a genuine inter- est in fostering the independence, creativity, and
inquisitiveness of your students—as well as patience and a sense of humor! If you
possess these and are interested in introducing philosophy into your elementary-
school classroom, you’ll find everything you need to do so in this book.
Although I began by working with teachers to help them introduce
philosophy into their classrooms, for the past decade my primary in-
volvement has been through a course that I teach at Mount Holyoke