Background: An expanding corpus of research has investigated the role of play in early childhood science education. Nevertheless, a notable gap remains in the literature that comprehensively reviews these studies.

Aims: The objective of this scoping review is to systematically examine empirical research on this topic, elucidate consistent findings, identify gaps in the literature, and offer recommendations for future research and practice.

Method: A five-step scoping review methodology was employed and 26 peer-review articles written in English from 2000 to date were selected. These articles were categorised by publication year, country and context of study, journal, research area, and research theme.

Results: (1) since 2019, there has been an increasing emphasis on this research topic; (2) Australia has received the most research attention, followed by Sweden, with only one study incorporating the home environment as part of the research context; (3) most studies have been published in Research in Science Education and Early Childhood Education Journal; (4) four research areas were identified: education and child development, teacher and teacher education, educational methods and pedagogy, and educational assessment and evaluation; (5) development in science-related learning aspects, teacher’s knowledge and practices, implementing play pedagogy, effects of interventions constitute four research themes.

Conclusions: Research on play-based early childhood science education worldwide remains significantly lacking, especially in family contexts. Future research and practice need to address the gap.

Implications for children and families: You can utilise numerous scientific play opportunities within everyday family life to enhance science learning in preschoolers. Collaborating with teachers to integrate these family experiences can establish a crucial foundation for preschool science education.

Implications for practitioners: You can leverage your strength in play pedagogy to integrate play with science education, enabling imaginary situations in play to be transformed into scientific narratives facilitating science learning.

Key words: children’s voices, families’ voices, professionals’ voices, review, qualitative methods, quantitative methods, play, early childhood science education

This presentation relates to the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 17: Partnerships to Achieve the Goals