https://doi.org/10.1177/1077800419836702 Qualitative Inquiry 1–7 © The Author(s) 2019 Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions DOI: 10.1177/1077800419836702 journals.sagepub.com/home/qix Research Article Vignette: A Period of Data Generation At the time of Amy’s arrival at the home that morning, Sandy and Richie were playing in the kitchen/dining room, with an educator (Rose) and researcher (Sheena) nearby. As Amy entered the room, Sandy picked up a piece of semiopaque material, which had been provided as a play resource, and placed it over her head whilst simultaneously verbalising and looking towards Amy. Sandy then crawled towards Amy, reached out with her right hand and touched Amy’s face. Amy moved away from Sandy but then returned and sat directly in front of her. Sandy responded by reaching out and touching Amy’s face. Amy immediately started crying, and so Rose sat on the floor and placed Amy on her lap. Rose then asked all of the children: “Do you want to play peek-a-boo?” Rose placed Amy on the floor between her legs and reached for the nearby material. Amy immediately started crying, so Rose placed Amy back on her lap. Ten minutes after Amy’s arrival, she was still crying and remained seated on Rose’s lap. Sandy and Richie moved towards Rose and Amy, and Richie picked up the semi- opaque material. He said: “I am going to play with it,” whilst waving the material around and laughing. Sandy crawled over and sat next to him. Amy stopped crying and looked towards them. Sandy cuddled Richie and stroked his hair. Amy continued looking towards them. Rose placed Amy on the floor between her legs and Amy immediately started crying. Rose placed Amy back on her lap. 1 Twenty-four minutes after Amy’s arrival, her crying increased in intensity and she remained seated on Rose’s lap. Rose picked up a piece of semiopaque material, identi- cal to the one that Richie had been playing with, and rubbed it over Amy’s hands and body, moving it slowly up towards Amy’s face. With stroking movements, Rose gradually placed the material over Amy’s head and body. At the same 836702QIX XXX10.1177/1077800419836702Qualitative InquiryElwick and Green research-article 2019 1 Charles Sturt University, Albury, New South Wales, Australia Corresponding Author: Sheena Elwick, Charles Sturt University, PO Box 789, Albury, New South Wales 2640, Australia. Email: selwick@csu.edu.au Merleau-Ponty’s Body and Beyond? Early Childhood Studies, Philosophical–Empirical Inquiry, and Educational Research Sheena Elwick 1 and Bill Green 1 Abstract This article draws on a recent study of infant participation in research, and work in practice theory and professional education, to explore the implications and challenges of educational research of particular encounters, which we call “moments of wonder”. Working with Merleau-Ponty’s philosophy of expression, we look closely at one such “moment,” as a rich field of sense—an excess of signification and affect. We see this account as demonstrating the value of what we call philosophical–empirical inquiry for opening up the complexity of educational research and practice, and specifically the interplay of early childhood education (ECE) practitioners/researchers and young children in “participatory research.” Keywords Merleau-Ponty, expression, philosophical–empirical inquiry, early childhood education, participatory research Figure 1. Amy (striped top), Rose, Sandy, Richie, the semiopaque material, and Sheena (Sumsion et al., 2008-2011). Note. Names changed to protect anonymity. Reproduced with permission from participants.