In these two volumes, Mrs. Murphy and her associates at Sarah Lawrence Nursery School describe, with sample observations and a longer 'case study', the methods they used to evaluate the personalities of preschool children.

The first volume consists of a description of the methods employed, which include observing the child alone or in a group and in both relatively free and experimentally controlled situations. Among the free methods are miniature life toys such as dolls, furniture, blocks, and cars; sensory toys such as fur strips, colored skeins