Human geographers are increasingly employing mixed-method approaches in their

research, including in children’s geographies, where ‘child-centred’ methods are often

used alongside participant observation and semi-structured interviews to investigate

children’s perceptions and experiences. Mixing qualitative methods in this way raises a

number of ethical and methodological issues, particularly regarding the changing power

relationships between researchers and participants. This article considers the challenges

and potential benefits of combining methods from participatory and interpretive

approaches through triangulation or ‘crystallisation’. The issues are illustrated through

an empirical case study on children, health and exercise in the everyday spaces of the

primary school.