Chris Athey was born in 1924 and recieved a Masters in Education. She taught a range of ages in primary schools, both state and private. She became a Principal Lecturer in Education at the Roehampton Institute of Higher Education (RIHE) and, funded by a Leverhulme Research Fellowship, she directed the Froebel Early Education Project from 1973 to 1978. During the 1970s, Chris set up the Froebel Early Education Project (1973-78). The project included research associates, such as Tina Bruce and Professor Cathy Nutbrown. Chris promoted schemes and the constructivist approach to children’s learning and development and published her book, Extending Thoughts in Young Children.