diff --git a/crates/types/src/ir/canonicalize.rs b/crates/types/src/ir/canonicalize.rs
index 797cf61bc..691ba6610 100644
--- a/crates/types/src/ir/canonicalize.rs
+++ b/crates/types/src/ir/canonicalize.rs
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ fn canon(
                 .find(|(ptr, _)| *ptr == Rc::as_ptr(c))
                 .map_or_else(|| Rc::clone(c), |(_, new)| Rc::clone(new))
         };
-        Rc::new(node.map_children(rebuilt_child)?)
+        Rc::new(node.with_new_children(rebuilt_child)?)
     } else {
         Rc::clone(node)
     };
diff --git a/crates/types/src/ir/node.rs b/crates/types/src/ir/node.rs
index 7534353b0..47ffa0ea3 100644
--- a/crates/types/src/ir/node.rs
+++ b/crates/types/src/ir/node.rs
@@ -199,12 +199,14 @@ impl OperatorNode {
         self.operator.children()
     }
 
-    /// Rebuild with new inputs, re-deriving all structural schema metadata.
-    /// Only names and qualifiers that override the old derived schema are
-    /// retained, for either operator category. A change in output arity with
-    /// such overrides needs an explicit new naming assignment.
+    /// Replace the children and rebuild: each child is replaced by `f(child)`
+    /// and the node is rebuilt over the new children, re-deriving all
+    /// structural schema metadata. Only names and qualifiers that override
+    /// the old derived schema are retained, for either operator category. A
+    /// change in output arity with such overrides needs an explicit new
+    /// naming assignment.
     /// `guarantee` and `timing` depend on the inputs and are cleared.
-    pub fn map_children(
+    pub fn with_new_children(
         &self,
         f: impl FnMut(&Rc<OperatorNode>) -> Rc<OperatorNode>,
     ) -> Result<Self, SchemaDerivationError> {
diff --git a/crates/types/tests/schema_rebuilding.rs b/crates/types/tests/schema_rebuilding.rs
index fc7a3f145..b0fc4c666 100644
--- a/crates/types/tests/schema_rebuilding.rs
+++ b/crates/types/tests/schema_rebuilding.rs
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ fn rebuilding_rederives_schema_for_both_categories() {
         let original = aggregate(scan(DataType::Int64, "key"), asap);
         original.validate_structure().unwrap();
         let replacement = scan(DataType::Utf8, "new_key");
-        let rebuilt = redeclare(original.map_children(|_| replacement.clone()).unwrap());
+        let rebuilt = redeclare(original.with_new_children(|_| replacement.clone()).unwrap());
         assert_eq!(rebuilt.schema, rebuilt.operator.output_schema().unwrap());
         rebuilt.validate_structure().unwrap();
     }
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ fn rebuilding_preserves_only_explicit_naming_overrides() {
         let original = Rc::new(renamed);
         original.validate_structure().unwrap();
         let replacement = scan(DataType::Utf8, "new_key");
-        let rebuilt = redeclare(original.map_children(|_| replacement.clone()).unwrap());
+        let rebuilt = redeclare(original.with_new_children(|_| replacement.clone()).unwrap());
         assert_eq!(rebuilt.schema.fields[0].name, "alias");
         assert_eq!(rebuilt.schema.fields[0].table.as_deref(), Some("result"));
         assert_eq!(
@@ -176,14 +176,14 @@ fn rebuilding_updates_metadata_and_requires_new_aliases_after_arity_changes() {
         schema: replacement_schema.clone(),
     }))
     .unwrap();
-    let rebuilt = Rc::new(original.map_children(|_| replacement.clone()).unwrap());
+    let rebuilt = Rc::new(original.with_new_children(|_| replacement.clone()).unwrap());
     assert_eq!(rebuilt.schema, replacement_schema);
     rebuilt.validate_structure().unwrap();
 
     let mut names = original.schema.clone();
     names.fields[0].name = "alias".into();
     let named = OperatorNode::with_schema(original.operator.clone(), names);
-    assert!(named.map_children(|_| replacement.clone()).is_err());
+    assert!(named.with_new_children(|_| replacement.clone()).is_err());
 }
 
 /// Maintaining membership and finalizing values preserve identity/time metadata.
diff --git a/crates/types/tests/summary_coverage.rs b/crates/types/tests/summary_coverage.rs
index 3b99e9bba..e36c3d7a4 100644
--- a/crates/types/tests/summary_coverage.rs
+++ b/crates/types/tests/summary_coverage.rs
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ fn node_coverage_is_required_checked_and_cleared_by_rewrites() {
     std::rc::Rc::new(state.clone())
         .validate_structure()
         .unwrap();
-    let rebuilt = state.map_children(Clone::clone).unwrap();
+    let rebuilt = state.with_new_children(Clone::clone).unwrap();
     assert!(rebuilt.coverage.is_none());
 }