Abstract
Play is known as the core occupation of young children as it lays a foundation for their early development and physical, emotional and social wellbeing. Literature suggests that unstructured free play and mindfulness interventions may independently promote wellbeing among preschoolers. However, there is no clear evidence of their combination in supporting wellness in early learning environments. We conducted a quasi-experimental study with 42 children aged four to six years, attending two kindergartens in Hong Kong. The intervention included unstructured play with non-directional loose parts (play materials), conducted outdoors for one hour daily followed by a mindfulness intervention for 10 min per day indoors. The intervention lasted for five consecutive days. We examined happiness and aspects of playfulness before and after the intervention, finding a significant increase in all areas. Given greater freedom in play choice, children showed more disruptive behaviors during unstructured play than the control group engaging in recess as usual. We conclude that unstructured play in addition to mindfulness intervention is effective in promoting students’ happiness and playfulness, both of which may help maintain mental health and wellbeing amid stressors such as transition and separation. The increased disruptive behavior requires additional investigation.
Highlights
Play is known as the core occupation of young children, laying a foundation for their early development and physical, emotional and social wellbeing [1,2]
The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of unstructured loose parts play in addition to a mindfulness intervention in promoting physical activity level, emotional wellbeing, peer interaction and playfulness among preschoolers compared with those who underwent usual play at the kindergarten
Twenty children were allocated to the intervention group and 22 children were in the control group
Summary
Play is known as the core occupation of young children, laying a foundation for their early development and physical, emotional and social wellbeing [1,2]. Play potentially reduces childhood obesity, peer interaction problems and mental health issues [3]. Children’s wellbeing has a high priority in healthcare and early childhood education, in the context of reducing the increasing number of children experiencing mental health problems as well as developmental, emotional and behavioral issues [4,5]. Children develop multiple skills including those related to social interaction, communication, peer interaction, executive function, and problem-solving skills [1,2]. Children use play to work through experiences and events and renew their understanding of their changing world [6]. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 5382; doi:10.3390/ijerph17155382 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
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