Abstract
As one typical form of play, play center activities are commonly used in early childhood education programs in China. This study used the Activities Sub-scale of the Chinese Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (CECERS) to measure the quality of the play center activities in K2 (4-5 years old) classroom, which based on a stratified random selection of 48 classrooms in Guangdong Province in China. Results found that the overall quality of play center activities was slightly below qualified (5 points), and there are significant differences between urban and rural, private and public, high and low level of kindergartens. Quality of three dimensions (material and space, opportunity and time, design and organization) also showed a medium level (above 4 points), and significant differences of three dimensions are found between urban and rural, private and public, high and low level of kindergartens. Findings and implications will help teachers to better support and enhance children’s play center activities and early learning.
Highlights
1.1 Play Center Activities in ChinaEarly childhood education institutions, usually called “kindergarten” or “you er yuan” in China, are the most prevalent form of early childhood education institutions serving children aged three to six
The overall quality of play center activities is calculated as the average of each item score
The results showed that the overall quality of play center activities in China is between the minimum and qualified level, and there are significant differences between urban and rural, private and public, high and low level of kindergartens
Summary
1.1 Play Center Activities in ChinaEarly childhood education institutions, usually called “kindergarten” or “you er yuan” in China, are the most prevalent form of early childhood education institutions serving children aged three to six. In kindergarten, according to the needs of children and the teaching goal,some well-organized learning centers (i.e., fine motor, art, music, blocks, sand/water, dramatic play, science, math) full of stimulating materials and well-planned activities are set up in the classroom and corridor. In this childcare environment, children usually get a rich experience and a free atmosphere according to their wishes and initiative choices. Play center activities, which emphasize the role and value of learning in supporting an educational environment, accepted by early childhood program practice in the past few decades (Davidson, 1998; Elias & Berk, 2002; Johnson, Christie, & Wardle, 2005; Hirsh-Pasek et al, 2009; Zigler & Bishop-Josef, 2009). Kindergarten teachers have fostered the sense of this kind of play and endorsed this child-initiated play as the practical curricular approach, which is the same in China (Zhu, 2007; Xu & Zhao, 2014; Huang, 2014; Hu, Fan, Sao Leng Ieong, & Li, 2015)
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