Children's Play Research Articles

놀이와 지속가능발전교육

Objectives This study aims to investigate the relationship between intrinsic play led by young children and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), and to explore the role of teachers in facilitating this interaction.
 Methods The study was conducted using a literature review approach. From June to November 2023, a total of 21 papers on ESD in early childhood education, 4 UNESCO publications, 6 studies on ESD, and 17 papers and re-lated materials on play-centered education were collected and analyzed to explore the connection between play and ESD.
 Results First, it was found that children's play, which inherently involves the transformation of ‘living’ into ‘learn-ing’, is closely related to sustainable living practices. In this context, play and ESD are intimately connected. Second, teachers are required to act as supporters and guides in this process.
 Conclusions This study explores the significance of play not just as a simple activity, but as an inherent character-istic of early childhood in relation to sustainable development education. This highlights the importance of play as a key approach in the development of ESD competencies. Furthermore, it underscores the role of teachers in giv-ing educational meaning to ESD through play.

More-than-human and more-than-digital collecting among young children in Norway

ABSTRACT This study aims to advance our understanding of young children’s contemporary collecting. Collecting is a prevalent practice among young children. However, extant research typically highlights children of school age and emphasizes functions and motives of collecting, but rarely considers the relevant affective dimensions. Furthermore, young children today collect on digital interfaces through gaming, and their play tends to unsettle digital–analog binaries. Still, no explicit attention has been paid to young children’s collecting in these broader contemporary playscapes. In this study, I plug into ethnographic accounts of young children’s collecting in Norway, sociomaterial affect theorizing of early childhood play and literacy, and the key concept of ‘answering the world.’ The children in this case are found to enact relational sensibilities to their surroundings and collect in ways that leave the unfolding of the activity up to chance. They put less stress on the acquisition of a set collection than on moving with and feeling the collecting. The world answered refers to broad playscapes composed of spaces of tangible, fleshy, organic forest floors, and shiny, blocky, vividly colored Super Mario Worlds. The relational sensibilities enacted are found to be entangled with the tension and discord of young children’s material–discursive conditions.

Sensorial Contemporary Arts, Mindfulness and Play for Children's Post‐Pandemic Recovery – Qualitative Evaluation of The Children's Sensorium

Abstract‘The Children's Sensorium – art, play and mindfulness for post‐pandemic recovery’ was an exhibition that brought together sensory‐based art installations featuring First Nations Connection to Country with mindfulness and embodiment strategies to enhance well‐being for children (ages 4–11). As the COVID‐19 pandemic slowly moves from the centre of public attention, we are starting to gauge the impact of the world's longest lockdown in Melbourne, Australia, on children's well‐being and resilience. ‘The Children's Sensorium’ exhibition was created with children and their well‐being in mind. In this article, we focus on insights from the exhibition evaluation and address the ways artistic and sensory‐based mindful engagement can support children's well‐being and resilience. Evaluation of The Sensorium exhibition provides a view into the potential of sensory‐based artworks to create a stimulating environment, positive emotions, mindful awareness of their senses and the environment and a sense of playful agency for children. The Sensorium provoked a fresh way of thinking about art exhibitions for children: one that centred a child‐friendly, strength‐based artistic space where children felt agency to be creative and explore the complexity of their emotions, hopes and fears in the wake of the global pandemic.

Peranan Guru dalam Mengembangkan Kecerdasan Emosional Siswa TK Al-Kautsar Kecamatan Mandau Kabupaten Bengkalis

The purpose of this research is to determine the role of teachers in developing students' emotional intelligence in Al-Kautsar Kindergarten, Mandau District, Bengkalis Regency. This research uses a descriptive qualitative method by collecting observation, interview and documentation data. The results of the research show that the role of teachers in building children's emotional intelligence at Al Kautsar Kindergarten can be concluded that the role of teachers in building children's emotional intelligence has been implemented well by teachers at school. This can be seen from children's play activities at school, children's behavior, and children's communication with other people, both teachers and friends. The teacher's role in building children's ability to recognize their own emotions is carried out through telling stories, role playing, guessing expressions, and approaching children by speaking directly. The teacher's role in building the ability to manage children's emotions is carried out through storytelling, habituation, role models and approaches to children. The teacher's role in building children's self-motivating abilities is carried out through providing encouragement/motivation, rewards, watching and training to children. The teacher's role in building children's empathetic abilities is carried out through habituation, direct practice, exemplary stories, and role playing. The teacher's role in building children's ability to build relationships with other people is carried out through group learning, project play, and direct practice. Factors that influence child development are parents, environmental factors, peers, school environment, physical changes, changes in interaction patterns with parents, changes in interactions with peers, changes in external views, and changes in interactions with school.

Minecraft and Super Mario as enacted in a preschool setting: Children's engagements with digital popular culture beyond player–interface–screen ecologies

The present paper explores how the video games of Minecraft and Super Mario become enacted through children's play, material settings and toys in a Swedish preschool. Ethnographic methods, including participant observations and informal conversations, have been used and the empirical materials produced have been analyzed with methodological resources from Actor-Network Theory. The analysis focuses on how Minecraft and Super Mario become enacted through relations between children's bodies, physical movements as well as material interiors and exteriors of the preschool. Moreover, the analysis shows how multiple versions of the games of Minecraft and Super Mario become enacted in the preschool setting depending on what elements become active in a particular situation. On the whole, the findings of the paper question grand narratives on “active” and “passive” gameplaying children, featuring children and local settings as producers of digital popular culture.

PENYEDIAAN FASILITAS UMUM TAMAN BERMAIN DI LINGKUNGAN KOMPLEK SAWANGAN ELOK KECAMATAN BOJONGSARI KOTA DEPOK

Activities in public open spaces are most often carried out by children. Scientifically playing activities are very supportive of children's development such as learning and adapting to their sensory abilities. One of the play spaces that can be used by children is in public spaces, especially in residential areas. Many children do not have a yard to play in, so a playground is very important and is often the only place for children to play. The park is part of a green open space that mainly functions as a pollutant reducer and rainwater absorber. In its development, the use of the park has turned into a place that can accommodate residents. The Sawangan Elok Complex is one of the complexes located in Bojongsari District, Durenseribu Village, Depok City, which does not yet have public playground facilities for community activities, namely children's play activities and sports, especially in a settlement. For this reason, it is necessary to know what criteria must be met in presenting children's play activities and exercising in a playground to reduce boredom maintain health and increase the body's immunity so that it is not easily exposed to the corona virus during a pandemic like now. These criteria are used as the basis for providing a playground so that the use of the park can be felt directly by the surrounding community.

Model Project for Pancasila Students in Kindergarten

The research results show that children's development in kindergarten is still low because learning in kindergarten should emphasize children's active involvement in working on projects that are implemented in children's play activities. This research aims to develop the Pancasila Student Project model with the aim of improving children's development. This research uses development research (R&D), Plomp design and development. The objects in this research were 33 children. Data collection methods use observation, interviews and questionnaires. Instruments used in preliminary research, prototyping phase, and assessment phase of the Pancasila student model project to improve children's development. The technique used to analyze data is qualitative and quantitative descriptive analysis. The results of the research, namely the prototyping phase, obtained syntax, social systems, action principles, support systems, instructional impacts and accompanying project models to strengthen the profile of Pancasila students. The assessment phase of the validity test is (87), (91), and (93) criteria are very valid. The practicality test of observing the implementation of the learning model obtained an average of 87 model practicalities according to the teacher with very practical criteria. Based on this, the Pancasila Student Project model is suitable for use in learning.

Preparation of future educators for pedagogical support of play activities of young children

Relevance. Health-preserving competence is an important component of the professionalism of teachers of preschool education institutions and a necessary condition for the implementation of pedagogical support of early age children's play activities (outdoor games and play exercises). The purpose of the study is to highlight the peculiarities of professional training of future educators for pedagogical support of play activities of early age children. The objectives are to determine the criteria and development level of qualification competence assessment for pedagogical support implementation of outdoor game, to analyze the content and technological components of students' professional training for pedagogical support of early age children's play activities. Brief overview of the research results. It was revealed that students have certain difficulties in the implementation of play activities of early age children (play exercises for the movements development). Conclusions were drawn about the insufficient effectiveness of students' professional training for educational interaction with early age children in the field of physical education. This led to the necessity to improve the contents of the work program of the discipline "Health-Preserving Technologies in Preschool Education" for 012 Preschool Education students. As well as to improve the contents and methodological tools for conducting educational classes, that would reflect a unified systematic approach to the formation of professional competence of future educators in the field of physical education of early age children. Conclusions. Improvement of the content of the program and educational classes, careful consideration of the task system and their quality implementation create the basis for the full mastery of the content component of the discipline for further professional activity with early age children.

The British Preschool Children's Play Survey: When, Where, and How Adventurously Do British Preschool-Aged Children Play?

Outdoor, adventurous play supports physical activity and might help to prevent mental health problems, yet data on preschool-aged children's outdoor play are scarce. Data were collected from a nationally representative sample of 1166 parents/caregivers of children aged 2-4years (52% male; 88% white) living in Britain. Caregivers reported time children spent playing in 7 locations and corresponding adventure level. Responses were used to derive: total play time, outdoor play time, and adventurous play time (in hours per year). Associations between sociodemographic characteristics and play outcomes were examined, controlling for relevant confounding variables. Outside of childcare, preschool-aged children spent approximately 4hours per day playing, with 1hour 45minutes spent playing outdoors. Most outdoor play happened in gardens at home. Away from home, children most often played in playgrounds and green spaces. Levels of adventurous play were reported to be highest at indoor play centers, followed by playgrounds and green spaces. Total play differed significantly by location, with children in rural areas spending more time playing (vs urban areas). Child ethnicity was associated with play and outdoor play, with children belonging to minority ethnic groups (vs white) playing less. Child sex was also a significant predictor of outdoor play time: boys (vs girls) spent more time playing outdoors, driven primarily by time spent in green spaces. No associations were found for adventurous play. These results highlight how inequalities in access to outdoor space at home and good quality local play spaces may impact young children's play opportunities and, in turn, exacerbate health inequalities.

Связь контроля поведения и свободной игры у детей дошкольного возраста

The article presents the results of a study of the characteristics of behavioral control in preschool children in free play. The relevance of this topic is due to the need to study the current stage of development of children's play and the incompleteness of data on the relationship between self-regulation and the characteristics of children's play. Self-regulation is considered as behavioral control - a regulatory function of the subject, based on his individual resources. The purpose of this research is to study how the level of development of various components of behavioral control and the features of free play are connected in the free play of modern preschoolers, various aspects of behavior control manifest themselves and develop, and also what impact they can have on the game itself. The study involved 35 students from a state budgetary educational institution in Moscow aged 4 to 6 years. The main research methods were testing, as well as participant observation of children's play activity. The results showed that cognitive control, to a greater extent, its verbal component, is associated with the severity of the main structural elements of the play (role, plot, rules), as well as with the independence of the child in the course of building and maintaining a in-play situation. Cognitive control also contributes to a greater ordering of children's actions and independence during play, contributes to building more structured and predictable behavior and, in turn, better interaction between children. Control of action is also related to the severity of the main structural elements of the game (role, plot, rules). There were no links between the features of the play and emotional control. The obtained data can help to better understand both the mechanisms of development and manifestation of behavior control in the free play activities of children, and also for a better understanding of the features of modern play.

Modern Teachers, Parents and Children's Play: One of the Possibilities of Involving Parents and Strengthening Partnerships

With this paper, we want to look at the opinions and engagement of teachers in the context of the children’s play, as one of the possibilities of involving parents and strengthening the partnership between family and school. Therefore, the goal of the research is directed towards examining opinions and engaging teachers in the context of children's play, as one of the possibilities of involving parents and strengthening the partnership between family and school. A descriptive method, surveying and scaling techniques were used, while a survey questionnaire with an assessment scale (TP-IP-2024) was used as an instrument. A total of two hundred and thirteen teachers from the Republic of Serbia participated. The results of this research indicate that modern teachers are not highly engaged and dedicated when it comes to pointing out to parents the characteristics and strengths of children's play in the development of children through various forms of cooperation with parents. Also, modern teachers do not pay attention to the involvement of parents in volunteer and play-related thematic activities, but teachers recognize the possibility of involving parents in play-themed volunteer activities. It is clear that modern teachers are not sufficiently dedicated and engaged to this topic through the involvement of parents, which implies a more thorough and comprehensive consideration of this topic.

"I Use Technologies Strategically With My Family Now": Practices That Parents Value to Promote Physical Activity in Young Children.

Although widely accessible digital technology (DT) provided multiple opportunities for young children's play, learning, and development, it also raised parents and professionals' concerns regarding its impact on children's physical activity. This study aimed to identify practices involving DT that were valued by parents in helping their young child to be physically active. Participants were parents of ambulatory young children (less than 5y of age) engaged with a playgroup. The study involved representatives from 3 service organizations, who compiled a list of digital resources related to using DT to promote children's physical activity that were suitable to be shared and trialed by parents and young children. During a pretrial workshop, researchers, participants, and organization representatives collaboratively developed the intervention, which involved the delivery of selected resources by weekly email, over a 12-week period. Participants provided weekly feedback about their experiences and participated in a postintervention semistructured qualitative interview. Thirteen families, with children aged between 15 and 36months, completed the trial. Participants reported several valued practices to promote their children's physical activity, including those where the child was active while engaging with DT, where child engagement with DT acted as a prompt for later physical activity, where DT assisted parents in planning physical activity, where DT assisted parents in integrating movement with learning and play, and where DT was used to reinforce the child's enthusiasm for physical activity. Parents reported several valued practices where children were physically active, rather than sedentary, while using digital technology.

A social-ecological model of preschoolers' aggressive behavior: An exploratory analysis.

Understanding classroom-level correlates of preschool children's aggressive behavior is critical to identifying multiple avenues for intervention within schools. The present school-based study evaluated the reliability and validity of a classroom-level measure of physical and relational aggression and examined a social-ecological model to test whether individual variables (i.e., temperament), dyadic peer factors (i.e., peer victimization, the number of a child's play partners), and classroom-level aggression were associated with individual aggression. Observations of play partners and teacher reports of temperament (i.e., daring, prosociality, and negative emotionality), peer victimization (i.e., physical and relational victimization), and classroom aggression were collected in a sample of preschoolers (N = 307; Mage = 48.99 months, SD = 7.51). Observer reports of aggression were used to create aggression severity and directionality scores, reflecting the overall level of aggression a child displays and their propensity to use physical relative to relational aggression, respectively. There was evidence to support the reliability and validity of the classroom-level aggression measure providing initial support that this measure could be used by school psychologists. A multilevel regression model indicated that higher levels of negative emotionality, daring, and a greater number of play partners were associated with higher levels of aggression severity. Children in classrooms with more relational aggression were more likely to use relational instead of physical aggression. These findings demonstrate the importance for school psychologists to account for multiple levels of influence when examining preschoolers' aggression. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

No Child's Play: Under-five Child Feces Management in a Rural Area of Bengaluru Urban District, India.

Inappropriate feces disposal leads to environmental contamination, and increases the risk of exposure to children. We aimed to estimate the proportion of rural households with knowledge and practice of safe management of feces (SMoF) among under-five children and to identify associated factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted in eight villages in Bengaluru Urban district over 2 months, using a face-validated semi-structured interview schedule. SMoF was defined based on five criteria - defecation site, transport tool, feces disposal, cleaning of transport tool, and hand washing. Out of 320 under-five children surveyed, 15.7% were pre-ambulatory and 84.3% were ambulatory. The majority of the caregivers (92.5%) felt that children should defecate in the latrine and only 23.7% were aware that child feces were more infectious than adult feces. SMoF was only practiced by caregivers of ambulatory children (52.6%). Households with older caregivers (P = 0.01) and those living in a pucca house (P = 0.02) with a latrine inside (P = 0.04) were found to practice SMoF. Children of households that practiced unsafe disposal of child feces experienced more diarrheal episodes (P = 0.04). Caregivers >20 years were found to have better odds of SMoF [20-25 years (adjusted odds ratio, aOR: 9.02), 26-30 years (aOR: 12.17), >30 years (aOR: 8.93)] compared to those <20 years. The proportion of households with knowledge and practice of SMoF was low. Awareness of SMoF is essential to reduce the incidence of diarrheal diseases and improve sanitation. Our findings also call for awareness building at schools and colleges.

Влияние профессионального мастерства и личностных особенностей педагога на психическое развитие ребенка в разных типах образовательной среды

Background. Cognitive and personal development are priority areas for the development of a child at preschool age. The quality of the developmental preparation of children in preschool institutions, their level of readiness to study at school, the degree of their adaptation to school, peers, and teachers largely depend on the state of the educational environment, the level of professional skills and personal characteristics of the teacher. Objective. The aim of the study is to explore the developing potential of educational environments and the influence of the professional and personal characteristics of a teacher on the formation of a child's personality in modern educational space. Study Participants. The empirical study involved 413 preschoolers aged from 4 to 6 years (M = 5.5 years), 413 parents (mothers) of preschool children and 50 teachers. For each child a written parental consent to participate in the study was signed. The study was conducted between 2014 and 2022. Methods. An empirical study was conducted using the ECERS (Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale) educational environment assessment scales; diagnostics of the level of development of professional culture and skill in kindergarten teachers was carried out (V.F. Gabdulkhakov, L.M. Popov); the methodology for studying the subjectivity of the teacher by E.N. Volkova and the methodology for studying creativity by E.E. Tunik were used. To evaluate various aspects of gaming activity, we used the proposed experimental situation by E.O. Smirnova and A.N. Veraksa. Statistical processing of the obtained data was carried out using the Student's T-test, ANOVA and correlation analysis. Results. It is shown that in the educational environment of different levels, the indicators of professional skills and personal characteristics of teachers, as well as the personal development of children, are different. Significant differences were established in the severity of various aspects of children's play activity in different types of educational environments (one-way analysis of variance was used, p &lt; 0.05), as a result of which significant differences were obtained according to the following diagnostic criteria: “substitution” (F = 25.72); “interaction” (F = 29.3), “game intent” (F = 13.76); “initiativity” (F = 5.25). Conclusion. Based on the study of the qualitative characteristics of educational environments (according to the ECERS-R scales), it is concluded that the specifics of the educational environment sets the vector of a child's development, contributing (or not contributing) to the disclosure of individual characteristics. The level of development of professional culture and skill in teachers of preschool educational institutions, their personal development determines the possibilities of the intellectual and personal development of the child and depends on the system of conditions for stimulating the quality work of the teaching staff and leaders, their involvement in creative self-development in order to realize creativity and activity as well as to improve their professional skills.

Assessment of Play in Preschool-Age

Abstract: The construct of play lacks a universal and consensual definition, due to its inherent complexity. It is during childhood play is fundamental to the development of cognitive, social, emotional, physical, and language skills. Therefore, it is pertinent to conduct research on play in preschool age, seeking to identify predictors of development and methods to assess the specific components that make up the different dimensions of play. The evaluation of preschool play, using valid and reliable instruments, supports the construction of intervention programs that enhance the child’s full development. This systematic review aimed to investigate national and international instruments and tasks that assess play. The results indicate the existence of several instruments and tasks at pre-school age. However, the complexity of the construct still hinders the clear definition of the specific components to be assessed. There was a prevalence of the assessment of the social and cognitive dimensions over the assessment of the affective dimension, which is in line with the perceived frequency of the use of instruments that assess social interaction during play. So, this systematic review was a valuable contribution to the development and support of future research on tools for play assessment, specifically in preschool age.

A Home-Based Free Play Journey of Parents and Children in Hong Kong: A Narrative Inquiry Approach

This study aimed to explore the process of co-creating free play experiences between parents and children in the context of the "PLAYBAG" project (a home-based free play intervention protocol) in Hong Kong. The study utilized the narrative inquiry approach and collected qualitative data from 24 parents who participated in the focus group interviews. This study has made significant contributions to social work practice in three ways. Firstly, it identified four core elements for parental education in kindergartens: relating rapport, capturing moments, co-creating new experiences, and re-authoring identity. These elements enhance parental education on home-based children's free play. Secondly, promoting free play in community education programs is crucial, emphasizing its benefits for mental health and parent-child relationships. Lastly, social workers can collaborate with designers to create suitable materials for home based free play. Overall, this study provides practical strategies to enhance social work practice and benefit children and families.

幼儿游戏中自主与规则的辩证关系及平衡策略

幼儿游戏中自主与规则的辩证关系及平衡策略

유아 놀이성과 부모 양육태도가 유아 창의성에 미치는 영향

Objectives The creativity is acknowledged as a vital skill, especially in early childhood. However, most studies focus on cognitive aspects, neglecting early childhood's unique qualities. Thus, there's a need to explore children's creativity by considering their disposition and motivation within their developmental context.&#x0D; Methods The study involved 215 preschool children from five kindergartens in U City. Data analysis involved correlation analysis to examine the relationship between parents' parenting attitudes, children's playfulness, and children's creativity. Additionally, stepwise regression analysis was conducted to explore the influence of parents' parenting attitudes and children's playfulness on children's creativity, utilizing the SPSS software program.&#x0D; Results The results showed a positive correlation between parents' parenting attitudes and children's creativity, indicating a static relationship. However, there was no significant correlation between sub-factors of creativity, such as openness, and controlling parenting attitudes. A positive static correlation was observed between children's creativity and playfulness. social spontaneity, cognitive spontaneity, and warmth parenting attitudes of children's playfulness influenced motivation.&#x0D; Conclusions This study is significant as it examines children's creativity from dispositional and motivational aspects, rather than focusing solely on cognitive characteristics. The study concludes that fostering a warm parenting attitude and providing an environment that promotes children's playfulness is crucial for enhancing children's creativity.&#x0D; &#x0D;

유아 놀이행동, 기질 및 부모양육태도가 유아 창의성에 미치는 영향

This study aims to examine the impact of preschool children's play behavior, temperament, and parenting styles on preschool children's creativity in response to the diverse changes in industries and the growing demand for creative talents. The research sample consists of 210 parents of children enrolled in five kindergartens in U City. Data analysis was conducted using Pearson correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis in SPSS. The results revealed significant positive correlations between preschool children's creativity and social play, sociability temperament, and activity level temperament. Moreover, a positive correlation was found between preschool children's creativity and warmth parenting style, while a negative correlation was observed with control parenting style. No significant correlations were identified between preschool children's creativity and nonsocial play, solitary play, and emotionality temperament. Factors such as social play, activity level temperament, sociability temperament, and warmth parenting style were found to explain the sub-factors of preschool children's creativity, namely independence, openness, and motivation. In conclusion, to enhance preschool children's creativity, it was found that children's social play had the greatest influence, followed by warmth parenting style and activity level temperament.