Children's Play Research Articles

Analisis Perkembangan Sosial Emosional Anak pada Usia 3-4 Tahun

This study aims to gain an in-depth understanding of the social-emotional development of children aged 3-4 years. A qualitative descriptive approach was used to explore social interactions, emotional regulation, and language development of children in their everyday contexts. The research methods involved direct observation, interviews with parents, and participatory observations during children's play activities. The collected data were analyzed using a thematic approach to identify patterns and key themes. The findings of the study revealed that children aged 3-4 years show a growing interest in interacting with peers. They begin to learn simple rules of group play and demonstrate the ability to share toys. Children's language skills also undergo significant development, as they are able to use longer and more complex sentences and express their feelings and thoughts through words. Furthermore, children at this age start developing self-awareness, recognizing their own identities, and understanding their roles within a group. They also begin to learn emotional regulation, although they may still struggle with controlling rapid mood changes. The capacity for empathy also begins to develop, as children show concern for injured or sad peers. This study provides a deeper understanding of the social-emotional development of children aged 3-4 years. The implications of these findings can inform early childhood education and care approaches, emphasizing the importance of positive social interactions, healthy emotional regulation, and the development of empathy skills during this period.

The Value of Pretend Play for Social Competence in Early Childhood: A Meta-analysis

According to Vygotsky’s cultural-historical activity theory, pretend play can be an important context for the development of children’s social competence. The aim of this meta-analysis was to synthesize the current evidence about the relation between pretend play and social competence in early childhood (age 3–8 years). A systematic literature search of PsycINFO, ERIC, and Web of Science identified a total of 34 relevant empirical studies. The included studies were systematically coded and categorized for pretend play and social competence. Overall, the findings of this meta-analysis reveal a positive relation between pretend play and social competence, irrespective of how the latter was measured. The relation between pretend play and social competence was slightly negatively impacted by children’s age, suggesting that the relation weakens as children get older. Studies measuring the amount of pretend play found lower correlations between pretend play and social competence than studies measuring the quality of pretend play. Most included studies adopted a cross-sectional design, so claims about causal effects could not be supported. Future research is required to determine the direction of causality and potential mechanisms that may explain the relation between pretend play and social competence.

Д.Б. Эльконин о развитии способностей ребенка: взгляд с позиций концепции произвольного воспроизведения

<p>In 2024, the attention of Russian scientific community is focused on the most important date, the 120th anniversary of the birth of Daniil Borisovich Elkonin, the author of the psychological theory of children's play, co-author of the theory of educational activity. The article analyzes the views of D.B. Elkonin on the development of children’s skills from the standpoint of the author’s concept of reproduction of an activity. Arbitrary activity reproduction is a purposeful reconstructive-reproductive process, relatively independent from memorization, characterized by individual originality, manifested in the quantity and quality of recall of previously memorized information for the purpose of future activity based on a certain level of its understanding and comprehension. We consider mnemonic abilities as tools for memorizing, reproducing, forgetting, recognizing and preserving any material. It is shown that the concept of arbitrary activity reproduction of educational material implement an activity-based approach to the development of skills. The research results prove the importance of developing children’s cognitive skills and abilities through the pupil’s mastery of educational activities — associative-indicative, analytical-synthetic, control-evaluative.</p>

LT협동활동을 기반한 유아 디지털놀이 프로그램이 유아의 놀이성에 미치는 영향

Objectives The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of a digital play program based on LT cooperative learning (Learning Together) on children's playfulness.
 Methods To this end, we conducted a literature review and data collection according to the ADDIE model, and derived content and developed a program to utilize a digital play program based on LT cooperative learning. An experimental study was conducted for 5 weeks from June to July 2022 on 22 children in two classes of 5-year-olds at A Public Kindergarten and B Public Kindergarten located in E City, Gyeonggi-do.
 Results This program attempted to reconstruct the curriculum by linking physical computing educational activities and unplugged activities as digital play for children with the 2019 revised Nuri curriculum, and verified the positive effect of the developed program on children's playfulness.
 Conclusions The results of this study suggest a digital play program based on LT cooperative learning (Learning Together) as a model for integrating curriculum and digital play. In the future, it can be used as a curriculum development material for digital play operation for post-digital generation children in early childhood education fields.

Kipling's Manboys and Boymen: Masculinity as Child's Play

This thesis delves into the representation of boys and masculinity in Rudyard Kipling’s fiction through the lens of creative criticism. Using the methodology of a thought experiment,  the study meditates on whether male characters in Kipling’s nineteenth-century short stories are able to render a mature masculine identity, or whether they exist in a state of half-becoming, as ‘manboys’. The central contention posits that Kipling’s works are devoid of a definitive ‘man’ archetype; instead, they portray characters at varying stages of boyhood, shaping masculinity through skilful engagement in childlike play.
 The analysis revolves around select short stories including “The Last of the Stories”, “The Strange Ride of Morrowbie Jukes”, “The Cry of Blood”, “The Mark of the Beast”, “The Man Who Would be King”, “The Story of Muhammed Din”, “Without Benefit of the Clergy”, “Beyond the Pale" and “All the Mowgli Stories”.
 Central interpretations in the iconic Raj narratives includes an exposure of the fragility and domestic instability of expatriate culture’s dynamics, behaviours, and institutions. “The Man Who Would Be King” is read as an adventure undertaken by schoolboys. In “Without Benefit of the Clergy” and “Beyond the Pale", this playful masculine existence is intertwined with the awkward problem of first love. Moving between short stories, the study keeps a steady eye on the character of Mowgli from “The Jungle Books”, drawing comparing his development to that of other characters.
 Navigating Kipling’s literary terrain has traditionally been a challenging endeavour within academia. However, this piece attends to the complexities of Kipling’s expansive imaginative realm. By redefining masculinity through the lens of playful mastery, this study intends a nuanced interpretation of several of his male characters, contributing to broader critical conversations surrounding gender, coloniality, childhood and psychoanalytic approaches to Literature.

Unveiling the magic of mega-city block environments: investigating the intriguing mechanisms shaping children's spontaneous play preferences.

This study delves into the spatial preferences of children for play spaces within high-density urban block environments, specifically targeting the area of Baihua Second Road in Shenzhen, China. Recognizing the critical role of play in children's development, and the unique challenges posed by dense urban settings, this research employs multiclass logistic regression models and negative binomial regression models to construct a detailed mathematical analysis of neighborhood spatial elements and children's play space preferences. Data was meticulously gathered through both objective observations of 14 different types of spaces within the block, and subjective assessments via children's responses to a series of environment photos, capturing the essence of over 3,000 child participants' interactions and choices. Key findings reveal a pronounced preference among children for soft facility features and visually appealing spatial experiences, suggesting a nuanced understanding of play space needs beyond traditional playground designs. Notably, the study identifies that while cartoon-style designs in play facilities might increase moderate attractiveness, ordinary designs hold broader appeal, indicating a preference for diversity in play space aesthetics. These insights offer profound implications for urban planners and designers, advocating for a child-centered approach in the creation of urban play environments that prioritize aesthetic diversity, and the integration of natural elements. Moreover, the study situates Baihua Second Road as a paradigmatic case, illustrating the methodology and analytical framework applied in addressing the complex interplay between children's play preferences and urban spatial configurations. By incorporating a comprehensive data-driven analysis, this research contributes significantly to the discourse on child-friendly urban design, offering valuable strategies for cultivating inclusive and engaging urban play spaces for children amidst the constraints of high-density city living.

Evaluation of the Impact of Screen Time and Parental Play on Children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder in Comparison with Normal Children

Background: There is a decremental trend seen in parental play in recent times, and there is a mounting trend in screen exposure in children. This changing trend in parental play and screen time exposure may affect child social and communication domains.Objective: To assess the impact of screen time and parental play in children with autism spectrum disorder.Methodology: This is a comparative cross sectional study with a sample of 60 children. Thirty children of age group 2-6 years diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder as per DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) attending child guidance Clinic, Government Hospital for Mental care were included in the study.The Parental Play Questionnaire assessed parental play in children. The Digital Screen Exposure Questionnaire(DSEQ) evaluated child screen time exposure. The severity of ASD was assessed by using the CARS scale.Results: Out of thirty samples with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), 60% of children had moderate ASD, while 20% accounted for mild and severe ASD. Nearly 53.3% of ASD children had a frequency of watching smartphones more than 5 times a week with an average duration of more than 2 hours a day. In contrast, in normal children, only 6.7% have such frequency and an average time of watching smartphones less than 1 hour, significant with a p-value of <0.001. Among the ASD group, 80% of children had active physical parent-child play frequency of less than twice a week. In normal children, about 60% had a frequency of parent-child play several times daily.(p-value <0.001). About 66.7% of ASD children never had to pretend play, and 30% had pretend play once a week.Conclusion: The result showed significantly higher screen time exposure and lack of parental play in childrenwith ASD than in normal children. The need of this digital era is mounting concern about reducing screen time exposure and increasing parental play in childhood.

Learning model of basic manipulative movements of throwing and catching: A developmental study through early childhood play

The importance of learning basic manipulative movements of throwing and catching to be owned by every early childhood because it has benefits and influences on their overall development. This study aims to develop a model of learning basic manipulative movements of throwing and catching in Early Childhood. The type of research adapted is Research and Development (R&D) adopting the Borg & Gall development model which conceptually the research and development steps of this development model include 10 steps namely: 1) research and data collection, 2) planning, 3) development, 4) initial field trial, 5) revision of trial results, 6) second field trial, 7) refinement of field test products, 8) field implementation test, 9) final product refinement, 10) dissemination and implementation. The initial design consisted of 16 game packages. The development stage involved judges, kindergarten teachers, and as samples in small and large scale trials, kindergarten students aged 5-6 years were used. The results of the study resulted in 14 series of games. Based on the effectiveness test, the Ngain value is 75.73%. So that these 14 game models are worth using to develop the throwing and catching skills of children aged 5-6 years. These findings make an important contribution to the development of early childhood education, especially in the context of developing fine motor skills. The learning model developed can be a reference for educators and parents in supporting the development of early childhood manipulative movements through an effective and fun play approach. Keywords: Sport Science, Motor Control, Basic Manipulative Movements, Early Chillhod.

Gender Differences in Caregivers' Attitudes to Risky Child Play in Britain: A Cross-Sectional Study.

This study examines gender differences in parental attitudes toward risky play for 5- to 11-year-old boys and girls in Britain. Analyses use data from the cross-sectional, nationally representative British Child Play Survey. Survey respondents were caregivers of primary-school-aged children living in Britain. Parent self-reported their risk tolerance in play via the Tolerance for Risk in Play Scale (TRiPS) and the Risk Engagement and Protection Survey (REPS). The REPS includes subscales that assess caregiver attitudes around "Protection from Injury" (PFI) and "Engagement with Risk" (EWR) in relation to children's play. Multiple linear regression compared caregiver gender differences in TRiPS, REPS-PFI, and REPS-EWR at the item level, and overall. Associations between child gender and these scales were also examined. Among 1919 caregivers, no significant gender differences emerged in mean TRiPS (P = .72), REPS-EWR (P = .58), and REPS-PFI (P = .34) scores. Activity-specific differences were evident in caregivers' tolerance for individual risky play activities (15/31 activities). Parents of boys exhibited higher risk tolerance (B = -4.48, P < .01) and willingness for their child to engage in risky play (B = -0.63, P < .01) than parents of girls. While there was no difference between male and female caregivers overall attitudes, gender differences were prominent for specific play activities and attitudes, with male caregivers demonstrating higher tolerance for the riskiest activities. Parents of boys expressed more permissive attitudes toward engagement in risky play. Further work is needed to identify why there is gender-related variation in these attitudes and should be considered in interventions that support parents in enabling adventurous play opportunities for children.

프로젝트 접근법 기반 유아 생태전환교육 프로그램 개발 및 적용

The purpose of this study is to develop and implement a young children's eco-logical transition education program based on the project approach, with the aim of exam-ining changes in young children's awareness of sustainable development, ecological liter-acy, and problem-solving abilities. The program was applied to 28 five-year-old children in E preschool located in S City focusing on the selected themes of ‘Marine Life’ and ‘Companion Animals and Animal Welfare’ during morning activities over an 8-week period. The collected data, including research journals, play observation logs, interviews, photo-graphs, etc., were qualitatively analyzed during the process of implementing the program To examine changes based on the timing of program implementation, quantitative data collected through observation checklists were subjected to repeated measures analysis of variance. The results of qualitative and quantitative analyses revealed positive changes in young children's awareness of sustainable development, ecological literacy, and prob-lem-solving skills as they engaged in play related to interesting topics they chose during the project-based activities. The significance of this research lies in presenting an eco-logical transition education program applied through children's expressive play with self-selected themes. The findings suggest that this approach could be utilized as a case for implementing play-centered and child-centered educational programs in early childhood education and care settings to promote ecological transition education for a sustainable society.

Playfulness in Chinese preschoolers: the role of self- and other-oriented empathy and gender

ABSTRACT The self-oriented and other-oriented empathy dimensions may have different relationships with playfulness. However, a scarcity of research exists on the association between empathy and playfulness. The present research contained two studies. Parents of 386 preschoolers (M age = 4.89, SD age = 0.79) attended Study 1, and teachers of 369 preschoolers (M age = 4.16, SD age = 0.83) attended Study 2. The parents and teachers completed the Chinese versions of the Children's Playfulness Scale (CPS-C) and the Chinese Empathy Questionnaire (EmQue-C). The results of these two studies revealed the pattern of associations between empathy and playfulness: while the self-oriented empathy dimension (i.e. emotion contagion) negatively predicted preschoolers’ playfulness, the two other-oriented empathy dimensions (attention to others’ distress and prosocial behaviour) positively predicted playfulness. Moreover, gender moderated the association between empathy and playfulness. These findings enhanced our understanding of the social and emotional traits of playful children.

Effect of Cognitive Orientation to Daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP) Programme on Playfulness in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Objective: To investigate the effect of cognitive orientation to daily occupational performance (CO-OP) programme on playfulness in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.Material and Methods: Seventy Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder participants (N=70), aged between 6-8 years were recruited from a local community-based setting. The children were divided into an experimental (n=35) and a control group (n=35). The experimental group participants received CO-OP and the control group participants received the conventional occupational therapy programme; for 12 weeks. The test on playfulness was used to measure playfulness in children.Results: There were statistically significant differences between pretest and post-test scores of the test of playfulness (TOP) in the experimental group (p-value≤0.05) components of: Extent, Intensity and Skillfulness, and there were statistically significant differences between pretest and post-test group of TOP in the control group (p-value≤0.05) in Intensity and Skillfulness. There was no statistically significant difference in pretest and post-test scores of TOP in the component of Extent. Further analysis revealed that clinically there was significant differences in the post-test scores of TOP between the control and experimental group components of Extent, Intensity and Skillfulness.Conclusion: CO-OP was effective in improving playfulness in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

2-Year-olds' free play during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Free play is a natural activity in toddlerhood, depending on environmental conditions like available objects and the social environment. The COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences for parents' mental health held the potential to change toddlers' play environment. This cross-sectional study investigated 2-year-olds' (N=97) free play with objects, and aspects of caregiver mental well-being in three cohorts during the pandemic in Germany. Caregivers reported their positive mental health (PMH), threat perception, perception of current family situation from negative to positive, and workload. We categorized toddlers' behavior in free play sessions in their homes with a fixed set of objects through behavioral coding. Play behavior did not differ between cohorts and did not correlate with caregivers' positive mental health, threat perception, and perception of family situation. A MANOVA revealed a significant main effect of cohort on PMH, threat perception and perception of family situation, qualified by two discriminant functions. Full sample analyses revealed that toddlers of caregivers perceiving a workload increase compared to the time before the pandemic showed less pretend play, and less functional and nonfunctional play. The results provide insights into 2-year-olds' play behavior during a global pandemic and highlight the role of caregiver availability for children's play.

REFLECTION OF MYTHICAL PLOTS IN CHILDREN'S GAME FOLKLORE

It is known that the conscious beginning of the cultural life of any nation is rooted in a myth. From a historical point of view, myth is the first spiritual and cultural form of human consciousness and retains its leadership character to this day. The golden core of every culture is a value system fueled by a mythical worldview. In other words, a myth is a complex worldview closely related to the laws of formation of each culture. The myth depicts the inner spiritual movement of the conscious life of mankind and its relationship with the surrounding nature and the social environment. The myth is reflected in culture as a whole as a model of the world in human consciousness. Mythical narratives arise from the purpose of depicting the world, which raises various questions in people's minds, as compensation for the need to create a complete model by improving unfinished parts of the world that have not yet been "realized" by mythical consciousness. For example, he explains countless questions in his own way, for example, how heaven and earth, the sun and the moon, humanity and animals, and other natural phenomena appeared, thereby creating a mythical model of the world in human consciousness. The article shows that such a representation of real life is the main form of mythical consciousness. In addition, game elements in any myth are analyzed and described. The purpose and objective of the article are to distinguish mythical plots in children's game folklore and emphasise game elements. It is determined that the meaningful and structural commonality of the game with the myth is clearly visible, primarily in children's play.

유아 기질과 가족기능이 유아 놀이행동에 미치는 영향

Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate how temperament and family functioning affect the play behavior of preschool children.&#x0D; Methods The study participants included a total of 238 mothers of young children from U-city. The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS program, including Pearson's r-correlation and stepwise regression analyses.&#x0D; Results Results showed a positive correlation between kindergarten children's social play behavior, temperament (sociability and activity), and family functioning (adaptability and cohesion). Furthermore, negative correlations were found between kindergarten children's independent play behavior, temperament (activity), and family functioning (cohesion). Additionally, negative correlations were identified between preschool children's non-play behavior, temperament (sociability and activity), and family functioning (adaptability and cohesion). In terms of prediction, preschool children's social play was predicted by temperament sociability and solidarity. Non-play was predicted by temperament sociability, and then independent play was predicted by temperament activity..&#x0D; Conclusions Socialization of preschool children is influenced by individual and social variables, suggesting that environmental changes and individual interventions are needed to promote infant socialization. Furthermore, we conclude that independent play and non-play are influenced by individual variables and require further research.&#x0D;

An Examination of Preschool Children's Play Skills and Independent Learning Behaviors in Türkiye

Preschool education enables children to develop play skills and independent learning behaviors. This study aims to understand the association between preschool children's play skills and independent learning behaviors. The study was a relational survey model, with 380 children within the 5-year age group attending preschool and kindergarten school in Türkiye. The children were observed for one month. Teachers assessed their play skills and independent learning behaviors using “the Game Skills Scale (GSS)” and “Children's Independent Learning Development Checklist (CHILD 3-5)”. The descriptive result of the study, the children's play skills, and independent learning behaviors were found to be high; there was a significant difference according to gender in favor of girls; and the mean score changed according to the school type (the mean of the children attending kindergarten were higher, but the difference was not significant). A positive and strong relationship was found between children's independent learning behaviors and play skills, indicating that children's play skills had a significant effect on their independent learning behaviors.

Anomaly Detection for Security in Children's Play Areas Based on Image Using Multiple Lines Detection Method

This study aims to build a device as a security system to detect anomalies of children moving in play areas based on the Multiple Line Detection (MLD) method in a streaming image. We developed this device to help parents monitor their children's activities when playing in dangerous areas of the home to protect children from kidnapping. In this study, the MLD method can detect the children's activities when playing in three zones: the safe zone with green lines in the image, the caution zone with yellow lines, and the danger zone with red lines. The hardware used to build the devices in this study consists of three components: a camera to stream the image activities of children, a Raspberry Pi to process the image using OpenCV, and a buzzer for early security systems. The results of this study show that when the device detected the children playing in the safe zone, the system commanded the buzzer to turn off. Furthermore, when the camera detects that the children are playing in the caution and danger zone, the device then commands the buzzer to turn on as an early warning security system for the parents.

Trends in the play of modern children and their connection with mental development: empirical study

Introduction. Role play is the leading activity of the preschool period, in which the key development takes place. However, the specifics of modern childhood leads to a decrease in the time for the implementation of free play. Therefore, the search for means to support role play is an important task for the scientific community and the education system. The purpose of this study was to identify current trends in the play behavior of preschoolers, as well as to study the relationship of the main indicators of children's mental development with the play behavior and attitudes of their parents to role play. Materials and methods. The study involved 596 children aged 5-6 years and their parents (from 23 years to 51 years). Sociometric status, understanding of emotions, executive functions and nonverbal intelligence were considered as indicators of children’s mental development. Data on children's play behavior and parents' attitudes towards play were obtained using a questionnaire containing three blocks of questions: socio-economic block, questions about the play behavior of preschoolers, questions about parents' attitude to free children's play. Results and discussion. The results of the study indicated a relatively low level of development of the play of modern preschoolers: according to the observations of parents, only every fifth child is deeply immersed in the game plot, about 15% of children do not seek to play at all. The data indicated that most parents do not consider it necessary to allocate enough time for free play. More than 40% of parents consider play as a "useless" activity, and more than 80% give priority to cognitive activities, for example, joint reading. At the same time, significant links of children's play behavior with the sociometric status of a child in a group, the ability to understand emotions, visual working memory, cognitive flexibility, information processing speed and nonverbal intelligence were recorded. Conclusion. The results of the study can be used to develop recommendations to support free play, as well as for scientific purposes to analyze the specifics of modern childhood.

Issledovanie strategii proektirovaniya ulichnyh sportivnyh sooruzhenij dlya detej doshkol'nogo vozrasta s pozicii teorii igr

As an important intermediary in preschool children's play activities, outdoor sports facilities are the most effective tools to assist children in the field of perception, attention, memory and thinking. By introducing game theory and combining children's psychology and game characteristics, this article summarizes experiential, interactive and diversified designs and guiding the design concepts based on game theory, providing new design ideas and directions for the development of domestic related industries.

Why Look at Toy Animals?

Abstract This article addresses the toy as a neglected cultural and technical object. The toy is neither tool nor ritual object, and its animation in children's imaginative play suggests alternative perspectives on the history and lived experience of material and technological artifacts. The concept of protopolitics is advanced to explore the implications for the cultural politics of the ambiguous articulation of power relationships in play. The article takes the long history of the toy animal as a case study, drawing attention to its creaturely, artificial facets that go beyond, or more accurately precede, familiar cultural-political binaries of authentic and inauthentic, depth and surface, knowledge and illusion, truth and lies, belief and fetishism, human and nonhuman, natural and synthetic. These other facets include dynamics of the technics of imagination, and their ambivalent articulation of relationships of control, training, care, violence, and love—a protopolitics evident in imaginative play. And, in postnatural media culture, the toy animal has migrated to digital habitats, offering an alternative animal perspective on questions of artificial intelligence. The child's toy and media environment is playfully zoomorphic, populated with artificial animals, from toys and stories to virtual pets and video-game characters, a new simulacral and postnatural trajectory in the descendance of the artificial animal and its playful and play-like behaviors.