Free Play Time Research Articles

The effect of different environmental conditions on the physical activity of preschool children in Estonia

The purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of different environmental conditions on the physical activity of preschool children. The experiment took place in Estonian childcare centre during the free playtime. Fifteen children aged 6–7 years from childcare centre participated in the research. Physical activity was measured using pedometers Fitbit Zip™. Results show that in comparison to the usual free play the physical activity of children increased statistically significantly by 83% when background music was played, by 50% when sport equipment was provided and by 101% when both environmental conditions were combined. It was found that compared to the usual free play, children’s activity increased the least when only sport equipment was provided, while children’s activity increased more when background music was played and increased the most when music with sport equipment was combined. Physical activity did not differ when only background music and music with sport equipment were used. It can be summarised that the background music and opportunity to use portable sport equipment increases the physical activity of children during free play. Background music has greater impact on the activity than portable sport equipment. Children’s physical activity can be effectively increased in childcare centre by using simple modifications such as background music and portable sport equipment during free play.

Social exchanges with objects across the transition from crawling to walking

ABSTRACTThe current study investigated infants’ spontaneous object interactions during naturalistic observation in a daycare centre in Japan. The researcher visited the class for 49 days, once a week, for one year (in the morning for about 1.5 h). Infants’ and caregivers’ interactions during free play time were videotaped. Of particular interest in this study was whether changes in infants’ locomotor status were functionally related to social exchanges with objects. During longitudinal one-year observation, all six infants gradually acquired locomotor skills: two infants became walkers from pre-crawlers, and another four became walkers from crawlers. Throughout the observations, the infants spent an impressive amount of time (i.e. about 50%) in contact with objects. As they acquired locomotor skills, they gained access to distal objects and carried objects frequently. Triggered by the onset of walking, infants’ carrying behaviour increased dramatically. Locomotor experiences were also related to qualitative changes in how they used objects in social interactions. These quantitative and qualitative changes in infants’ object experiences were not strongly connected with the infants’ age in months. Taken together, this study demonstrated that the onset of walking marks a critical developmental milestone that profoundly changes the way infants access, carry, and use objects to interact with others.

English

This research was conducted to analyze play and playmate preferences of preschool girls and boys during free play time. The study group consisted of 48-66 months old preschool children. There were ten girls, seven boys and a preschool teacher in the study group. They were all selected from a public preschool in Cukurova, a district of Adana a city in the south of Turkey in the fall semester of 2014 to 2015 academic year. For two weeks children were observed during their free play time. In addition, the children and teacher were interviewed to determine the play and playmate preferences of the children. An interview with each child took approximately 5 to 6 minutes, whereas the interview with the teacher took 20 minutes. In this research, content analysis method was applied at the data analysis phase. The outcomes of the analysis indicated that there were differences between play area, type of play and playmate preferences between girls and boys. Research indicated that girls usually opt for dramatic (pretend) play such as playing house, role play and gets in role as doctor, mother or kid; while boys prefer to play with blocks and lego for construction and building purposes (block center). The research results show gender effects on girls and boys play behaviors. Key words: Preschool education, gender roles, play and playmate preference, play type, play behaviors.

The End of Playtime? The Time at Kindergarten and School from a Cultural-Theoretical Perspective

This article will, from the point of view of cultural theory, discuss the polarization that is frequently found between playful learning at the kindergarten and serious learning at school. Planning of the time in the German-speaking Swiss kindergarten is strongly influenced by the portent of preparation for school, which is combined with a reputedly vital transition from free playtime to planned curriculum-oriented learning time within a specific school order, additionally driven by a discourse on time pressure. The question is asked whether this is primarily a matter of “gaining time” for education, or whether it is about familiarizing the children with primary school culture as such. The question is asked: What potential for school-learning processes could possibly lie in play? Both cultures, that of the kindergarten as well as that of the primary school, are viewed as performance practices deeply rooted in historical, differing symbolic traditions.

Instructional Activities and the Quality of Language in Chilean Preschool Classrooms

ABSTRACTResearch Findings: This study examines the association between preschool classroom activity and the quality of the language spoken by teachers and children. Eighteen classrooms serving low-income children between the ages of 3 and 4 in Santiago de Chile were audio-recorded during one morning shift. Recordings were transcribed and segmented into activities (greeting, learning experience, book sharing, book discussion, breakfast, lunch, free play and other noninstructional time). A total of 113 activity segments were identified. Characteristics of teacher and child language were measured in each segment. Differences between the eight activities were examined using analysis of variance. Activities were classified as instructional or noninstructional, and the association between this dimension and language characteristics was examined using multilevel path analysis. Results show that most of the variance in language outcomes occurs within classrooms. Analyses show that a significant portion of the variance in the way teachers and children talk is explained by the instructional/noninstructional dimension. Instructional activities are characterized by more language stimulation, more teaching, fewer directives, and more child talk than noninstructional activities. Practice or Policy Implications: We discuss implications for teacher professional development and early childhood education improvement in general and for Latin-America specifically.

EFEKTIFITAS PEMBERIAN WAKTU BEBAS BERMAIN UNTUK MENINGKATKAN MOOD POSITIVE SEBELUM KEGIATAN BELAJAR MENGAJAR BAGI SISWA SEKOLAH DASAR

This research’s goal to know the effectiveness of giving free time playing to improve positive mood of student. The subject in this research is student in third grade elementary school which amount 30 students. The design which is used is one group pretest posttest design experiment, with pretest and posttest which is done in three days continuously. Treatment that is given 30-minute playing time divided into two sessions, students are free to play by choosing the games provided and video playback on learning. The result of data analysis is obtained by using Paired Sample T-Test is t1 -0,722 with sign 0,476; T2 -0.403 with sign 0.690; T3 -0.626 with sign 0.536 (p> 0.05), it can be concluded that in this study there is no difference in positive mood before and after students given free play time treatment. This happens because the subjects involved in the research have been accustomed to being given free time playing. Therefore, free time playing is not effective to improve students' positive mood in this school. This is evidenced by the absence of significant positive mood score between before (pretest 1, 2 and 3) after posttest 1,2 and 3 giving free time treatment.

Literacy And Reward: Teachers’ Effort To Build Children Reading Habit

Children at early levels of primary school require appropriate guidance in their initial reading skill. They need to be trained on how reading becomes an enjoyable routine activity. This study aimed at describing teachers’ effort to build children reading habit. This study employed a qualitative descriptive study and conducted at North Bali Bilingual School Bali. The data were collected through observations and interview. The findings of the study showed that there were several activities conducted by the teacher as efforts to build children reading habit. In terms of building students’ reading habit, the teacher used (1) Point-written in Reading Rocket Chart (PRRC), (2) Chip (white, yellow, green) for appreciating good behaviour in reading and using English, (3) Certificate, (4) Class Reward, and (5) Free Play Time. With these efforts, it is evident that the students’ literacy improves and they exhibited great enthusiasm in their reading and studying literacy in the classroom.

Supporting Young Children’s Learning in a Dramatic Play Environment

<div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="section"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span>Vygotsky and his followers believe that make- believe play is the leading activity in preschool, kindergarten, and the early primary grades. Play-based curricula are common in early childhood classrooms today, but what does this look like in practice? Does it mean that children get some time for free play in centres between blocks of direct instruction? What could learning in a play-learning environment look like? Prospective ECE teachers often show difficulty integrating play for learning. In their experiences, play is often something to do in between their guided instruction. In this paper I challenge those beliefs and show, based on an example, how learning and teaching are possible through play when the whole classroom is transformed into a museum. Teachers will not only be addressing curricular goals, but also encouraging imagination, creativity, social development, and many other learning goals at the same time. Based on Vygotsky’s theory on play, I present ways to enrich, support, and foster play while learning within a play-learning environment. </span></p></div></div></div></div>

Behavioral Effects of a Locomotor-Based Physical Activity Intervention in Preschoolers.

Poor adaptive learning behaviors (ie, distractibility, inattention, and disruption) are associated with behavior problems and underachievement in school, as well as indicating potential attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Strategies are needed to limit these behaviors. Physical activity (PA) has been suggested to improve behavior in school-aged children, but little is known about this relationship in preschoolers. This study examined the effects of a PA intervention on classroom behaviors in preschool-aged children. Eight preschool classrooms (n = 71 children; age = 3.8 ± 0.7y) with children from low socioeconomic environments were randomized to a locomotor-based PA (LB-PA) or unstructured free playtime (UF-PA) group. Both interventions were implemented by classroom teachers and delivered for 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week for 6 months. Classroom behavior was measured in both groups at 3 time points, whereas PA was assessed at 2 time points over a 6-month period and analyzed with hierarchical linear modeling. Linear growth models showed significant decreases in hyperactivity (LB-PA: -2.58 points, P = .001; UF-PA: 2.33 points, P = .03), aggression (LB-PA: -2.87 points, P = .01; UF-PA: 0.97 points, P = .38) and inattention (LB-PA: 1.59 points, P < .001; UF-PA: 3.91 points, P < .001). This research provides promising evidence for the efficacy of LB-PA as a strategy to improve classroom behavior in preschoolers.

Fostering young children’s interest in numeracy through demonstration of its value: the Footsteps Study

Children’s early mathematical abilities are fundamental to their later academic achievement. An interest in mathematics in the early years is likely to establish a positive attitude to later mathematical learning, hopefully sustaining continued interest in mathematics and mathematical learning. Approaches to early mathematics teaching in the early years, however, are typically adult-initiated, which may fail to capture children’s interest. Given the importance of children’s motivation and sustained interest, the study described here strove to spark children’s interests in mathematical problems in everyday life. The study sought to determine if children would incorporate more numeracy-related concepts into their free play if exposed to adult demonstrations of age-appropriate numeracy activities such as patterning. For at least 15 min three times weekly, participating children’s parents and educators demonstrated numeracy problem-solving nearby, while children engaged in other activities. Demonstrations were thought to ascribe social value to the problem-solving activities. If children became interested in participating, adults told them to wait until the demonstrations finished, further indicating social value. Results show these children chose to play with numeracy-related activities in their free play time at preschool significantly more than children in a control group. These results suggest that seeking to foster children’s interest in mathematics through child-initiated play, rather than prescribing adult-initiated mathematics activities, may be an important means of laying the foundation for lifelong mathematics learning. Ascribing social value to numeracy applications is proposed as a new approach to teaching mathematics in the early years.

Classroom benefits of recess

Despite research demonstrating the importance of recess and free play for children, schools have been reducing free play time for more academic pursuits (Ramstetter et al. in J Sch Health 80:517–526, 2010; Waite-Stupiansky and Findlay in Educ Forum 66:16–25, 2001). Recently, there has been renewed interest in understanding the critical role that free play has for children’s development. The current study was designed to contribute to this literature as well as investigate how the type of environment in which children play influences their behaviour in the classroom. Children in grades 3–5 were tested before and after recess on cognitive measures of sustained attention and creativity. We found an increase in children’s sustained attention after recess. We additionally found that the type of environment in which children played differed depending on children’s behaviour and traits. Our findings suggest that recess is an important factor in children’s performance in school and should be considered an important part of the school day. Furthermore, we suggest that researchers should consider how individual differences influence the relationship between recess and children’s performance in the classroom. Implications of this research for schools are considered.

Teachers’ Perceptions about the Use of Background Music in Preschool Free Play Time

The allocation of free-play time in an early childhood curriculum provides opportunities for child-centred learning and gives children a chance to explore safely the world around them. However, previous literature suggests that the beneficial use background music during free-play time is contested and that further research would be useful. A specially designed survey was sent to teachers in Seoul, Kyoung-gi, and Choong-chung provinces in South Korea by e-mail and supplemented post-survey by n=12 in-depth interviews. Data from n=127 surveys were gathered for final analyses. The responses were divided into two main categories: the case for the use of background music during free-play time and the case against. The numbers of teachers in each category were similar. 54% of teachers reported using background music for children’s free-play time and transitions, both in accordance with children’s preferences and also to facilitate a musical sound environment for children’s play; however, 46% of teachers did not use background music because of a perception that it would create noise problems in the classroom. Selected background music tended to be of medium tempi, with or without lyrics, often calm and quiet, with medium or soft dynamics. Music choices related to the perceived mood of the music, children’s perceived preferences, and the music’s relationships to a chosen educational theme. The majority of teachers who used background music during free-play time reported that this was also helpful in the learning of songs or to support content-related curricular themes.

Choice-driven peer play, self-regulation and number sense

Peer play provides ample opportunities for the use and development of self-regulatory and mathematical skills. This study aimed at examining whether children’s engagement in solitary low-level play, interactive play and competent play influences their self-regulatory and number sense skills. The effect of demographic variables and children’s social skills on these skills was also investigated. The participants in this study were 149 children (Mean age = 68 months, SD = 3.71) from public and semi-independent kindergarten programs in a city in southwest Turkey. Children’s play was observed during free play time, and their self-regulation and mathematical skills were measured. Teachers rated children’s social skills. Binary logistic regression was used as an analytical tool. The results showed that children’s engagement in peer play significantly improved their chances of having higher number sense and self-regulatory skills. In particular, interactive play significantly contributed to children’s self-regulatory and number sense skills. Moreover, child age, family income, and social skills were influential factors for these skills. The findings show the importance of peer play for supporting the development of self-regulatory and mathematical skills.

Feasibility and Effects of Short Activity Breaks for Increasing Preschool-Age Children's Physical Activity Levels.

We examined the effects of short bouts of structured physical activity (SBS-PA) implemented within the classroom setting as part of designated gross-motor playtime on preschoolers PA. Preschools were randomized to SBS-PA (centers, N = 5; participants, N = 141) or unstructured free playtime (UPA) (centers, N = 5; participants, N = 150). SBS-PA consisted of structured PA implemented in the classroom during the first 10 minutes of gross-motor playtime followed by 20 minutes of free playtime. UPA consisted of 30 minutes of unstructured free playtime. Teachers implemented both conditions for 5 days/week for 6 months. PA was assessed with accelerometers (preschool-day) and direct observation (30-minute sessions). Generalized linear mixed models were used to examine the impact of the intervention. Regarding the 30-minute sessions, significant group main effects were observed for intervals spent at light (p < .001) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA, p < .001). Regarding the preschool-day PA, significant group by visit interaction was observed for percent time spent in total preschool-day MVPA (F (2, 254) = 3.54, p = .03). Percent of time spent in MVPA significantly decreased in both groups at 3 months and at 6 months. SBS-PA can be implemented in classroom settings; however, further research is needed to examine its impact on preschoolers PA levels.

An Ethnographic Study of 5-year-old Children's Musical Behavior during Free Play Time

This study used ethnographic research methods to analyze children’s musical behavior and the factors that influenced it during free-play time at a daycare center in Korea. Participants were 15 five-year-old children and 1 teacher. Study results were as follows. First, the musical behavior was classified by musical expression including playing an instrument, vocalizing, singing and physical expression and music appreciation divided into active listening and comprehensive music listening and musical exploration such as exploring musical sounds and trying to make musical sounds with one’s body and various materials. Second, the factors that have influenced the children’s musical behavior were divided into individual factors such as individual interest, purpose, and expression of emotion and social factors. Social factors included physical environment in the classroom, teacher, friends, mass media, shared culture within the class and the children’s regional origin, and educational activities. This study provided a new perspective on children’s musical behavior as a behavior for expressing their inner thoughts and needs and interacting with their environment. Teachers should be aware of children’s life perspectives through their musical behavior and make good use of them by analyzing such behavior.

Comparison of Social Engagement of Children Having Disabilities with Their Mothers and Fathers

This study examined differences between mothers’ and fathers’ style of interaction and engagement with their preschool-aged children with Down syndrome (DS) and autism. Data was collected from a sample of 27 mother–child and 27 father–child dyads in which all the children were diagnosed with DS or autism. Participants were both parents and their children from the same family, which allowed comparisons between the mother and father of the same child. Both parents with their children were video recorded during free-play time with a set of developmentally appropriate toys. All video recordings were analyzed with the Turkish versions of the Maternal Behavior Rating Scale and Child Behavior Rating Scale. Findings revealed that Turkish mothers of children with DS and autism are more responsive than fathers. Additionally, fathers of children with DS scored higher on responsiveness and affect as well as attention and initiation but scored lower on achievement/directive. Both mothers and fathers interact better with children with DS than children with autism in terms of responsiveness associated with the child’s social engagement. Results also indicated that, regardless of whether the child had DS or autism, both the mother’s and father’s level of responsiveness was associated with the child’s engagement.

Am I Interfering? Preschool Teacher Participation in Children Play

This study aimed to explore the timing and strategies of teacher participation in children's play and the factors which have a bearing on teacher participation. This study used qualitative research and conducted observation of natural situations. The samples were preschool teachers in an elementary school's affiliated kindergarten in Hualien. The children were observed while playing at learning areas during free play time. In order to enhance the depth of the research, data were collected from observations of play, interviews with the teacher, and examination of on-site documents. The results of qualitative analysis revealed that preschool teachers usually intervene in children's play actively. Preschool teachers used different strategies depending on the different behavior of children play. As for whether or not to participate; these depend on the teacher's educational philosophy, degree of familiarity with the children, and the overall situation in which the play is occurring. Moreover, each of these factors influences one another, and thus need to be considered together.

Free play in early childhood education: a phenomenological study

It is aimed to investigate perceptions and implementations of early childhood teachers on free play and their involvement in children's free play. Recent studies focused on that, although there is an increase in the amount of teacher involvement, the quality of this involvement should be clearly examined. Lev Vygotsky examined play as an opportunity providing a context for socially assisted learning, a key role in abstract thinking, and a tool promoting development and learning. Teachers’ involvement is considered as an important factor for the relationship between play and developmental outcomes. This phenomenological study used interview and observation. Results indicate that teachers respect the children's play. However, they get involved in when children have problems and need help. They use free playtime to complete their daily plans and take attendance.

Pedagogical positioning in play – teachers being inside and outside of children's imaginary play

Although there is a long tradition of play pedagogy in early childhood education, teachers have mostly taken a passive role in children's play. There are relatively few studies of the pedagogical roles adults take from inside of children's imaginary play. This paper seeks to fill this gap through presenting the findings of a study where the play pedagogy of five Australian childcare centres was analysed. Video observations of nine teachers interacting with children (3.3–5.5 years) during free play time (399 h of video observations) were analysed using the concept of subject positioning. It was found most teachers positioning themselves outside of children's play. A typology of play is presented which includes teacher proximity to children's play; teacher intent is in parallel with children's intent; teacher is following the children's play; teacher is engaged in sustained collective play; and teacher is inside the children's imaginary play.

The recess renaissance

The author tells of his work around the country and world on transforming how schools do recess, free play, and outside time by transforming their outdoor spaces to match. Instead of a playground of fixed structures like traditional school grounds, newer spaces are filled with loose materials that children can use to build forts, dens, and tree houses, complete with running water, sand play areas, and fire pits for cooking. Creating optimum play and learning opportunities requires three elements: time, space, and materials. One example of this is the Hands-on-Nature Anarchy Zone at Ithaca Children’s Garden in Ithaca, N.Y. It is one of the leading examples of a child-structured, play-based environment.