Free Play Research Articles

Preschool STEM Activities and Associated Outcomes

This review highlights the need for further investigation into the benefits of STEM activities in preschool children’s learning, girls’ engagement and learning of children with disabilities in the STEM field. The review process involved accessing 19 relevant studies from Scopus, ERIC and Google Scholar databases in March 2023. Through the synthesis of information from these studies, seven STEM activities were identified as effective in enhancing preschool children’s learning: educational robots, educational games, argumentative interactions, inquiry-based learning and engineering design, drawing and telling about engineers, free play and pretend play, and group membership. Each of these activities contributes to different learning outcomes for children. Moreover, the review emphasizes the importance of role-playing activities ‘as if’ engineers and scientists, facilitated by teachers, in fostering girls’ motivation and engagement in the STEM field from an early age. Long-term scientific interventions at home have a significant positive impact on the science literacy skills of deaf children. The implications of this review are particularly relevant for early childhood educators, as it provides valuable insights into the use of STEM activities to enhance children’s learning outcomes.

Predicting attachment in Portuguese infants born very or extremely preterm: Understanding the roles of infant regulatory behavior, maternal sensitivity, and risk factors.

A growing body of research shows that early attachment relationships are foundational for children's later developmental and psychosocial outcomes. However, findings are mixed regarding whether preterm birth predicts later attachment, but insecurity is generally more prevalent among infants at higher medical and/or social/familial risk. This longitudinal study aimed to identify specific relational, familial/demographic, and perinatal predictors of attachment in a sample of 63 Portuguese infants born very or extremely preterm (VEPT,<32 gestational weeks) and their mothers from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. One-third of the mothers had social/family risk factors (e.g., single parent, immigrant, unemployed, low education, and/or low income). At 3 months (corrected age), dyads were observed during social interaction in the Face-to-Face Still-Face paradigm (FFSF) and during free play. At 12 months, mother-infant dyads were observed in Ainsworth's Strange Situation. Over half (58.7%) of the infants were classified as insecurely attached. Social-Positive Oriented regulatory behavior pattern, higher maternal sensitivity, higher infant cooperation during free play, number of siblings and an absence of social/family risk factors were associated with attachment security. Perinatal variables were unrelated to attachment. Findings indicate that both relational and social contextual factors contribute to attachment in this biologically vulnerable sample.

Children's physical activity and sedentary behaviour in before school care: An observational study

ObjectiveIn Australia, less than one quarter of children aged 5–12 years meet national physical activity (PA) guidelines. Before school care operates as part of Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) services and provide opportunities for children to meet their daily PA recommendations. The aim of this study was to explore factors associated with children meeting 15 min of moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) while attending before school care. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in 25 services in New South Wales, Australia. Each service was visited twice between March and June 2021. Staff behaviours and PA type and context were captured using staff interviews and the validated System for Observing Staff Promotion of Physical Activity and Nutrition (SOSPAN) time sampling tool. Child PA data were collected using Actigraph accelerometers and associations between program practices and child MVPA analysed. ResultsPA data were analysed for 654 children who spent an average of 39.2% (±17.6) of their time sedentary; 45.4% (±11.4) in light PA; and 14.9% (±11.7) in MVPA. Only 17% of children (n = 112) reached ≥15 min MVPA, with boys more likely to achieve this. Children were more likely to meet this recommendation in services where staff promoted and engaged in PA; PA equipment was available; children were observed in child-led free play; and a written PA policy existed. ConclusionsBefore school care should be supported to improve physical activity promotion practices by offering staff professional development and guidance on PA policy development and implementation practices.

Playing with a Doll Family: Key Characteristics of Junior Preschoolers’ Play Behaviour

The age of 3-4 years is the initial stage in the development of pretend play, or play involving an imaginary situation. In this process, the leading role belongs to dramatic play with toys, the importance of which for children’s development cannot be underestimated. The qualitative analysis of children’s play presented in this research forms part of a large study aimed at identifying the features of children’s play and the toy preferences throughout the entire preschool age. Ten 3-4-year-old children during five play sessions were asked to play a story with a doll family. Before and after the play sessions, all children were tested to assess the level of development of executive functions, imagination, and the type of attachment was determined for each child using a survey of teachers and mothers. The video recordings of the play sessions were then analyzed. The purpose of the analysis was to identify the characteristics of 3-4-year-old children’s play behavior and to explore the relationship of the play features with the indicators of individual development. The experimental setting with a series of play sessions also made it possible to assess the dynamics in play development for each child. To evaluate the play, the following indicators were used: the theme and content of play, spatial substitution, the extent of elaborateness and stability of the play idea, the level of play actions with a toy, and the elaborateness of role-play interactions. The results showed that the level of development of free play involving an imaginary situation for 3-4-year-old children could be defined as generally low, regardless of the level of individual development indicators. A comparison of the first and the fifth play sessions did not reveal any positive dynamics in the level of play development. These results indicate the important role of adult participation in the support and development of children’s play. They can form the basis for the practical recommendations for teachers and parents how to scaffold the playing process of 3-4 years old children.

Children's voices through play-based practice: listening, intensities and critique

PurposeThis paper offers a reflection of a research process aimed at listening to young children's voices in their everyday school life through a play-based context in a Scottish school. Throughout the research process, the complexity of conducting this research was kept in mind as listening to children's voices presents methodological and conceptual difficulties and tensions. Reflecting on the research process after the data was collected, the process was critiqued using Deleuze-Guattarian ideas. The critique aims at opening and challenging each researcher, allowing them to think-again about the next research project aimed at listening to children's voices.Design/methodology/approachThe research involved an observation study that took place over one week in a primary school in Central Scotland. As part of the educators' approach to play-based pedagogy, children had the opportunity to engage in free play throughout the day. Observations were chosen as the main approach to “capture” children's voices in their natural settings.FindingsThe empirical research brought forth two main ideas, that of children as agents, and how children amplify their voices through play. The reflective part offers the possibility of understanding the intensities and forces when conducting such research and the possibilities of engaging with these.Originality/valueThis paper offers a critique of research aimed at listening to children's voices. The aim is not to limit engagement in researching children's voices but to open, or make complex, such processes.

Let Them Play A Systematic Review Investigating the Benefits of Free Play in Emotional Development of Children

Play-based learning has been increasingly discussed in existing literature as it enhances holistic child development and facilitates essential life skills. Free play is often regarded as most beneficial for child development allowing children to take charge of their learning and encouraging problem-solving skills and creativity. Free play allows children for independent learning as it helps them to gain essential life skills making it an important aspect of holistic child development. Owing to its autonomous nature, it nurtures emotional, physical and cognitive aspects of the personality in early childhood. Therefore, this review of the literature aims to investigate the role of free play in fostering emotional development during early childhood. The researchers employed a systematic literature review. The existing literature on free play was meticulously studied, following the given guidelines and methodological framework. The existing literature suggests that free play can facilitate the development of emotional intelligence, resilience, emotional expression and coping strategies. During free play, children are free to use their imagination and creativity without adult interference which leads to intrinsic motivation, creativity and self-exploration.

A field experiment on the effect of sound absorption installed to a highly reverberant kindergarten classroom: A second report

An experiment in a kindergarten classroom with an excessive reverberation was reported in Internoise 2022 and this is the second report of the continued experiment conducted in the same classroom. The classroom was highly reverberant (V = 200 m3, RT = 1.0 s at 1 kHz band) because the room was originally an outdoor space of ground floor pilotis and converted into a classroom by constructing concrete walls between the columns with the fire-resistant hard ceiling panels remained. The experiment was conducted by installing and removing sound absorbing materials on the walls and ceiling periodically for six months. The RT with sound absorber was reduced half at 0.5 s. The indoor activity was recorded by sound and video recorders. As a result, SPL of 1-2 kHz bands, which was regarded as children's voice during free play time reduced more than the direct effect of the sound absorption only when the sound absorption was installed first time. The SPL of 1-2 kHz when children singing together, which was assumed as voices without communication in contrast to free playing, was analyzed and the trend was similar to those in the free playing time.

Barns hybrida lek i förskolan

This article discusses play as hybrid, where play activities with digital and analogue tools are so interlaced that they are one common play activity: a playground which is both physical and digital. With four empirical examples from two research projects the article wants to illustrate hybrid play which is rather unexplored. With the purpose to problematize and contribute to the discussion of children's hybrid play by using a theoretical model research questions are: How is children's hybrid play expressed in preschool and what the obstacles and opportunities with the hybridity for children's play? The theoretical model presents five concepts of relevance for understanding children’s hybrid play (multimodal participatory literacies, performing self, explore, contribute and connect) in preschool. The article concludes with a new definition of hybrid play and suggest that digital play is always hybrid. The multimodality means that children are allowed to participate in more ways, hybrid play requires children to connect. Educators can both enable and hinder hybrid play, enabling by for example using creative apps, allowing digital tools as a natural part of free play and recognizing children's narratives.

Qualitative differences in perspective on children’s quality of life between children with cerebral palsy and their parents

BackgroundCerebral palsy (CP) is one of the most common childhood disabilities, impacting many areas of a child’s life. Increasingly, quality of life (QOL) measures are used to capture holistic wellbeing of children with CP. However most validated QOL measures for children are based on adult perspective only, with limited focus on child perspective. Conceptual differences between children’s and adults’ definitions of QOL may reflect different underlying QOL models which contribute to measurement score divergence. This qualitative study investigated the conceptual meaning of QOL for children with CP, comparing child and parent perspectives. Eighteen families completed 8 child interviews and 18 parent interviews. Children (11 boys, 7 girls) represented the spectrum of motor functioning, with comorbidities including epilepsy, intellectual disability, and communication impairments. Child and parent interviews were analysed separately using constructivist grounded theory methods and then findings were integrated to examine similarities and differences.ResultsAll participants sought child inclusion in social activities, education, and recreation, requiring negotiation, adaptations, and advocacy. Five conceptual categories emerged from child interviews: socialising, play, negotiating limitations, self-identity, and developing agency. This reflected an individual model of QOL supporting child development goals. Parent interview findings revealed concepts related to child-specific QOL (day-to-day functioning and enabling child goals), as well as parent and family functioning concepts aligned to models of “family QOL”, embracing impacts of family relationships and the interdependence of QOL among family members.ConclusionsThis study identified similarities and differences in child and parent perceptions of QOL for the child with CP. Children provided insights into the importance of play and peer support, and their developing self-identity and sense of agency. Self-directed free play, especially, was identified by children but not parents as a central everyday activity promoting wellbeing and social inclusion. Parents discussed family functioning and aspects outside of child sight, such as managing time and financial resources. Relying on parents’ perspective alone to model child QOL misses valuable information that children contribute. Equally, child report alone misses parent experiences that directly influence child QOL. There is value in incorporating family QOL into parent reports while developing a conceptually separate child self-report QOL instrument.

The road to excellence in women’s football: a retrospective cohort study over the last 30 years with Swiss national players

ABSTRACT Objectives This study examines the training (age at club entry, hours in club practice, free play, other sports) and environmental characteristics (popularity, media coverage, school and parental support) influencing the development of female Swiss national team players in elite football over a three-decade period. Methods A retrospective questionnaire was completed by 84 participants, who were divided into three cohorts based on their first game with the Swiss national team (C1 = until 2000, n = 24; C2 = 2001–2010, n = 29; C3 = 2011–2022, n = 31). ANOVAs were employed to compare the cohorts regarding training and environmental variables. Results The findings demonstrate better perceived environmental conditions, stagnating volume of free play and other sports in childhood, decreasing age at club entry, and increasing club practice and total training volume across cohorts. Conclusion Practical implications highlight talent development avenues in unstructured settings during free time and in the micro-structure of club practice.

Pengaruh Main Kajai terhadap Keterampilan Lokomotor Anak di Taman Kanak Kanak Negeri Pembina Sitiung Kabupaten Dharmasraya

This research is motivated by the importance of locomotor stimulation in early childhood. However, it was found that teachers only provided gymnastics and free play and many were found to be hesitant about jumping over obstacles. Based on the problem, researchers applied playing kajai with the aim of finding out its effect on children's locomotor skills. This research method is quantitative with a one group pretest-posttest design. The B2 group is the sample. Data collection techniques use observation, tests and documentation. The data processing procedure begins with testing the validity and reliability of the instrument, testing the prerequisites with a normality test, and ends with hypothesis testing. Based on the average results, it was concluded that the pretest mean score was 14.72, then treatment was given to produce a mean of 25.07 and at the end of the posttest the mean was 26.35. Which means children's locomotor skills have increased. The normality test found pretest sig 0.199 &gt; α 0.05 and posttest sig 0.201 &gt; α 0.05, so both data were normally distributed. Next, test the hypothesis and obtain sig 0.000 &lt; α 0.05 so that Ho is rejected and Ha is accepted. So it is concluded that there is an influence of the playing kajai on children's locomotor skills at the Pembina Sitiung State Kindergarten.

Young children’s self-initiated pattern-making during free play

ABSTRACT Young children spontaneously create patterns during play. However, this self-initiated pattern-making has yet to be systematically researched. In particular, the extent of self-initiated pattern-making, the pattern types young children create, and the potential differences in pattern-making for different ages are still to be examined. Investigating pattern-making in natural play-situations, the study observed 84 children during free play in their early childhood classrooms. All arrangements that children created on their own accord were documented. Nearly all children engaged in creating arrangements as a self-initiated activity, but the total number of creations varied largely between children. A significant, medium correlation was found between pattern-making and children’s ages. Most patterns were reflections, but also translation-patterns, rotation-patterns, and growing patterns were created. Significant differences regarding age seem to hint at a development from creating repeating patterns with a simple structure to patterns with a more complex unit of repeat and creating growing patterns.

Social overhead public infrastructure in a Lewis development framework

AbstractThis study explores the interaction between private and public physical capital accumulation within a Lewis development framework, in which public infrastructure is subject to congestion. The model shows that when both levels of capital are relatively low, a crowding‐out of private investment creates the necessary conditions for the emergence of a development trap, from which a surplus labor economy, if left to the free play of its structural forces, may never escape. Once caught in such a trap, the economy can potentially be released through a big push of public or private capital or a sufficiently balanced combination of both.

Free Play in the Context of Early Childhood Contextual Learning Strategies

The curriculum introduced by the Minister of Education and Culture is known as the "Merdeka" curriculum. This instructional activity involves using white fabric, coloring agents, containers, and water. It was implemented in a research study conducted at Labschool Profesi Guru (PG) Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini (PAUD) Universitas Bengkulu Indonesia in August 2023, focusing on 15 students in class B1 within the theme "Aku Hamba Allah," aiming to evaluate child development in various aspects. The approach used is explanatory qualitative. Results Based on research that early age is the best foundation in developing future life. In addition, early childhood education can optimize children's basic abilities in receiving the educational process at the next age with play. contextual or Contextual teaching and learning (CLT) is the concept of teacher learning that is linked between learning materials and students' real-world situations, and encourages students to make connections between knowledge and its application in their daily lives. New knowledge and skills as he learns. This research method is qualitative, namely; data generated through direct observation activities when children do learning activities. It can be said that the contextual learning strategy at Labschool Profesi Guru Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini, Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan Universitas Bengkulu can be implemented well, through play activities with utilizing human-based media in children's knowledge in learning.

External assessment of teachers’ roles during children’s free play and its relation to types of children’s play

Teachers in early childhood education and care (ECEC) assume various roles in children’s free play, such as tutor, classroom manager, co-player, and director. Recent research has shown that teacher-related characteristics such as work experience and classroom-related characteristics such as children’s age are significant predictors of teachers’ roles. However, these roles have mostly been assessed through self-report rather than external observation using standardized scales. Furthermore, it is unclear how teachers’ roles depend on the types of children’s play, such as construction play and dramatic play. To address these research gaps, we observed 80 teachers during 291 observation cycles in childcare centers and kindergartens in Switzerland. We developed a standardized observation scale to simultaneously assess both teachers’ roles during children’s free play and the types of children’s play. Additional teacher- and classroom-related predictors were assessed with an online questionnaire for teachers. The results of a multilevel regression analysis showed that the roles observed differed in the type of play in which children engaged. However, teacher- and classroom-related predictors were more relevant and explained more variance in teachers’ roles than the types of children’s play. The findings may stimulate self-reflection by ECEC teachers on the roles they assume during children’s free play.

Story stems in early mother-infant interaction promote pretend play at 30 months

During early childhood, play develops through levels of sensory exploration and manipulation, to functional activities and during the second year of life to the level of pretend and symbolic play. However, little is known about the factors contributing to individual variations in the development of play. The present study investigated associations between maternal sensitivity and play conditions with different ways of engaging and participating and children’s development of pretend play. Participants were 64 primiparous mothers and their 30-months-old children. Sensitivity was assessed using the Coding Interactive Behavior (CIB) coding system, and children’s play was coded using the 12 Step Play Scale. Analyses showed no significant associations between sensitivity and children’s play development but a play condition introducing a story stem was associated with a higher developmental play level and longer duration of pretend play compared to free interactive play. The findings suggest that the use of a story stem may promote pretend play in interactive settings with the mother.

Infant fearful distress, parent intrusiveness, and adversity in families experiencing homelessness

Infants experiencing homelessness face risk for developing mental health problems in the future. Parents residing in shelters experience adverse events at elevated rates compared to non-homeless individuals, which can impact their infants during a time of rapid development depending on how the parent copes. For some, trauma linked to these events may manifest in an intrusive parenting style that interferes with the child’s developing capacity for self-regulation. We utilized a sample of 60 parent-infant dyads recruited while residing in emergency homeless shelters to evaluate associations among parents’ history of adversity, intrusive parenting behaviors, and infants’ fearful distress. Observed parent intrusiveness during a free play interaction was significantly associated with infant fearfulness observed in a separate behavioral task during which infants viewed a series of masks. Furthermore, there was a moderating effect for parent history of adversity such that the association between parent intrusiveness and infant fearful distress was stronger among parents with more past experiences of adversity.

Unraveling the link between family of origin and parental responsiveness toward own child.

This study investigates the influence of family of origin on parental responsiveness toward own child, taking into account gender differences. A total of 110 triads of mothers, fathers, and their first child aged 6-10 months participated in the standardized Free Play procedure. Parental responsiveness was assessed through observational measures (using Ainsworth procedure) and self-reported scales (Parental Responsiveness Scale). Results revealed correlations between objectively assessed responsiveness and self-reported parental styles in the family of origin, separately for mothers and fathers. Among mothers having daughters, parental sensitivity (an important aspect of observationally measured responsiveness) was positively correlated with having had a liberal loving mother and a negative correlation with an autocratic mother. Cooperation (another aspect of observationally measured responsiveness) was correlated positively with having had a liberal loving mother. Meanwhile, having a liberal unloving mother predicted lover sensitivity and cooperation. Similar correlations were not observed for mothers having sons. Among fathers having daughters, both aspects of observed responsiveness were positively correlated with having had a democratic father and negatively with autocratic or liberal unloving parents. Moreover, having a liberal unloving father and autocratic mother predicted their lower responsiveness toward daughters. These findings highlight the role of family dynamics in shaping parental responsiveness and emphasize the importance of understanding these dynamics in promoting responsive parenting.

A case study of young children’s play negotiations in free play

ABSTRACT This study seeks to understand how children express themselves socially and emotionally in play negotiations in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings. It addresses the following research questions: What strategies do children employ in play negotiations? How do these strategies manifest themselves socially and emotionally? The study was conducted in eight ECEC centers and one preschool located in Swedish-speaking regions of Finland. The target group consisted of children aged 3–6. Data were collected through video observations that captured children’s social interactions and engagement with their peers during free play. A multimodal interaction analysis approach was employed to identify a prominent category termed ”exclusion”, which refers to how children employ strategies (e.g., fantasy and fiction) to limit the participation of other children in play negotiations. The results of this study contribute to our understanding of children’s complex play negotiations and highlight the significance of addressing their social and emotional development in these contexts.

Fathers' and mothers' sensitivity during free play with gendered toys.

This study examined whether fathers' and mothers' sensitivity toward sons and daughters varies depending on whether they play with stereotypical girls' toys or boys' toys. In a sample of 144 predominantly White Dutch families with a child aged 4-6 years, fathers' and mothers' sensitivity was observed during two free play episodes while they played with their son or daughter. One play episode was with stereotypical boys' toys, and the other was with stereotypical girls' toys. Results showed that mothers' but not fathers' sensitivity scores, depended on whether they played with a son or daughter and whether they played with stereotypically boys' toys or girls' toys. Mothers were more sensitive to their daughters when they played with girls' toys than with boys' toys. In addition, mothers playing with daughters were more sensitive than mothers playing with sons when they played with girls' toys. Mothers' differential sensitivity during gender-typed play could be a gender socialization practice that subtly contributes to gender inequality in societal roles and careers, especially for daughters. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).