Exploring children's perceptions of work and play in kindergarten classrooms

10.32920/ryerson.14664579 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Cassandra Calderone

Keyword(s):

Early Childhood ◽

Qualitative Method ◽

Pretend Play ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Early Childhood Programs ◽

Categorization Task ◽

Children's Perceptions ◽

Children’S Perceptions

Through a qualitative method of inquiry, the purpose of the present study was to explore children’s perceptions of work and play in their classrooms using a combination of photography, a categorization task, and semi-structured interviews. Participants included 16 children between the ages of 4 and 6 who were enrolled in kindergarten programs located within childcare centres. Findings show that children made clear distinctions in the characteristics they attributed to work and to play. Children viewed work as tasks that are physical and/or challenging, and often require the production of a final product; whereas play was viewed as enjoyable activities that are freely chosen, involve pretend play, and the manipulation of materials children perceive as toys. Findings from the study can assist educators in developing a deeper understanding of children’s perceptions of work and play that may be useful when implementing play-based early childhood programs. Keywords: children’s perceptions; perceptions of work and play; play-based programs

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Cognitive and Social Play of Australian Preschoolers

Australasian Journal of Early Childhood ◽

10.1177/183693919502000208 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

pp. 42-46 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Shirley R. Wyver ◽

Susan H. Spence

Keyword(s):

Early Childhood ◽

Problem Solving ◽

Perspective Taking ◽

Impulse Control ◽

Pretend Play ◽

Social Play ◽

Free Play ◽

Play Skills ◽

Early Childhood Programs ◽

Problem Solving Skills

This paper reports on the play behaviours of preschoolers aged 49–64 months. The study was conducted in four Sydney preschools, with children being observed during their outdoor free play. Most participants engaged in a variety of play behaviours, many of which have been linked with cognitive development in previous research (constructive play, sociodramatic play, associative social play). However, thematic pretend play, which has been found to have an important role in many areas of development, including perspective taking, language, impulse control and divergent problem solving, was part of the play repertoire of only 20% of children observed. Likewise, only 24% of children engaged in cooperative social play, which has been found to have a role in the development of divergent problem solving skills. It is argued that staff working within early childhood programs may benefit from training in the use of programs designed to assist young children in the development of play skills.

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Planning for Informal Urban Green Spaces in African Cities: Children’s Perception and Use in Peri-Urban Areas of Luanda, Angola

Urban Science ◽

10.3390/urbansci5030050 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (3) ◽

pp. 50

Author(s):

Eurídice Lurdes Jorge Pedrosa ◽

Seth Asare Okyere ◽

Louis Kusi Frimpong ◽

Stephen Kofi Diko ◽

Tracy Sidney Commodore ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Urban Areas ◽

Green Spaces ◽

Cognitive Capacity ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Group Discussions ◽

Urban Green Spaces ◽

African Cities ◽

Children's Perceptions ◽

Children’S Perceptions ◽

Community Spaces

Urbanization has placed considerable constraints on the preservation and maintenance of formal green spaces in African cities. This situation has given attention to the potentials of informal green spaces (IGS). While studies on IGS in African cities is only emerging, scholarly and policy attention to children’s perceptions and use of IGS within Africa’s spatially expansive urbanism is limited. This study explores children’s perceptions, use, barriers, willingness, and suggestions for improving IGS in the peri-urban area of Funda in Luanda. Based on semi-structured interviews and focused-group discussions, the study revealed that, while IGS offered different ecosystem services, not all IGS were accessible to children, due to safety concerns, maintenance conditions, and parental restrictions. Children’s interest in maintenance activities and suggestions for improving IGS reflected their independent identities, sense of place, and cognitive capacity to contribute to planning their community. The paper submits that the potential role of IGS in Africa’s peri-urban areas can be improved by taking into account children’s agency and experiential knowledge of community spaces. For this reason, there is a need to recognize and engage children as co-producers of community knowledge and interventions.

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