The effect of situational context on playful behaviors of young preschool children

This study was designed to assess the effect of Situational context on the playful behaviors of young preschool children ages 18 to 24 months. Playfulness was defined as a psychological construct involving the disposition of play (Rogers, Meeks, Impara, & Frary, 1987). Playful behaviors were observed and coded from videotapes of toddlers interacting with a teacher/experimenter in both assisted play and direct instruction conditions. The research question addressed was as follows: What is the effect of situational context (teacher interaction style) on the playful behaviors of toddlers as measured by the Playful Behaviors Observation Inventory (PBOI)?

Data were analyzed using a 2 x 2 x 2 (Condition x Order x Gender) analysis of variance with repeated measures. In the direct instruction condition, children accomplished goals in more varied ways, invented more uses of objects, and attended longer than in the assisted play condition. Those who received the direct instruction condition first also persisted longer at goals than those who received the assisted play condition first. Although pretend play rarely occurred, the number of times children engaged in pretend play was also higher in the direct instruction condition than in the assisted play condition. Results of PBOI scales correlated with age showed an interesting pattern which was not significant but indicated a relationship between age and playfulness.

Findings suggest that toddlers are more playful in direct instruction than in assisted play. However, it is difficult to determine from this study if direct instruction is developmentally appropriate for very young preschool children since the children in the late sensorimotor period are in a transitional period of development. It is possible that direct instruction was beneficial because of the age of the children in this study. Toddlers learn through repetition and imitation and need more direction. Results indicate that context has an important role and that imitation, not play, is characteristic of toddlers during the late sensorimotor period.