Drawings and Conceptions of Play by Children Ages 7-12.

• There is a large research project at Mälardalen University, Sweden concerning memories of play that used an elaborated material for adults, to which this study is connected (Sandberg, 2003). This chapter reports the findings which memories of play children aged seven to twelve retain, and their definition of play. The research questions were: What occurs in the memory of play? What content did play have in their childhood? How is play described? Does one play alone or with others? Are there differences in play between boys and girls? This qualitative study, featuring phenomenographic, uses drawn memories of play from 115 children aged 7-12 to get their concept of play, in order to get an understanding of play, and describe it as the children see it. Children of both sexes participated drawing memories from 3-6 years old and their present age, further writing down their definition of play. The result shows that play is seen as something positive and fun though difficult to describe in words. Memories of play from both periods consist of objects to play with, which can be divided into real and temporary toys. In the 3-6 year period real toy made for the purpose of play, dominate for both indoors and outdoors. At their present age temporary toys for physical play or activities occur to a larger extent, also spending time with friends doing things instead of playing starts to show. The content of play changes form over time and in the older children’s lives play no longer takes a prominent position. But the concept of what play is still remains.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Utbildningsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Educational Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Education

Pedagogik

Didactics

didaktik

Publication and Content Type

vet (subject category)

kap (subject category)