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Abstract
This paper explores teacher-reported prevalence of rough-and-tumble play (R&T) in preschool and investigates how their restriction to such play varies in different play environments (indoor and outdoor). An electronic questionnaire exploring preschool teachers’ beliefs and practices regarding children's dramatic play themes was conducted by 138 female Norwegian preschool teachers. The results show that the teacher-reported prevalence of nurture/care and house/family types of dramatic play is higher among girls than among boys, while superhero play, pretend fighting, chase games and protect/rescue play is more prevalent among boys than girls. The results also show that play-fighting and chase games are the dramatic play types most restricted by the preschool teachers, and that R&T play is significantly less restricted in outdoor environments compared to indoors. The results are discussed within a Norwegian early childhood education and care (ECEC) context and implications for ECEC practice are suggested.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes on contributors
Rune Storli is an associate professor in the Department of Physical Education at Queen Maud University College of Early Childhood Education (DMMH) in Trondheim, Norway. He has a broad experience from teaching outdoor life and outdoor activities in preschool teacher education, and has authored several books about this theme. The last five years he has dedicated his research to rough-and-tumble play among preschool children, and explored both the characteristics of this kind of play and its benefits for children's development and well-being.
Ellen Beate Hansen Sandseter is an associate professor (Ph.D.) in the Department of Physical Education at Queen Maud University College of Early Childhood Education (DMMH) in Trondheim, Norway. Her primary research focus is on children's physical play, outdoor play and risky/thrilling play among children in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) institutions. She has cooperated with early childhood researchers from both England and Australia to study cultural differences in provision of outdoor and risky play in ECEC settings. Recently, she has also been studying Norwegian children's experiences of participation and well-being in Norwegian ECEC institutions.