An investigation on the effects of block play on the creativity of children

ABSTRACT

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of block play on the creativity of children. The present study adopted a quasi-experimental research design, with pre- and post-test control groups. The study group consisted of a total of 52 children, enrolled at preschool education institutions in Ankara province in Turkey. The children were submitted the ‘Personal Information Form’, ‘Stages of Block Building Evaluation Form’, ‘Creative Thinking Test through Figure Analysis’ and ‘Research Diary’ was used. The findings indicated that there was a statistically significant difference between the pre- and post-test mean scores for the subtests, attention to details, acceptance of differences, fluency, and originality, and the total creative skills of the children in the experimental group when compared to both control groups. It was concluded that the block play intervention had positive effects on the stages of block building and the creative skills of children.

KEYWORDS:

• Early childhood
• block play
• creativity
• experimental design

Acknowledgements

This paper is based on Merve Aksoy's master dissertation under the supervision of Ayşe Belgin Aksoy at Gazi University.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Merve Aksoy

Merve Aksoy was graduated from Middle East Technical University, Department of Early Childhood Education with a high degree in 2013. She worked as a Preschool Teacher between 2013 and 2015. She has been working as a Research Assistant at Gazi University, Department of Child Development and Education since 2016. At the same time, she was graduated from Gazi University, Child Development and Education Master Programme and continues her PhD.

Ayşe Belgin Aksoy

Ayşe Belgin Aksoy was graduated from Hacettepe University, Department of Child Development and Education in 1983. She received her ‘master’ degree from Hacettepe University, Child Development and Education Programme in 1986 and ‘PhD’ in Child Health and Education in 1992. In 1995, she became an assistant professor and in 2006 she became an associate professor in the Department of Child Development and Education at Gazi University. She is currently working in Department of Preschool Education at Gazi University. She has works in the fields of Family Education, Child and Adolescent Development, and Children’s Play Development.