Constructive play and problem solving: The role of structure and time in the classroom

Abstract

Play behaviors of 40 children were observed to determine the relationship of time, child and teacher's activity structure and the potential for problem solving. Second‐order partial correlations showed that constructive play was correlated with the child's level of structure, r = .33 [controlling for length of activity and teacher's planned level of structure]; and constructive play was negatively correlated with teacher's planned level of structure, r =‐.22 [controlling for length of activity and child's level of structure]. In this study constructive play is conceptualized as a part of the problem solving process. The data indicate that as the child imposes higher structure on an activity, the amount of constructive play increases; whereas when the teacher imposes structure, constructive play decreases. Early childhood educators may examine the structure of activities along several dimensions in encouraging the potential for problem: solving in the classroom.

Key words:

• Preschool
• constructive play
• problem solving