Abstract:
The purpose of the study was to investigate play activities among pre-schoolers at
early childhood centre in the central north Tongu district. The study sought to assess
the perception of kindergarten teachers on play activities, examine instructional
practices of early childhood educator in play activities, examine the contribution of
educational play activities to the development of children, and identify the challenges
kindergarten teachers face when implementing play activities in the central Tongu
district. The philosophical underpinning of the study was pragmatist. The study
adopted a mixed method approach with a concurrent nested mixed method design.
The sample size for the study was one hundred and forty (140) kindergarten teachers.
Census and purposively sampling techniques were used in the study. Structured
questionnaire and semi-structured interview guide were instruments used to collect
data for the study. Quantitative data were analysed in the form of frequency count,
percentage, mean, and standard deviation with the aid of Statistical Package for
Service Solutions (SPSS) version 26 software. The qualitative data gathered from the
sample were analysed using thematic approach. The study found that there were
differences in perspectives and understanding about children’s play among public
kindergarten teachers in the district; some teachers viewed play and learning as two
separate activities, whereas others believed children learn through play. Also, the
study found that teachers played several roles when using play-based teaching as an
instructional technique and activity. Moreover, the study discovered that play
contributes to cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development of children in
the central Tongu district. Furthermore, the study discovered that inadequate play
equipment and materials, insufficient indoor space and having too many pupils to
teach were the challenges kindergarten teachers face when implementing play
activities in the classroom. Thus, the study recommended that the Central Tongu
District Directorate of Education should organise periodic workshops for kindergarten
teachers on pedagogical skills for play-based teaching, how to integrate play into
teaching and learning, and their roles in the implementation of play-based teaching.
Lastly, it should liaise with the Central Tongu District Assembly and Non-
Governmental Organisations in the district to provide adequate play materials and
equipment to all public kindergartens in the district.
Description:
A thesis in the Department of Early Childhood Education, Faculty of Educational Studies, Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of Philosophy (Early Childhood Education) in the University of Education, Winneba
JULY, 2021