THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PLAY FACILITIES AND PUPILS DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL SKILLS IN PRE-PRIMARY SCHOOLS

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PLAY FACILITIES AND PUPILS DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL SKILLS IN PRE-PRIMARY SCHOOLS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background to the Study

Education is the process through which knowledge; skills, attitudes and values are imparted for the purpose of integrating the individual in a given society. Knowledge is based upon experience and therefore using play facilities is the main path to learning.

Froebel had this in mind when he asserted that play is the first means of development of the human mind. Moreover, its first effort to make acquaintance with the outward world, to correct original experiences from things and facts and to exercise the powers of body and mind (Fromberg 2002).

The convention on the Rights of the Child recognized the child’s right to education. The state parties were advised to provide basic, compulsory and free education to all which would provide equal opportunity to all people in the world.

The convention further recommended children’s right to play and recreation activities which mostly use play facilities that enhance social-emotional development.

Play’ is sometimes contrasted with ‘work’ and characterized as a type of activity which is essentially unimportant, trivial and lacking in any serious purpose. As such, it is seen as something that children do because they are immature, and as something they will grow out of as they become adults. The relationship between play facilities and pupils development of social skills in pre-primary schools.

However, play in all its rich variety is one of the highest achievements of the human species, alongside language, culture and technology.

Indeed, without play, none of these other achievements would be possible. The value of play is increasingly recognized by researchers and within the policy arena, for adults as well as children. As the evidence mounts of its relationship with intellectual achievement and emotional well-being.

Play is so important to optimal child development as it has been recognized by the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights as a right of every child (Maduike, 2013). It allows children to use their creativity while developing their imagination, dexterity, physical, cognitive, and emotional strength.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PLAY FACILITIES AND PUPILS DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL SKILLS IN PRE-PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Play is important to healthy brain development. It is through play that children at a very early age engage and interact in the world around them.

According to Lester and Russel (2010), an important aspect of education is providing a program of activities using play facilities to help in socialization of an individual. As we are living in the age of social conflict, it is highly important that teachers use every means possible to instill positive social habit in children through physical activities.

NACECE (2000) also asserted that children pay a lot of attention to materials that look attractive and appealing, that these help to increases their attention span. Hence, promoting concept acquisition and social emotional skills. According to Mwangi and Shigali (2009). The joy of children is to see different play facilities as they get the freedom to choose what they want.

A variety of play facilities cater for children’s different interests and also for individual differences. Play facilities have profound effects on early childhood development. According to Kamen (2005) relationships and interactions between preschool children and play facilities enhances warmth, friendliness and caring attitudes among children. The play facilities also promote and develop positive behaviours, communication and social skills among themselves. The researcher found it necessary for children to use play facilities during play in developing social learning skills.

1.2     Statement of the Problem

Play is one of the important ways through which people learn. It is a fundamental need for children to develop their social skills. Njoki (2007) states that play transcend political, social and religious boarders. Mitchel (2013) contended that whenever human life is found, there has to be play in some form. Today children are not given time to play because of various reasons which include parental commitment to their professional work. Many parents leave their children with house helps who take up the role of bringing up the children and some sent them to pre-primary school.

However, public schools have many children such that the facilities such as playing fields are over stretched and therefore children are left to play in their classroom, while in some schools play materials are not available at all, and they are very expensive to buy and improvise, as the sponsors determine the provision of play facilities in each preschool depending on the funds allocated to them. The relationship between play facilities and pupils development of social skills in pre-primary schools.

Due to these disparities, those schools with poor funding from their sponsors remain disadvantaged. Thereby, hindering the role of play facilities on pupils’ development of social skills in preschool children (Mwaura, 2013).

However, it has been observed that this shortage and unavailability of play facilities in pre-primary school has caused deficit in the developmental process. As a result most pre-school pupils exhibit unacceptable internalized and externalized behaviours such as aggression, defiance, non-compliance, disobedience, greed, bully, uses of abusive words, pushing, tantrum and many others.

It is due to high rate of antisocial behavior among pre-primary school pupils that makes it pertinent to carry out this study to examine the relationship between play facilities and social skills development among pre-primary school pupils in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area.

1.3     Purpose of the study

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between play facilities and development of social skills among in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area.

Specifically, the study intends to;

1. Examine the relationship between puzzles and pupils’ development of communication skills in pre-primary schools.
2. Examine the relationship between merry-go-round and pupils’ development of sharing ability in pre-primary schools.
3. Determine the relationship between toys and pupils’ development of leadership tendencies in pre-primary schools.

1.4     Significance of the study

• The findings will be important to the teachers at the Early childhood education in identifying the influences of play on children acquisition of social skills.
• The findings will be important to the school administrations in identifying the importance of child play and hence provide adequate facilities for play.
• The findings will also be important to the curriculum developers in evaluating the curriculum and put emphasis on children play.

• Teachers may also benefit from this study as the findings may necessitate in service course to train them on different types of play that promote social skill.

1.5  Research Questions

1. How does play facilities relates with pupils’ development of communication skills in pre-primary school?
2. Does Play facilities relates with pupils’ development of sharing ability in pre-primary schools in pre-primary school?
3. How does play facilities relates with pupils development of leadership tendencies in pre-primary schools in pre-primary school?

1.6     Research Hypothesis

1. There is no significant relationship between play facilities and pupils’ development of communication skills in pre-primary schools.
2. There is no significant relationship between play facilities and pupils’ development of sharing ability in pre-primary schools.
3. There is no significant relationship between play facilities and pupils’ development of leadership tendencies in pre-primary schools.

1.7     Limitation of the study

The major challenges encountered during the course of the study were: –

1. Shortage of finance to extend the study, and
2. Short span for the completion of the study coupled with other academic activities in the school.

1.8    Definition of Terms

Play: This is a pure and natural mode of learning through which children achieve harmony through activities

Play facilities: These are immovable materials used during play in order to enhance holistic development. Example merry-go-round, swing, ladder, tunnels, tyres and many others.

Skill refers to the behavior that a child learns after engaging in certain activity.

Social skills: These are skills children develop that allow them to interact with others.

Ikemesit

Ikemesit Akpan is my name. I am a Nigerian author. I work with projectboss.com.ng. I’m a researcher and a writer of academic research.

ikemesitetukapan20233@gmail.com