The study was published in Early Education and Development by Józefacka from the university’s Institute of Psychology and Beyza Hamamcı, PhD, of Istanbul University. It is part of a broader project examining how self-regulation develops in children and how adaptation to environmental demands differs by age and gender.

“We have known from the literature that the form of play changes with age, with the most intense age of play occurring during preschool years”, Józefacka said in the university’s press release.

Most earlier studies were conducted in laboratory settings and focused primarily on play between two children or between a parent and child. The researchers examined how children play in a natural preschool environment in larger peer groups.

They also sought to describe the course of a single play cycle, noting that it requires time to unfold — beginning with planning and organisation, followed by development of the scenario, and ending when children lose interest and look for new activity.

The study analysed 93 Polish children aged 3 to 6 during a 30-minute free-play session. The researchers assessed organisation, defined as the quality and complexity of the narrative; elaboration of scenarios, including role-playing and attention to detail; and imagination, reflected in creative use of objects.

In a familiar preschool setting, children who knew each other were offered three play stations: a dress-up area with costumes, a construction area with LEGO bricks and a toy kitchen with plastic utensils and food. They received no instructions beyond being told they could play. The session was recorded on video.

The results indicate that engagement follows a distinct rhythm rather than remaining constant. Peak involvement occurred between 10 and 15 minutes after the start of play, regardless of gender.

The researchers observed limited gender differences. Boys’ engagement rose to a certain level and remained relatively stable until the end of the session. Girls’ engagement increased more quickly and then declined to a similar level. Girls more frequently built complex narratives and paid closer attention to structure and detail, while boys more often chose action-oriented activities. Differences in imagination were minimal.

Age was also a factor. Three-year-olds tended to play more spontaneously but showed less stable engagement and lost interest more quickly. Children aged 5 to 6 maintained concentration for longer periods and demonstrated more structured play.

“The period between 4 and 5 years of age is crucial for preschoolers. The older a child is, the better they can organise their play. Children aged 5-6 can become more engaged from the very beginning, and they can even remain engaged for longer than 30 minutes. With 3-4-year-olds, however, an element of boredom becomes apparent as time passes”, Józefacka said.

The findings highlight the importance of allowing sufficient time for uninterrupted play.

“Our results suggest that preschool education needs a balance between educational activities and self-directed play. Playtime should be long enough for children to develop an imagined scenario and practice regulatory skills during it. This is a stage on which they can practice things they will need later in school. And for this, they need time: to build the entire play experience, to complete it, and even to become bored with it”, Józefacka said. (PAP)

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