Children's involvement in informal play activities in Kenya: a case of Kiambu east and Kiambu west districts
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Date
2010
Authors
Waithaka, E.
Kaminyo, D. M.
Wanderi, P. M.
Mweru, M.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
This study was prompted by the outcry on decline of children's involvement in informal play, which is crucial for holistic development. In
Kenya, studies on play have mainly focused on formal play and the area of informal play has received minimal attention. The purpose forthe
study was to establish the status quo of children's involvement in informal play activities to compliment studies on formal games. The main
objectives were to identify the existing informal games and to establish the impact of identified factors on frequency of preferred games.
The study was based on Conflict-Enculturation Play Hypothesis, and Piaget's Cognitive Developmental Theory of play, in which informal play
environments are viewed as micro-world levels, which are prototypes of the complex macro-world society. The literature reviewed showed
that involvement in informal games is crucial for wholesome living. Descriptive study design was employed. The dependent variables were
the types of games and the frequencies of children's preferred play activities. The independent variables were the available leisure time, the
agents of games' transmission, types of sources of materials, and the type of teachers' participation in children's informal play. Other
independent variables were gender differences and the aspects of rural versus semi-urban settings.The population of the study comprised
Standard Three children from the public primary schools. Through multistage random sampling, SO%of the educational zones in each
division were selected. From each of the selected lone, two primary schools were randomly sampled, making a total oftwenty-twoschools.
All children in Class Three were interviewed in groups of between ten and twenty. Five boys and five girls were randomly selected for
individual interviews. Observations and Interview schedules were used to collect data. The qualitative data were put into meaningful
categories for descriptive interpretation. Quantitative data were statistically analysed by use of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences
(SPSS). Football was the most frequently preferred game and was followed by brikicho. Games that involved physical prowess and strategy
emerged as the most preferred play activities. The null hypotheses were tested at p<.OS. Pearson correlation coefficient results on the
association between leisure time and frequency of preferred informal games identified a significant relationship. ANOVA tests showed
significant differences in frequencies of preferred games in relation to agents of games' transmission, the sources of play materials and type
of teachers' participation. Results of t-tests showed significant gender related differences in children's preferred games but there were no
significant differences in relation to rural vis-a-vis semi- urban zones. Chi-square results on differences in frequencies of preferred games in
relation to presence of a television set showed no significant variation. Chi square results showed that there were Significant differences
between boys and girls' frequencies of preferred cooperative and competitive play activities, and there were no differences between
cooperative and competitive play activities among the divisions. The study came up with recommendations for teachers, curriculum
developers and further research.
Description
A paper presented at the 17th Biennal conference of the International society for Comparative Physical Education and Sport (ISCPES), 6th - 8th June, 2010, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya.