Parent’s understanding about their involvement in 3-5- year old children’s play

Abstract

Play is an important part of childhood. There’s a lot of thoughts and perception about play. In different groups or cultures have their individual ideas about play. Play helps to develop the early childhood stages. When parents get involved with this activity it will make more fun and enjoyment. Every parents have their own choice of play with their child. Some parents showing their interest in play and some of them are not. The purpose of the study is to understand what Bangladeshi parents think about play and how they spend time with their 3-5- year- old children in their play activities. Qualitative approach was used and data were collected through 4 In-Depth Interview (IDIs) and 2 Focus Group Discussion (FGDs). The purposive sample method was used to choose a total 16 participants (4 in IDI and 12 in FGD). The majority of whom came from middle class families. The research’s conclusions are divided into three sections: i) parent’s understanding on play with their child, ii) the method of play that parents use to play with their child, iii) the learning skills they adopt by play. Every parent shared their own thoughts, personal experiences and what they think about play. All participants appreciated the importance for positive attitudes about play. For a greater research outcomes, additional research should be conducted in terms of broader perception from both rural and urban areas.