Abstract
This paper examines the relationship between children’s preferences for play involving formative activities and their interest in learning academic subjects. A questionnaire survey was conducted on 185 children in the early grades of elementary school, investigating their preferences for six types of play involving formative activities and their preferred subjects. Approximately 50% of the children in the sensory play group preferred physical education; approximately 60% of the children in the making things group preferred arts and crafts; and approximately 40% of the children in the pretend play group preferred music. This indicates a correlation between the characteristics of play involving formative activities preferred by children and learning styles of their preferred subjects. In addition, the question about “things made in early childhood” suggests a relationship between comprehensive activities related to formative expression and children’s memories.
