郊外地区に在住する幼少児の遊びに関する研究

抄録

In this study, the play of children (from the first year of nursery school to the lower grades of elementary school) living in a suburban area was considered from the point of view of continuity. Specifically, the focus was upon "play items," "playmates," "play spaces," and "play time," and the status of these four factors were analyzed. Guardians numbering 525 persons, who were well aware of the children's daily circumstances, answered various questions relating to the children's play. As a result, the following points concerning the current situation have become clear.

(1) The regional identity (i. e. urban or suburban) of play items has disappeared, and play items are becoming homogenized and standardized.

(2) Traditional types of play are nearly extinct, having been replaced by enterprise-provided types of play.

(3) The number of playmates after nursery school or elementary school is commonly two.

(4) In terms of location, playing "inside the house" or "near the house is prominent, after nursery school or elementary school, and the tendency to play indoors is increasing.

(5) The time spent watching television exceeds that of playing outdoors or indoors.

Taking into consideration the importance of children's play to their physical / mental health, the above results show that sufficient time and environments conducive to children gathering together after nursery school or elementary school, and actively playing, appear to be lacking. Therefore, educational institutions such as nursery and elementary schools must fulfill their function as important "playgrounds." Furthermore, it is important that nursery staff and teachers be intentionally and actively involved in play, and communicate, by virtue of their experience, how fun it is to gather together and play, and how important and valuable it is to have contact with peers and friends.