Effects of Maternal Views and Support on Childhood Development Through Joint Play

Abstract

Background: : Playful interactions draw a mother and child toward each other in positive ways; therefore, time spent in playful interactions with a responsive mother may be a developmental asset for a child. It is critical to examine how mothers support their children in joint play as well as their views of joint play. Methods: : This mixed-methods study consisted of 32 mothers and their typically developing children. The Parent's/Caregiver Support of Young Children's Playfulness, the Test of Playfulness, the Environmental Supportiveness Assessment, and seven open-ended interviews were used to assess joint play and maternal perceptions of this experience. Results: : Significant correlations were found between maternal support behaviors and a child's playfulness manifestation. The more frequently the mother supported her child during joint play, the less playful a child was. However, the mothers who supported their children's engagement in the process and promoted decision-making and creative play had children that were more playful. The theoretical framework explained maternal perceptions of joint play and what mothers thought was important for their children. Conclusions: : The mothers perceived joint play as central to their lives and as an opportunity to teach and direct their children's engagement. It appeared the children were more playful when their mothers supported their self-exploration, decision-making, and creative play. Comments The authors report that there are no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Differences in how mothers and fathers support children playfulness

“…In recent years, there has been a shift to focus on child and parent playfulness (Menashe-Grinberg & Atzaba-Poria, 2017;Waldman-Levi, Finzi-Dottan, et al, 2019;Waldman-Levi, Grinion, & Olson, 2019) due to its contribution to a child's emotional regulation, social skills, and overall development (Gregory et al, 2019;Lindsey et al, 2013).…”

“…Playfulness Model guided this study (e.g., Bundy & Du Toit, 2019;Waldman-Levi & Bundy, 2016;Waldman-Levi, Finzi-Dottan, et al, 2019;Waldman-Levi, Grinion, & Olson, 2019) in assessing differences in how mothers and fathers support their child's playfulness behaviour during 15-min joint play at home as well as differences in child's playfulness.…”

“…The Model of Playfulness originally used to measure children playfulness in the context of play (Bundy & Du Toit, 2019;Skard & Bundy, 2008) and later expanded to measure how parents or caregivers support children playfulness (Waldman-Levi, Finzi-Dottan, et al, 2019;Waldman-Levi & Bundy, 2016;Waldman-Levi, Grinion, & Olson, 2019). The Model of Playfulness consists of four essential elements.…”