This study aims to explore perceptions of otherness among primary school children, focusing on 4th-grade students in the southern region of Türkiye. The study group consists of 48 Turkish and Syrian students selected through criterion sampling, a purposive sampling method. Employing a qualitative research approach, this study utilized a case study…

The author examines guided play among students in a South African classroom using a play-and-write workshop constructed by her and her students. She determines that the workshop displays the characteristics of playful learning, lies on the playful learning spectrum, and fits the criteria for guided play. She concludes that, given the benefits of…

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine playful practices in the science video composition of a fourth-grader. Design/methodology/approach: With an analytic interest in "chasing the theory of muchness" (Thiel, 2015a) that describes distinctive moments of affective energies in playful learning, the authors explored a child's…

In the 21st Century, it has become more difficult for teachers to attract students to the curriculum due to many factors that entertain students. Hence, teachers need to think about teaching methods that indirectly motivate students to learn. Moreover, this need is more felt in mathematics because it requires the constant creation of new cognitive…

This research was carried out to determine the opinions of teachers and parents about the reflection of the TV series watched by primary school students on the games they play. In the study, an interview form was applied to teachers and parents, who belonged to the study group from which qualitative data was collected. The participants of the…

Presently, in Malta, syllabi are being replaced by learning outcomes. For ages 3-7, the outcomes are framed holistically (e.g. identity, communication, etc.), and it is recommended that children learn mathematics informally through play and projects. For ages 8-11, learning outcomes are subject-based, and new mathematics textbooks are being phased…

Background: In this paper, we extend findings from previous iterations of a design-based project called ThinkerSpaces design studios that promotes human-centred design among children. ThinkerSpaces design studios is a play-based afterschool club that follows principles of embedded design by prioritising learner agency, exploration and ongoing…

This study tested a novel approach to capitalizing on the benefits of play for informal math learning. Two experiments evaluated a platform called "Fraction Ball," that provides an embodied, playful, and physically active learning experience by modifying the lines on a basketball court to support rational number learning. In the Pilot…

This study examined the effects of group games on female elementary students' cooperation skills. Two classes of elementary female students were assigned as an experimental or a control group. The study used a quasi-experimental method for the evaluation and comparison of cooperation development and administered the Measurement of…

The COVID-19 pandemic's restrictions for schools and playgrounds threatened children's social and emotional wellbeing. In response, Grade 4/5 students created music-based activities through action research to sustain playground interactions. This study explored the crucial yet fragile playground relationships and the children's determination to…

Background/Context: Educators have considered how Minecraft supports language and literacy practices in the game and in the spaces and circumstances immediately surrounding gameplay. However, it is still necessary to develop additional conceptualizations of how children and youth's online and offline worlds and experiences are blurred by and…

Prosocial teasing is the positive playful form of relational aggression, and studies have found children engage in playful teasing more often than aggressive teasing. Therefore, understanding the basic characteristics or skills that contribute to the more complex social skill of prosocial teasing is important. The current study focused on the role…

Research on puppets in Intermediate Phase mathematics is in its infancy. According to Vygotsky, play affords a playful element that can optimise learning opportunities. However, many mathematics teachers are unfamiliar with the integration of pedagogy of play (PoP) (in this case, puppetry). The aim of this paper is to report on one participant's…

Background: School connectedness (SC) is associated with improved health and academic outcomes. The purposes of this study were to explore factors contributing to students' perceptions of SC and if participation in structured recreation at school was associated with SC. Methods: We used concurrent mixed-methods including cross-sectional…

Narrative is an important part of how humans make sense of the world and express their thoughts and feelings. For children, stories are the predominant way in which they organize and express ideas and imagination. Hence, stories have a significant role in children's various play activities, especially pretend-play. At around the third to fifth…