Abstract
The Covid-19 measures put in place by governments around the world to restrict the movement of people and limit the spread of the virus also impacted on children’s play. The importance of play in children’s lives has been well documented and research shows it plays a role in all aspects of development, including physical, cognitive and socio-emotional development. This chapter reports some key findings on changes in young children’s play in an Irish context based on parental responses to an online survey, gathered during the first Covid-19 lockdown in Spring 2020. Over five hundred parents of children aged one to ten years responded to the survey during May and June 2020, approximately two months into the first lockdown in Ireland, when all schools, preschools, playgrounds and non-essential businesses were closed. The findings of the survey shed light on the types and amounts of play that young Irish children engaged in during this time. Young children in Ireland spent a considerable amount of time in multiple types of play, in rich home play environments with parents who valued and facilitated their play, both in terms of the physical resources they provided and the social support they engaged in while playing with their child. The findings also highlight the inclusion of the virus and restrictions in all types of children’s play, with approximately one-third of the children bringing pandemic-related information into their play (e.g. corona chasing, LEGO ventilators). Interpreting these results and other international research through a bio-ecological lens offers a good approach to make sense of, and learn from, these findings.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Play in a Covid Frame |
Subtitle of host publication | Everyday Pandemic Creativity in a Time of Isolation |
Publisher | Open Book Publishers |
Pages | 265-284 |
Number of pages | 20 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781800648937 |
ISBN (Print) | 9781800648913 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2023 |
Keywords
- Covid-19 measures
- Irish context
- LEGO ventilators
- Spring 2020
- bio-ecological approach
- bio-ecological lens
- children’s play
- corona chasing
- first lockdown
- home play environments
- inclusion of virus and restrictions in play
- online survey
- pandemic-related information in play
- parental facilitation of play
- parental responses
- physical resources
- research findings
- social support
- types of play