Free Play Matters: Promoting Kindergarten Children's Science Learning Using Questioning Strategies during Loose Parts Play.
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| Title: | Free Play Matters: Promoting Kindergarten Children's Science Learning Using Questioning Strategies during Loose Parts Play. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Zeng, Han Qi1 (AUTHOR), Ng, Siew Chin1 (AUTHOR) scng022@suss.edu.sg |
| Source: | Early Childhood Education Journal. Oct2025, Vol. 53 Issue 7, p2373-2388. 16p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Science education, *Early childhood education, *Student-centered learning, *Inquiry method (Teaching), *Analytical skills, *Teacher role |
| Abstract: | Early science inquiries and experiences increase young children's awareness and interest for science. The importance of promoting science process skills which bolster children's confidence to formulate and communicate personal ideas have been emphasised by international guidelines. As Loose Parts Play (LPP) is a form of free play involving open-ended play materials, its flexible nature promotes active exploration with materials that encourages children's interaction with science-related experiences. This teacher action research aims to explore the influence of open-ended questions on children's science process skills, as well as the scientific concepts that children are capable of exploring independently during play experiences. Analyses draw on video- and audio-recorded observation, child observation notes, and teacher journals. A total of 180 open-ended questions were employed by the teacher-researcher and 155 instances of science process skills were observed in a group of five-year-old children. Findings revealed that periods of uninterrupted play time followed by open-ended questions, extend children's science process skills, and add complexity to their scientific exploration. Furthermore, children were observed to self-initiate exploration of scientific concepts, such as transforming materials and changing motion, during these uninterrupted play periods. Overall, this teacher action research highlights the pivotal role that educators play in young children's playful learning experiences, where their timely use of open-ended questions has the capacity to facilitate children's early science learning during LPP. This study serves to define an educator's role within student-driven or child-initiated learning experiences, as well as guide educators in the utility of loose part materials, provision of uninterrupted play periods, and planning of open-ended questions to stimulate children's science exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Early Childhood Education Journal is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 187863962 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Free Play Matters: Promoting Kindergarten Children's Science Learning Using Questioning Strategies during Loose Parts Play. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zeng%2C+Han+Qi%22">Zeng, Han Qi</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ng%2C+Siew+Chin%22">Ng, Siew Chin</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> scng022@suss.edu.sg</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education+Journal%22">Early Childhood Education Journal</searchLink>. Oct2025, Vol. 53 Issue 7, p2373-2388. 16p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Science+education%22">Science education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Early+childhood+education%22">Early childhood education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student-centered+learning%22">Student-centered learning</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Inquiry+method+%28Teaching%29%22">Inquiry method (Teaching)</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Analytical+skills%22">Analytical skills</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+role%22">Teacher role</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Early science inquiries and experiences increase young children's awareness and interest for science. The importance of promoting science process skills which bolster children's confidence to formulate and communicate personal ideas have been emphasised by international guidelines. As Loose Parts Play (LPP) is a form of free play involving open-ended play materials, its flexible nature promotes active exploration with materials that encourages children's interaction with science-related experiences. This teacher action research aims to explore the influence of open-ended questions on children's science process skills, as well as the scientific concepts that children are capable of exploring independently during play experiences. Analyses draw on video- and audio-recorded observation, child observation notes, and teacher journals. A total of 180 open-ended questions were employed by the teacher-researcher and 155 instances of science process skills were observed in a group of five-year-old children. Findings revealed that periods of uninterrupted play time followed by open-ended questions, extend children's science process skills, and add complexity to their scientific exploration. Furthermore, children were observed to self-initiate exploration of scientific concepts, such as transforming materials and changing motion, during these uninterrupted play periods. Overall, this teacher action research highlights the pivotal role that educators play in young children's playful learning experiences, where their timely use of open-ended questions has the capacity to facilitate children's early science learning during LPP. This study serves to define an educator's role within student-driven or child-initiated learning experiences, as well as guide educators in the utility of loose part materials, provision of uninterrupted play periods, and planning of open-ended questions to stimulate children's science exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Early Childhood Education Journal is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1007/s10643-024-01741-6 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 16 StartPage: 2373 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Science education Type: general – SubjectFull: Early childhood education Type: general – SubjectFull: Student-centered learning Type: general – SubjectFull: Inquiry method (Teaching) Type: general – SubjectFull: Analytical skills Type: general – SubjectFull: Teacher role Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Free Play Matters: Promoting Kindergarten Children's Science Learning Using Questioning Strategies during Loose Parts Play. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Zeng, Han Qi – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Ng, Siew Chin IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 10 Text: Oct2025 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 10823301 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 53 – Type: issue Value: 7 Titles: – TitleFull: Early Childhood Education Journal Type: main |
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