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Play to Foster Children’s Executive Function Skills: Exploring Short-and Long-Term Effects of Digital and Traditional Types of Play

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine what types of play ensure stable progress in executive functions in preschoolers. Experimental design included six study groups according to the type of play: role play (Free Play group, Adult-Directed Play group, Child-Directed Play group), play with rules, digital play, and control group. All groups were equalized based on the initial level of executive functions. One hundred and thirty-six senior preschoolers aged five to seven years attended 14 play sessions, 20–30 min each. The post-tests on executive functions were conducted immediately after the end of training and 4 months later. The results have shown a sustainable positive effect on the executive functions development for role play and play with rules, while digital play have shown a lasting result only for inhibition. In addition, long-term effects of role play and play with rules were significantly higher than in control group. These data point to the developmental potential of role play and play with rules in working with preschoolers.

Resumen

El objetivo del presente estudio fue determinar los tipos del juego que aseguran el desarrollo estable de las funciones ejecutivas de los niños preescolares. El diseño experimental se concluyó en seis grupos de estudio, según el tipo de juego: juego de roles (grupo de juego libre, grupo de juego dirigido por adultos, grupo de juego dirigido por los niños), juego con reglas, juego digital, y grupo de control. Todos los grupos fueron igualados en función del nivel inicial de funciones ejecutivas. Ciento treinta y seis niños preescolares de edades comprendidas entre cinco y siete años asistieron a 14 sesiones de juego, de 20 a 30 minutos cada una. Las pruebas posteriores de funciones ejecutivas se realizaron inmediatamente después de finalizar la formación y cuatro meses después. Los resultados demostraron un efecto positivo y estable en el desarrollo de las funciones ejecutivas en el juego de roles y en el juego con reglas, mientras que el juego digital demostró el efecto duradero sólo en el caso de la inhibición. Además, los efectos a largo plazo del juego de roles y del juego digital fueron significativamente mayores que en el grupo de control. Estos datos subrayan el potencial del desarrollo del juego de roles y del juego con reglas al trabajar con niños en edad preescolar.

Abstrait

L`objectif de cette étude était de déterminer quels types de jeux assurent un progrès stable des fonctions exécutives chez les enfants d'âge préscolaire. La conception expérimentale comprenait six groupes d'étude selon le type de jeu : jeu de rôle (groupe de Jeu Libre, groupe de Jeu Dirigé par un Adulte, groupe de Jeu Dirigé par l'Enfant), jeu équitable, jeu numérique et groupe témoin. Tous les groupes ont été égalisés en fonction du niveau initial des fonctions exécutives. Cent trente-six enfants d'âge préscolaire âgés de cinq à sept ans ont participé à 14 séances de jeu de 20 à 30 minutes chacune. Les post-tests sur les fonctions exécutives ont été réalisés immédiatement après la fin de la formation et 4 mois plus tard. Les résultats ont montré un effet positif durable sur le développement des fonctions exécutives pour les jeux de rôle et les jeux équitable, tandis que le jeu numérique n'a montré un résultat durable que pour l'inhibition. De plus, les effets à long terme des jeux de rôle et des jeux numériques étaient significativement plus élevés que dans le groupe témoin. Ces données soulignent le potentiel de développement des jeux de rôle et des jeux avec des règles dans le travail avec les enfants d'âge préscolaire.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Childhood Psychology and Digital Socialization, Federal Scientific Center of Psychological and Multidisciplinary Research, Moscow, Russia

    Aleksandr N. Veraksa, Vera L. Sukhikh, Margarita N. Gavrilova & Valeriya A. Plotnikova

  2. Department of Psychology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

    Nikolay N. Veresov

  3. Department of Psychology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia

    Aleksandr N. Veraksa, Vera L. Sukhikh, Margarita N. Gavrilova & Valeriya A. Plotnikova

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  1. Aleksandr N. Veraksa
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Correspondence to Vera L. Sukhikh.

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Veraksa, A.N., Veresov, N.N., Sukhikh, V.L. et al. Play to Foster Children’s Executive Function Skills: Exploring Short-and Long-Term Effects of Digital and Traditional Types of Play. IJEC (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13158-023-00377-8

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