DoI: https://doi.org/10.58537/jorangrau.2023.51.1.

12

J. Res. ANGRAU 51 (1) 103-112, 2023

PLAY BEHAVIOUR OF SELECTED PRIMARY SCHOOL

CHILDREN OF ASSAM

KARISHMA BEGUM* and M. PRIYA

Department of Human Development,

Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women,
Coimbatore- 641 043

Date of Receipt : 18.10. 2022 Date of Acceptance : 31.12. 2022

ABSTRACT

The study aimed to find out the type of play behaviour adopted by the children of primary
school in Biswanath, Assam in the year 2022. The size of the sample was 600 primary school
children in the age group of 6-8 years selected through random sampling technique. A self
constructed questionnaire was used to identify social and non-social play behaviour among the
children. The study revealed that children of 8 years had higher social play behaviour when
compared to children between ages of 6 and 7 Years. Study also reported that children living in
joint family had higher social play behaviour than those of nuclear family. No gender difference in
children’s play behaviour was found.

Keywords: Assam, Play behaviour, Primary School children

INTRODUCTION which may not be seen in other daily activities.

Play is a normative child behavior with Therefore, it is necessary to teach children in
defining characteristics. Play has a significant play way method, which will assure a pleasant
contribution towards children’s physical as well learning experience for them, help in acquiring
as psychological development. According to knowledge and skills and make them competent
the Oxford English Dictionary (2021), play is (Pasek et al., 2008).
an activity done for pleasure. Play develops Play behaviour of children
relationship between a child and the
Play is a regular and spontaneous
environment, which happens naturally and is
activity where children engage in various play
uninhibited by imagination. In addition, play is
activities depending on their age and interest.
the basis for developmentally appropriate
Play behaviour of children differs from
practice for children which ensures foundation
individual to individual. According to Parten
for their learning (Frost and Sutterby, 2017).
(1932), children show six categories of play
Children use their optimum maturity level in
behaviour, the first four categories are
order to carry out play activities more enjoyable
classified under non-social or semi-social play

*Corresponding Author E-mail i.d: [email protected]; Ph.D thesis submitted to Avinashilingam Institute
for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore

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activities which includes- 1) Unoccupied play establishing good relation with peers through
behaviour where the child does not have any social play is of utmost important as play
intentions or focus towards their activities; The behaviours provide a significant clues about
child might stare blankly or roam without any interaction and communication of children with
aim; 2) Onlooker play behaviour involves their peers and also with their social
observation of other children’s activities competence behaviour (Magdalena, 2015;
without participating in peer activities; 3) Uyanýk et al., 2018). Identifying play behaviour
Solitary play behaviour is where the child is of children helps parents and teachers to
playing separately from other children and provide positive environment for the optimum
paying little or no attention to other children; development of children as well as to enhance
he is fully engage in his own activities; and 4) better learning environment and help
Parallel play behaviour is where the child plays minimizing the negative consequences of
near other children but not playing with them. future life.
Additionally, socially interactive play involves
MATERIALS AND METHODS
two categories which are- Associative and Co-
operative play behaviour. Associative play The study is a descriptive study
behaviour involves interaction with other conducted in Biswanath district of Assam in the
children where children might use similar year 2022. The purpose of the study was to
materials for play but they rarely engage in identify play behaviour of children including
communication. Whereas, Co-operative play social and non-social play behaviour in the
involves group activity that is organized in order primary school of Biswanath, Assam. A total of
to carry out some activities to attain a particular 600 primary school children in the age group
goal. Peer interaction is important for the of 6-8 years, covering the North, South, East
overall development of children. In particular, and West zone of Biswanath district, Assam
child’s interactions among peers, in the form were selected as sample for the study. The
of co-operation, conflict, opposition, as well as sample were chosen through random sampling
friendly discussion, assists the child to increase technique.
an understanding of the self. Even children A self-constructed questionnaire on
experience themselves indirectly through peer play behaviour was constructed to assess play
responses. Thus, relationship with peers is behaviour of children. The questionnaire
essential for developing the skills for co- includes both i) socio-demographic profile and
operation, compromise, empathy and altruism ii) play behaviour of the sample. The
(Rubin et al., 2012). Friendship with peers questionnaire included a total of 40 statements
involve dyadic relationships including with both social and non-social play behaviour.
closeness and reciprocity resulting in social A reliability and validity test were done for the
play. In addition, lack of peer relations more self-constructed questionnaire with the help of
often show non-social behaviour such as social Chronbach’s alpha and the total value of
reticence, decrease in prosocial behavior, overall variable was 0.975. The structure of
academic difficulties and low self- esteem in the questionnaire was of 5-point Likert scale
children (Buhs et al., 2006; Coyne et al., with options of ‘Strongly Disagree’, ‘Disagree’,
2011). Therefore, helping children in ‘Somewhat Agree’, ‘Agree’ and ‘Strongly

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Agree’. The maximum score of the play mean, SD, t-test, and ANOVA test. Data
behaviour scale was 200 and minimum score regarding Demographic characteristics of the
was 40. The higher score indicated better respondents are shown in the Table 1.
social play behaviour and lower score showed
Table 1 showed that majority (34.2%) of
higher non- social play behaviour of children.
the respondents were in the age group of 8
The range was decided based on the acquired
years. Among the sample number of male
mean value for each dimensions and overall
children were more (51.5%) than female
play behaviour score.
children and also most (58%) of the children
The questionnaires were distributed to were living in nuclear family.
the mothers of the selected sample for
Level of play behaviour of children
collecting the required data. An assurance was
given by the researcher that the collected data Data obtained from the respondents
will be used only for research and will remain regarding Social and Non-social
confidential. play behaviour is shown in the Figure 1 and
Table 2.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
From the Figure 1, it is observed that
The study aimed to identify play
more than fifty percent of the children had
behaviour of primary school children in the age
average score followed by high and low level
group of 6- 8 years in Biswanath, Assam based
in play behaviour. This indicates that most of
on age, gender and family type of primary
the primary school children showed average
school children. Results of the study obtained
social play behaviour while some children
through the mothers of the children. Study
showed high social play behaviour and some
analysed different social and non-social play
showed low level of social play behaviour.
behaviour including unoccupied, solitary,
onlooker, anxious, associative, co-operative From the Table 2, it is found that in case
play behaviour and games with rules of the of non-social play behaviour 36.7% of the
children. Data were analysed through children scored high in unoccupied play
appropriate statistical measures such as behaviour, 47.7% scored high in solitary, 23.3%

Table 1. Distribution of respondents according to their demographic characteristics

S. No. Demographic
Characteristics(n=600) n %

1. Age (years) 6 194 32.3

7 201 33.5
8 205 34.2
2. Gender Male 309 51.5
Female 291 48.5
3. Type of family Nuclear 348 58
Joint 252 42

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Figure 1. Distribution of level of play behaviour of respondents

had high score in onlooker and 32.05% had From the results, it can be stated that in
high score in anxious behaviour. On the other non-social play including unoccupied, solitary,
hand in social play behaviour, it is observed onlooker play behaviour and anxious behaviour
that majority (43.8%) of children had higher children of primary school (6-8) years scored
score in associative and 36.2% had higher high which indicates they were engaged less
score in cooperative play behaviour. In case in non-social behaviour. Usually, children come
of games with rules, it is observed that across peer influence when they enter school
percentage of children scored in low category to a certain extent because they are
was more (28.7) than that of high category. surrounded by peers, but also because they’re

Table 2. Distribution of level of play behaviour of respondents on different dimensions

(based on multi-responses of the respondents)

S. No. Play behaviour High Average Low

N % N % N %

1. Non-social

Unoccupied 220 36.7 188 31.3 192 32

Solitary 286 47.7 213 35.5 101 16.8
Onlooker 134 22.3 374 62.3 92 15.3
Anxious 192 32.0 264 44.0 143 23.8
2. Social
Associative 263 43.8 208 38.0 109 18.2
Cooperative 217 36.2 245 40.8 137 22.8
Games with rules 164 27.3 263 43.8 172 28.7

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 PLAY BEHAVIOUR OF SELECTED PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN OF ASSAM

developmentally proficient of caring what solitary, onlooker, anxious, associative, co-

others think. Thus, children get exposure to operative and games with rules.
interact with peers and learn to be independent
From the results it is revealed that
in absence of parents. With the friendship with
children of 8 years had higher score in social
peers, children gratifies their need for
play as compared to children of 6 and 7 years.
belongingness through acceptance or
Right after entering school children gets new
attraction in the group, and also the need for
environment out of home where he starts
relationship which is satisfied through friendly
interacting with peers in the absence of
interactions with peers. By participating in the
parents. During school period, children
group coordinates their behaviours and attains
experience various environment of challenges
the common goal (Cheah et al., 2001;
which help them in shaping themselves in
Whitman, 2018). Play is the mediator through
variety of ways, both playing in pairs, small and
which children learn new skills and practice
large groups and also during interaction with
those learned skills while playing with the peers
peers. (Sorlie et al., 2021). As the children
and thereby increases peer relations. During
grow and progressively increase their shared
school years, social play becomes an integral
environment, school becomes an essential
part of the children. When a child grows,
ground where children both learn and practice
involving in social play rises as children
their learned social behaviour. Children learns
become more aware with other children and
through interacting with peers and peer
become familiar with their environment and
relation becomes a part of their life. After
thus have a tendency to play with peers (Gray,
spending years at school, the amount of time
2017). In addition, the child’s peer relationships
the children of 8 years spend interacting with
allows the child to develop a sense of
peers right after entering school rises from
belonging within the group. Thus, children of
about 10% to more than 30% and the peer
primary school enjoys playing in a group rather
group becomes much larger as compared to
than playing alone and hence they engage in
peer groups of earlier years (Rubin et al.,
more social play behaviour as compared to
2012). Thus, the extent to which children of 8
non-social play behaviour.
years feel socially integrated and recognized
Level of play behaviour of primary in the classroom determines their performance
school children based on age working in a group and results in involvement
of more social play instead of non-social play
From the Table 3, it is observed that
(Ladd et al., 2012). On the other hand children
majority of the children in the age group of 8
who are shy displays more non-social
years had highest score in unoccupied,
behaviors like onlooker, unoccupied, which in
solitary, onlooker, anxious, associative,
turn, associates with less social play (Stefania
cooperative and games with rules than those
et al., 2022).
of 6 years and 7 years children. Results also
revealed that there is a significant difference Play behaviour of primary school children
among children in the age group of 6 years, 7 based on gender
years and 8 years in the play behaviour with
From the results of Table 4, it is revealed
various dimensions namely- unoccupied,
that majority of the female children scored high

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Table 3. Distribution of level and differences in play behaviour of children based on age (in reference to multi-
responses of the respondents)

S. No. Play
behaviour Age High Average Low Mean SD F value

N % N % N %

1. Non-Social

Unoccupied 6 years 66 31.3 67 31.8 78 37.0 8.12 2.55 .029*

7 years 68 34.9 68 34.9 59 30.3 8.32 2.47
8 years 86 44.3 53 27.3 55 28.4 8.80 2.78
Solitary 6 years 86 40.8 89 42.2 36 17.1 19.18 4.41 .043*
7 years 96 49.2 70 35.9 29 14.9 19.61 4.51
8 years 104 53.6 54 27.8 36 18.6 20.36 5.24
Onlooker 6 years 36 17.1 144 68.2 31 14.7 11.31 2.73 .026*
7 years 43 22.1 122 62.6 30 15.4 11.62 3.02
8 years 55 28.4 108 55.7 31 16.0 12.12 3.37
Anxious 6 years 65 30.8 92 43.6 54 25.6 14.06 3.30 .000**
7 years 58 29.7 90 46.2 47 24.1 14.60 3.63
8 years 70 36.1 82 42.3 42 21.6 15.68 4.12
2. Social
Associative 6 years 83 39.3 89 42.2 39 18.5 17.06 4.59 .006*
7 years 82 42.1 79 40.5 34 17.4 17.46 4.66
8 years 98 50.5 60 30.9 36 18.6 18.59 5.56
Cooperative 6 years 73 34.6 89 42.2 49 23.2 28.20 6.53 .000**
7 years 86 44.1 73 37.4 36 18.5 29.70 7.26
8 years 99 51.0 50 25.8 45 23.2 31.51 9.06
Games with Rules 6 years 57 27.0 89 42.2 65 30.8 13.82 2.67 .000**
7 years 50 25.6 95 48.7 50 25.6 14.13 2.90
8 years 61 31.4 80 41.2 53 27.3 15.10 3.92
Total 6 years 31 14.7 135 64.0 45 21.3 111.76 23.48 .000**
7 years 41 21.0 117 60.0 37 190 115.44 25.60
8 years 68 35.1 84 43.3 42 21.6 122.16 30.91

*Significant at 5% level; ** highly significant at 1% level

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 PLAY BEHAVIOUR OF SELECTED PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN OF ASSAM

Table 4. Distribution of Level and differences in play behaviour of children based on

gender (in reference to multi-responses of the respondents)

S. No. Play Behaviour Gender High Average Low Mean SD t-test

n % n % n %

1. Non-social

Unoccupied Male 112 36.2 86 27.8 111 35.9 8.29 2.60 .246 NS
Female 108 37.1 102 35.1 81 27.8 8.54 2.62
Solitary Male 146 47.2 110 35.6 53 17.2 19.64 4.83 .733 NS
Female 140 48.1 103 35.4 48 16.5 19.77 4.65
Onlooker Male 70 22.7 190 61.5 49 15.9 11.61 3.07 .621 NS
Female 64 22.0 184 63.2 43 14.8 11.74 3.04
Anxious Male 100 32.4 129 41.7 80 25.9 14.74 3.69 .890 NS
Female 93 32.0 135 46.4 63 21.6 14.78 3.80
2. Social
Associative Male 138 44.7 118 38.2 53 17.2 17.57 5.00 .560 NS
Female 125 43.0 110 37.8 56 19.2 17.80 4.97
Cooperative Male 131 42.4 110 35.6 68 22.0 29.70 7.68 .847 NS
Female 127 43.6 102 35.1 62 21.3 29.82 7.87
Games with Rules Male 90 29.1 132 42.7 87 28.2 14.17 3.11 .182 NS
Female 78 26.8 132 45.4 81 27.8 14.52 3.37

NS= Non significant at 5% level

in unoccupied play, solitary and cooperative as well as peers shape children’s attitudes
play behaviour as compared to male children. results in gender differences in behaviour of
Regarding onlooker, co-operative, games with children. Teachers who believe in gender
rules and anxious behaviour, male children stereotypes and prejudices and receive less
scored high than those of female children. The training in recognizing and combating those
results also indicates that there is no stereotypical behaviour, often expect and lay
statistically significant difference in the foundation for gender differences among
unoccupied, solitary, onlooker, anxious, their children. Thus, most of the schools
associative, co-operative, and games with maintain the traditional gender stereotypical
rules between male and female children. behaviour rather than neutralizing biases and
Results also revealed that there is no behaviour (Bigler and Rebecca, 2013). In this
significant difference in social and non- social study the association between gender-typed
behaviour among male and female children. play behaviour was not moderated by sex,
School plays important role in socialization of however, the researcher did not found any
gender attitude, behavior of children. Teachers differences in their play behaviour as well.

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Play behaviour of primary school children development better than the nuclear family
based on type of family (Gurav and Vageriya, 2019). Moreover,
children in the joint family who receive
Data acquired from the study was also
qualitative child care are better in thinking,
analysed based on family type of children for
responding with others and interacting with
both social and non-social play behaviour and
friends and world around them which
results are discussed in the Table 5.
influences their play behaviour to adopt better
From Table 5, it can be observed that co-operative play and could be able to
majority of the children living in the joint family listen and follow the games with rules. They
scored high in unoccupied, solitary, onlooker, are somewhat better in play behaviour and
associative, cooperative play behaviour and adopting the skills related to play than those
games with rules than children of nuclear of who lived in nuclear families. They also may
family. With regard to anxious behaviour it was have good home environments; parents’ and
found that majority of children of nuclear family siblings support towards play and child care
showed high score in anxious play behaviour and also the structure of care and help for
than children of joint family. Results of the study children’s overall development with respect to
also revealed that there is no significant play. Researches also has shown that children
differences in unoccupied, solitary, onlooker, who are brought up in a lively and engaging
anxious and associative play behaviour among joint family are likely to be more socially
the children of nuclear family and children of adaptive and responsive in the later years of
joint family. Significant difference was found in the life compared to their contemporaries
the co-operative play behaviour and the games brought up in isolated nuclear families (Gupta
with rules among the children of nuclear family 2021). Thus, joint families have an obvious
and children of joint family. advantage when it comes to learning
Results also showed that children of joint interpersonal and social skills and improving
family had higher involvement in co-operative their play behaviour skills as well.
play and games with rules. It is well known that CONCLUSIONS
family forms the basis of a child’s development
and it acts as a child’s first school where he/ The study aimed to find out play
she learns about the surroundings, behavior, behaviour among the primary school children.
discipline, etc. Since in joint family, members The study reported that children in the age
under different age groups live together, the group of eight years who had better child care
child can get more exposure for learning new in joint families were able to take better
experiences with all the family members. The decisions, respond, and interact with the other
other family members involve in taking care of children and world around them which
the child, in the absence of parents. Hence, influences their play behaviour to adopt better
child get the environment to learn new things co-operative play and could be able to listen
by interacting with each other. Compared to and follow the games rules compared with 6
children of nuclear family, there is higher bond and 7 years aged children. This age group are
of unity and affection of children living in joint better in play behaviour and adopting the skills
family. Thus, joint family helps children to related to play than those of who lived in
provide nurturing environment for their social nuclear families.

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 PLAY BEHAVIOUR OF SELECTED PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN OF ASSAM

Table 5. Distribution of level of play behaviour and differences of play behaviour based
on types of family (in reference to multi-responses of the respondents)

S. No. Play Behaviour Gender High Average Low Mean SD t-test

n % n % n %

1. Non-Social

Unoccupied Nuclear 119 34.2 119 34.2 110 31.6 8.30 2.44 .203
Joint 101 40.1 69 27.4 82 32.5 8.57 2.83
Solitary Nuclear 160 46.0 127 36.5 61 17.5 19.39 4.67 .057
Joint 126 50.0 86 34.1 40 15.9 20.13 4.81
Onlooker Nuclear 70 20.1 227 65.2 51 14.7 11.50 3.01 .112
Joint 64 25.4 147 58.3 41 16.3 11.90 3.10
Anxious Behaviour Nuclear 115 33.0 157 45.1 76 21.8 14.54 3.57 .094
Joint 78 31.0 107 42.5 67 26.6 15.06 3.95
2. Social
Associative Nuclear 147 42.2 140 40.2 61 17.5 17.46 4.77 .206
Joint 116 46.0 88 34.9 48 19.0 17.98 5.26
Cooperative Nuclear 140 40.2 131 37.6 77 22.1 29.20 7.13 .040*
Joint 118 46.8 81 32.1 53 21.0 30.52 8.52
Games with rules Nuclear 91 26.1 166 47.7 91 26.1 14.10 2.92 .038*
Joint 77 30.6 98 38.9 77 30.6 14.66 3.61

* Significant at 5% level; NS= Non significant at 5% level

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How to cite this article?: Karishma Begum and Priya, M. 2023. Play behaviour of selected
primary school children of Assam. The Journal of Research ANGRAU. 51(1): 103-112.
https://doi.org/10.58537/jorangrau.2023.51.12

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