Exploring Constructive Play

Abstract

Constructive play is a crucial aspect of kindergarten activities, influencing the pedagogy of preschoolers, and has been extensively studied in educational research. However, studies focusing on the relationship between constructive play and the interactions that develop during it are limited. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the characteristics of interactions during constructive play in kindergarten and their impact on preschoolers' development. The method of this study was a systematic review of the current literature over the past 14 years. A literature search was conducted on Google Scholar, ERIC, Scopus, Elsevier, and PubMed from December 2023 to March 2024, resulting in 18,200 studies (N=18,200). The results indicate that through constructive play, children develop cognitive and thinking skills. The review highlights that constructive play serves as a conduit for initiating learning processes, facilitating language development, aiding in knowledge acquisition, and cultivating essential interactive problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills.