Talking over children’s drawings about their favourite play times: how do children describe their play?

This study explored how children perceive their play activities and their connection to learning. The research involved 23 early childhood children of various ages from different cities, using a phenomenological approach. Through analyzing children's drawings and conducting semi-structured interviews, three main themes emerged: types of play, play for emotional experiences, and play for learning. Interestingly, none of the children mentioned their favorite play activities occurring at school, yet most of them believed that learning can happen during play. However, children who preferred digital games seemed unaware of the educational aspects of their activities. These findings emphasize the importance of promoting learning through play in educational settings, while also highlighting the role of adults in understanding digital games' potential for learning.