Play, toys and children's conflicts

Abstract

This study investigated 77 conflict episodes, involving 3 to 4 year-olds enrolled in a public preschool in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Children's gender, the context in which conflicts occurred (playground or classroom), types of toys and of play activities involved in conflict episodes were considered. Data were registered through video recording and field notes and were analyzed using Analysis of Correspondence and of Residues. Results indicated that while conflicts involving symbolic play occurred more often in the classroom and among boys, girls showed a greater number of conflicts when playing with blocks. Rule-based play showed conflicts more often when groups were mixed. While adult oriented toys related with conflicts in mixed groups, child oriented toys occurred more frequently in groups of boys only. No association was found between girls and type of toys used during conflict episodes.

conflict; toy; play