Abstract:

The aim of this study is to analyze the attitude of children, mothers and teachers in relation to toys. In the qualitative research; structured interviews composed of identical four questions about toys were carried out with 10 preschool age children (48-72 months), 17 mothers and 11 preschool teachers. The answers given for the questions were evaluated in the sense of content, and were collected under four headings being ‘definition of toy’, ‘choice of toy’, ‘perception of toy’ and ‘emotions, wishes, warning and criticism towards toy’; properties emphasized in answers under each heading were stated. For the first question of the interview ‘what is a toy?’, the most prominent answer of children was ‘a tool for a game’, then its being ‘pretty-entertaining’. For the same question, answers from both mothers and teachers were firstly about its features related to ‘development’ and secondly about ‘entertainment-learning-learning through entertainment’. It was observed that for the second question of the interview; “What do you consider while buying a toy?”, the children gave the answers of ‘individual wishes’, ‘parental views’ and ‘physical properties of the toy’. It is understood from the answers of mothers that properties such as ‘supporting education and learning’, ‘being healthy and secure’, ‘being of a good standard and quality’, ‘being entertaining’ and ‘being appropriate for the age’ were regarded. Teachers were asked ‘what are the factors that are effective in children’s choice of toys?’ and teachers emphasized toys’ properties of ‘color’, ‘sound’, ‘movement’, ‘appearance’. When the answers given for the third question ‘what is the first object that comes to your mind when we say toy?’ relating to the heading ‘perception of toy’; it was seen that the first two toys that came to mind for all children, mothers and teachers was ‘car’ and ‘doll’.

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