Abstract:

Grandparents, one of the significant members of family system, have an important place in the earlier preschool years, which is a critical period in the development process of children. The current study that was designed in order to investigate the views of preschool children over their grandparents was carried out with 175 children at the age of 5-6 determined randomly among those attending to a preschool education institution in Ankara. The data was gathered through the application of a face-to-face form in determining the views of the children over their grandparents. By giving percentage values, it was analysed through X2 test. Of the children, 46,9% were girls and 77,1% had a large family. It was determined that children frequently talked to their grandparents. Even though there was not a statistically significant difference in terms of the gender of the children, majority of the children expressed that they liked the walking, clothes, skins, smells and speaking of their grandparents. In the activity of having a bath, 47,6% of the girls and 28,0% of the boys preferred their grandparents and no significant significance was found between the choices of boys and girls (x2=10.279, p < 0.05). It was found that when the grandparents touched them, 97,6% of the girls and 89,2% of the boys felt happy and that grandparents’ touching to their grandchildren was significant in terms of gender (x2=4.716, p < 0.05). In the cases of their hugging and paying attention to them, going for a walk, giving them a present, and the children felt themselves happy. When children stayed away from them, when they got angry with them and whey they were interested in with others, they felt unhappy. When the children are together with their grandparents, their grandparents provide them with a secure environment. Grandparents form a model for the children. They spend enjoyable time with them. The sharing experienced is of importance in supporting them for their development and education.

Keywords: