Playfulness and the Early Play Environment

This study investigates the influence of home environment and parental characteristics on levels of playfulness in young children. Data for 106 preschool children were collected on the birth order and sibling size of the family, age and occupation of both parents, and child-rearing attitudes and practices, including degree and type of parent-child play interaction. These measures were correlated with ratings of playfulness along five dimensions and results indicated significant interrelationships between the child’s playfulness and the characteristics of the home environment. The findings were mediated by the presence of a strong gender effect indicating different influences on playfulness in boys and girls.