Measuring and Encouraging Playfulness: The Relationships of Environment and Social Skills on Play in Preschool Children

This study explored how preschool children’s playfulness relates to their social skills and to the level of environmental supportiveness in their classrooms. The participants were 212 children aged 48 to 60 months from 16 preschools in Turkey. Children’s playfulness, the supportiveness of their classroom environment, and their social skills were assessed using culturally adapted versions of the Test of Playfulness, the Test of Environmental Supportiveness, and the teacher form of the Social Skills Rating System. Rasch analysis was applied to ensure measurement accuracy and reliability. Overall, children displayed relatively high levels of playfulness. Classrooms with highly supportive environments—characterized by accessible open-ended materials, safe and sensory play areas, and engaged peers—were associated with higher playfulness than less supportive settings. However, the level of environmental support did not appear to affect children’s social skills in a direct way. A modest positive link was found between playfulness and social skills, especially in areas related to self-control and the ability to engage in shared play frames. These findings suggest that while a rich and supportive environment fosters playfulness, the development of social skills may depend on additional factors beyond the classroom setting. Encouraging teachers to take active yet facilitative roles—joining children’s play without dominating it—could help strengthen playfulness. Creating opportunities for child-led, imaginative, and cooperative play should be considered a key element of early childhood education.