The Relationship Between Play and Creativity Among Elementary School Students

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  In Roundtable Session: Approaches and Challenges to Youth Health and Well-Being

Abstract

The significance of play in children's development has been advocated but remains understudied. This study explores the relationship between elementary school students’ engagement in various types of play and their self-reported creativity. Data were collected from 1,200 students using a self-developed Creativity Inventory. Confirmatory factorial analysis through a split-sample approach (n₁ = 588; n₂ = 612) yields good measurement properties and model fit (CFI = .98, TLI = .95, RMSEA = .10). Results show low overall play frequency, with outdoor and indoor play being most common. Engagement in outdoor (p<.001), indoor (p<.001), and risky (p=.006) play was positively associated with creativity, whereas online play is negatively correlated (p=.035). The results highlight the value of diverse play in promoting creativity.

Authors

• Tzu-Erh Yang, National Cheng Kung University

• Yu-Shan Ting, National Chung Hsing University

• I-Hsuan Chen, National Cheng Kung University

• Hsu-Chan Kuo, National Cheng Kung University