<scp>COVID</scp> ‐19 Lockdown and Children's Recreational Experiences: A Cross‐Sectional Study Using the Six Stages of Play Theory

ABSTRACT The study was a cross‐sectional online inquiry that utilised a convergent parallel design for data collection and analysis. A semi‐structured questionnaire and a key informant interview guide were used to collect data from children under the age of 18. A total of 385 children, comprised of 188 boys and 197 girls aged 10–17, took part in the survey, whereas 59 children were involved in the personal interviews (PIs). Using the Six Stages of Play Theory, this paper examined the prevalence of children's participation in recreational activities during Ghana's COVID‐19 lockdown, the types of recreational activities children participated in, the reasons for children not participating in recreational activities, and how the COVID‐19 lockdown affected children's recreation. The results show that seven in ten children engaged in recreational activities, with participation being higher among females than males. The pandemic lockdown impacted children's capacity to enjoy unrestricted play. Even though the COVID‐19 pandemic has been declared officially over, the paper recommends using the current study's findings as a foundation and a guide for future events involving children's participation in leisure and recreation under similar confinement conditions.