Fathers’ play beliefs and play participation as predictors of children’s playfulness

The aim of this study was to examine the roles of fathers’ play participation, play-related beliefs, and demographic characteristics in predicting preschool children’s playfulness. The participants consisted of 231 father-child dyads with preschool-aged children living in Denizli, a city located in southwestern Türkiye. Data were collected using the Parent Play Participation Scale, the Play Beliefs Scale, the Children’s Playfulness Scale, and a demographic information form. Pearson correlation and hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationships among the variables. The findings indicated that fathers’ play participation positively predicted children’s playfulness and emerged as the strongest predictor. In addition, fathers’ play participation differed according to perceived income level and fathers’ age, with lower levels of participation observed among fathers with lower income and those of older age.