Free Play as Pedagogical Praxis in Finnish Early Childhood Education: Examining Its Association on Children's Perceived Developmental Outcomes and Teachers' Instructional Beliefs

This study examined free play as a pedagogical praxis in Finnish early childhood education and its association with children’s perceived developmental outcomes and teachers’ instructional beliefs. Specifically, it assessed the extent of classroom practices of free play, children’s perceived developmental outcomes, teachers’ instructional beliefs, and the relationships among these variables. A descriptive-correlational research design was employed among thirty-three (33) early childhood education teachers from selected Norlandia Päiväkodit Oy daycare centers in Finland using purposive sampling. Data were collected through a researcher-adapted questionnaire based on the works of Fisher et al. (2011), Hyvönen (2011), Kim (2004), Pyle and Danniels (2017), Weisberg et al. (2016), and Zosh et al. (2018). Frequency count, percentage, weighted mean, standard deviation, and Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient were used in the analysis of the data. The findings revealed that free play classroom practices were generally highly evident, while children’s perceived developmental outcomes and teachers’ instructional beliefs regarding free play were assessed at very high levels. Significant relationships were found between classroom practices of free play, teachers’ instructional beliefs, and children’s perceived developmental outcomes. The study concluded that effective free play practices and positive instructional beliefs contributed to children’s holistic development. It was recommended that the proposed Enhancement Program for Strengthening Free Play Practices in Finnish Early Childhood Education be implemented to sustain and further improve play-based pedagogical practices.