큰빛반 유아의 지렁이 놀이 과정과 경험의 의미

초록

The study aimed to explore the process of earthworm play, as led by children, to understand the experiences had during play. The subjects of this study were 24 five-year-old children in the Keunbit class of a public kindergarten in city A. The researcher collected and recorded the play situations that emerged from children’s interest in and curiosity of earthworms discovered by chance in nature, through participatory observation, photography, or video recordings. By repeatedly interpreting and analyzing the text, the study explored the process of play and the meaning of play experience. The children in the Keunbit class took the initiative when playing and expanded their exploration of earthworms into various activities through the processes of ‘first meeting with earthworms', ‘waiting for earthworms', ‘playing with earthworms', and ‘parting with earthworms'. The results of interpreting the play experience concern ‘becoming a collaborator who shares in the experience of play and joy', ‘becoming an exploratory learner who enjoys the process of exploration', ‘'becoming someone who practices caring and sending' and ‘becoming an eco-friendly practitioner who wishes to coexist happily with earthworms'. Through these results, this study elucidates upon children’s ability to learn through play, which concerns both the content and process. Additionally, it emphasizes the necessity and importance of play-centered ecological activities (such as play related to raising animals) in early childhood educational institutions.

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