The Impact of Playfulness on the Development of School-Aged Children in Keamari, Karachi
Playfulness and Development in Children
Keywords:
Playfulness, Child development, Test of Playfulness, Karachi, SchoolsAbstract
Background: Playfulness is a core occupation of childhood and is essential for cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development. In densely populated urban settings such as the Keamari towns of Karachi, children’s opportunities for play may be constrained by academic pressure, limited access to safe outdoor spaces, and increased screen exposure. Despite these challenges, local data on children’s playfulness are scarce. This study aimed to assess the level of playfulness among school-going children aged 7–14 years in Keamari, Karachi.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between March and August 2024 among school-going children aged 7–14 years. Following cultural and linguistic adaptation, the 21-item Urdu version of the Test of Playfulness (ToP) was administered to parents, teachers, and caregivers using online Google Forms. Descriptive statistics summarized playfulness domains, while chi-square tests examined differences across age groups and gender. Internal consistency of the instrument was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha.
Results: Complete responses were obtained for 384 children (50.7% boys, 48.8% girls), with a mean age of 9.5 ± 2.3 years. Overall, 67% of children demonstrated high interest in play and 60% showed high imaginative play. However, only 38% exhibited high confidence in selecting games independently. Younger children (7–10 years) scored significantly higher in creativity and social framing of play compared with older children (p < 0.01). No significant gender differences were observed across playfulness domains. The Urdu ToP showed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.943).
Conclusion: Despite urban environmental stressors, playfulness remains relatively resilient among children in Keamari. However, reduced autonomy in game selection highlights the need for school- and community-based initiatives that protect time, space, and resources for self-directed play to support optimal child development.
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Copyright (c) 2025 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
