Spatial density and its effects on children's cognitive play behaviors

The present study examined the relationship of spatial density to children's cognitive play behaviors and spatial density to the length of time children play in the block area of an early childhood classroom. There were 25 subjects (eleven 4- year olds and fourteen 5-year olds) who were videotaped daily playing in the block area during two 30-minute freeplay sessions for 30 days of data collection. The study was of an A-B-A design with a low spatial density condition (16' X 11’) as a control and a high spatial density condition (half the size of the low density condition) as the experimental condition. Children were self-selected into the block area. Every 30 seconds, children's cognitive play behaviors (functional, constructive and dramatic) and nonplay were recorded and analyzed using Smilansky's (1968) cognitive play scale. No relationship was found between spatial density condition and amount of time spent in the block area. Older children exhibited more complex play behaviors in the high spatial density versus the low spatial density condition. These results are discussed in regard to the effects of the experimental condition and the effect of developmental differences. Future research issues are discussed and implications are offered based on the study's results.