Early Childhood Play Materials: A Study on Parental Awareness, Attitude and Practices towards Child Development in LMIC

Abstract

Play is an essential aspect of early childhood development that promotes cognitive, motor, social and emotional development. In Low and Middle-income countries (LMICs), children’s access to play may be limited due to poverty, lack of resources and inadequate knowledge among parents about their importance. The aim of the study was to explore the knowledge, attitude, and practice of parents towards early childhood play materials in LMICs and their impact on child development.  300 parent-infants (less than 7 months of age) dyad were recruited from a well baby clinic at a tertiary care hospital. The parents were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of question under three domains, knowledge, attitude, and practice.

A positive linear correlation was found between Knowledge and Attitude, Knowledge and Practice and Attitude and Practice in this study. The parents of infants have a good knowledge regarding the role of early exposure of play materials and also had a better attitude and practice to encourage their infants and engage themselves during play with different types of play materials.

The good knowledge in parents might lead to positive attitude and a good practice in parents regarding the early exposure of play materials in children.