ABSTRACT The purpose of the study was to investigate the Effectiveness of Play on Early Childhood Development in ECDE Centers of Maragwa Division, Murang'a South District Kenya The specific objectives of the study were to Determine the profile of the respondents in regards to: age, gender and academic level, to investigate the importance of playing in regards to: academic achievement, problem solving, social and linguistic competence Confidence building and Healthy development and to identify the hindrances to children's playing The methods used for data collection were questionnaires to the teachers and focus group discussion with the parents. The findings indicated that playing had a positive effect on the performance of early childhood children, playing helped children learn how to solve problems, it also indicated that children who play learn to trust people and in the process learn to be confident and indicated that lack of enough playing materials was the major hindrance to children's play Government should make sure early childhood centers have enough and strong playing materials before they are licensed. The community and parents should be sensitized about the importance of playing so that they also participate in children's playing activities . Schools should make sure they fulfill what is in the curriculum by involving children in playing activities.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION ..................................................................................................... ii

APPROVAL .......................................................................................................... iii

DEDICATION ....................................................................................................... iv

ACKNOWLEDGMENT ......................................................................................... v

TABLE OF CONTENTS ....................................................................................... vi

LIST OF TABLES .................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.

LIST OF CHARTS ................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.

ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................ viii

CHAPTER ONE ................................................................................................... 1

INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 1

1.1. Background of the study ................................................................................ 1

1.2 Statement of the Problem ............................................................................... 2

1.3 Purpose of the Study ...................................................................................... 2

1.4 Objectives of the study ................................................................................... 3

1.5 Research Questions ....................................................................................... 3

1.6 Scope of the Study ......................................................................................... 3

1. 7 Significance of the Study ................................................................................ 4

CHAPTER TWO ................................................................................................... 5

LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................ 5

2.0 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 5

2.1 Importance of playing to children .................................................................... 5

2.1.1 Academic achievement ............................................................................... 5

2.1.2 Problem Solving .......................................................................................... 5

2.1.3 Social and Linguistic Competence ............................................................... 6

2.1.4 Confidence building ..................................................................................... 7

2.2. Hindrances to children's playing .................................................................... 7

CHAPTER THREE ............................................................................................... 9

METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................. 9

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3.1 Design ............................................................................................................ g

3.2. Environment .................................................................................................. 9

3.3. Respondents ................................................................................................. g

3.4. Instruments of data collection ........................................................................ g

3.5. Data collection procedure .............................................................................. g

3.6. Statistical treatment of data ........................................................................... g

CHAPTER FOUR ............................................................................................... 11

DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATIONS ...................... 11

4.1. Profile of the respondents ............................................................................ 11

4.3. Importance of playing on tile children .......................................................... 15

CHAPTER FIVE ................................................................................................. 26

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................. 26

5.1 Conclusion .................................................................................................... 26

5.2 Recommendations ........................................................................................ 27

5.3 Areas for furtiler studies ............................................................................... 27

REFERENCES ................................................................................................... 28

APPENDIXA: QUESTIONNAIRE FOR TEACHERS .......................................... 30

APPENDIX B: TIME SCHEDULE .......................... 

APPENDIX C: BUDGET ........................................