Analysis of Children’s Play in Picture Books

The purpose of this study was to obtain a deep understanding of the plays depicted in the picture books that preschool children enjoy reading. Among the picture books whose theme is related to ‘play,’ 201 picture books that are written by domestic/international authors and published in South Korea were selected for this study and were analyzed according to criteria established by the researcher. The findings of this research reveal insights into various aspects. First, the types of play depicted in the picture books appeared most frequently in the following order: physical play, symbolic play, constructive play, game play, language play, and functional play. Second, the play materials depicted in picture books most commonly appeared in the following order: household items, natural objects, interactive picture books, large muscle play materials, model play materials, art materials, body, traditional play materials, constructive play materials, speech, electronic devices, and manipulative play materials. Third, the predominant play locations depicted in the picture books were indoor spaces like rooms and living rooms, followed by nature such as forests, seas, and fields. Fourth, in picture books, the most frequently depicted playmates were peers, followed by parents, siblings, surreal beings, animals, grandparents, friends that exist only in imagination, neighbors, teachers, and other relatives. Fifth, the most frequent role of adults in the play depicted in the picture books was being a participant, followed by providing play support, restricting the play, and observing the play. Children not only enjoy playing indirectly through reading books but also extend the play depicted in the picture books into their own real-life play. Therefore, the results of this study, which systemically analyzed the plays in the picture books, are expected to serve as foundational data for understanding and supporting children’s play.