Parenting Activities and Social Skills of Kindergarten Children

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Parents play an important role in designing educational opportunities and engaging fully with their children to develop early social skills. Parents must consider the importance of providing conducive learning environment by means of conducting stimulating activities that would help the child become a person with confidence. This study aimed to relate parenting activities and social skills of kindergarten children.

METHODS

This study employed correlational research design. The respondents of this study were the twenty-nine (29) accessible parents of the kindergarten children officially enrolled in Shalom Crest Wizard Academy. Following the survey method, modified questionnaire was used to gauge the parenting activities, while secondary data were used to determine the social skills of the pupils. Frequency count, weighted mean and Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient were used to described and treat the data gathered.

RESULTS

The result showed that the parents often do hands-on activities with their children and they play sports and games with them. Meanwhile, the kindergarten children often exhibit social skills. The correlation analysis revealed that there is no significant relationship between the parenting activities and social skills of kindergarten children. This study concluded that the parenting activities do not influence the social skills of the kindergarten children. The results correlates with the study of Diamond et al. (2000) that the frequency of home learning activities parents reports their children were engaged in previous week. Parents reported providing their children with reading and watching educational television several times a week as learning opportunities. However, the home learning activities reported were unrelated to parents' concerns regarding their child's kindergarten readiness. This study is parallel with the study of Moore (2008), that the home learning activities conducted were unrelated to the social skills of the kindergarten children.

DISCUSSIONS

Based on the findings of the study the parents should attend social gathering provided by the school like family day. The administrator of the school may have some community activities like engaging a child to a wholesome and fun activity for example educational trip, going to the park and attending parties that can help the children enhance their social skills. Hence, this study recommended that the parents should attend social gatherings provided by the school.