The effect of play on children's religious development in quran courses for 4-6 year olds: Teachers' perspectives

This study aims to examine the role of play in the religious development processes of children aged 4-6 from the perspective of Qur'an course instructors. In this context, the concept of "play" is understood not as children's spontaneous and natural play behaviors, but as structured, goal-oriented, and pedagogically integrated play-based activities designed by instructors to achieve specific learning outcomes. According to the instructors, play provides a natural learning environment through which children internalize knowledge, skills, and values; therefore, it serves as an effective method in religious education and contributes to cultivating healthy religious thinking and behavioral patterns. The research was conducted using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. In the first phase, a 31-item five-point Likert-type scale was administered to 202 instructors across Türkiye. Content validity was ensured through expert evaluations, and item selection was aligned with the theoretical framework. Descriptive statistics indicated that instructors held highly positive attitudes toward play-based religious education. Exploratory Factor Analysis revealed a multidimensional structure, with item loadings falling within acceptable ranges. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient of .948 demonstrated high internal consistency. Comparisons across demographic variables showed no significant differences except for professional seniority, suggesting that positive attitudes toward play-based learning are broadly homogeneous, while professional experience may influence attitudes toward the use of play. In the second phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 50 instructors selected from the quantitative sample. Thematic analysis identified several themes, including age appropriateness, values education, concretization of abstract religious concepts, increased motivation and engagement, play-based assessment, and material use. Instructors emphasized that play effectively supports the acquisition of key religious and moral values such as love of God, patience, sharing, and cooperation. They also reported that abstract concepts become more understandable through drama, puppetry, storytelling, and other play-based methods. Additionally, play was described as enhancing attention, supporting retention of learned information, and functioning as a natural assessment tool.