Examining the relationship between parents' risky game allowance levels, preschool children's independent learning behaviors and emotion regulation skills

This study, which aims to examine the relationship between the level of parents' permission for risky play and the independent learning and emotion regulation skills of preschool children, was planned as a correlational research design in the relational screening model. The universe of the study consists of children aged 4-5 who attend independent kindergartens affiliated with the Ministry of National Education in the Seyhan, Yüreğir and Çukurova districts of Adana in the 2024-2025 academic year and their parents. Since the data cannot be obtained directly from the children, the data regarding the children also include the perception of teachers. The sample of the study consists of 708 children, 336 girls and 372 boys, attending kindergartens. The criterion sampling method, which is a subtype of the non-random sampling method, was used. The data collection tool in the study was the "Parent Personal Information Form" created by the researcher in order to obtain demographic data about the children, and the "Risky Play Permission Scale" to evaluate children's risky play. The "Teacher Personal Information Form" was used to learn the demographic information of the teachers. The "Independent Learning Behaviors Scale (3-5 years)" was used to evaluate the independent learning behaviors of the children, and the "Emotion Regulation Scale (ERS)" was used to measure emotion regulation skills. The data were analyzed using a package program. According to the results of the research; it is seen that the levels of parents' permission for risky play do not differ according to gender and age group; it differs according to the number of siblings, birth order, parental education level, family structure and perceived income levels. It was concluded that the levels of parents' permission for risky play are low. In the research, a weak relationship was found between children's participation in risky games and independent learning behaviors; a statistically significant positive and very weak relationship was found between the game score and emotion regulation scores at low-risk heights.