From Play to Creativity: The Mediating Role of Self-regulation in Kindergarteners

The interplay between playfulness, executive functions, and creativity is paramount for children’s cognitive and emotional development, as these variables significantly impact early learning and problem-solving abilities. The current study investigates the associations between playfulness, executive functions, and creativity among kindergarteners, with a focus on the mediating role of self-regulation. A sample of 124 Arab Israeli children (64 females) aged 5–6 years completed the head-toes-knees-shoulders (HTKS; Ponitz et al. in Developmental Psychology, 45(3):605–619, 2009, https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015365) task, the Hand Movement Test (Kaufman and Kaufman (Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC, K-ABC), APA PsycTests, 1983, https://doi.org/10.1037/t27677-000), the Beery Visual-Motor Integration [Beery and Beery (The Beery-Buktenica developmental test of visual-motor integration: Administration, scoring, and teaching manual, NCS Pearson, 2004)] test, and the Thinking Creatively in Action and Movement [Torrance (Thinking creatively in action and movement, Scholastic-Testing Service, 1981)] measures while the teachers completed The Children’s Playfulness Scale (Barnett in Play & Culture, 3(4):319–336, 1990). Correlation analyses revealed significant associations between playfulness factors and creativity, indicating that playful behaviors are positively linked to creative expression. Notably, the HTKS task demonstrated a significant mediating effect in the relationship between total playfulness and creativity, as confirmed by Sobel test results (z ≈ 7.49). This highlights the crucial role of self-regulation in facilitating creative thought processes during play. The findings highlighted the importance of promoting playfulness and self-regulation abilities in early childhood education to advance creative development. Implications for educational practices and the need for future research exploring these constructs across diverse populations and settings are discussed. This study contributes to the expanding body of literature connecting executive functions to creativity, especially within the context of play, underscoring the necessity of holistic approaches in early childhood development.