ArticleInternational journal of environmental research and public health2020
Effects of an Unstructured Free Play and Mindfulness Intervention on Wellbeing in Kindergarten Students.
Article in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 15 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 45 citations in OpenAlex.
- Pooled it
- Policy, systems, and environmental interventions addressing physical activity in early childhood education settings: A systematic review.Preventive medicine · 2023Pooled it
- Effects of Body-Oriented Interventions on Preschoolers' Social-Emotional Competence: A Systematic Review.Frontiers in psychology · 2021Pooled it
- Methodological strengths and weaknesses of nature based intervention: a systematic review.Cognitive processing · 2026Review
- Examination of the Effects of a Play-Based Mindfulness Training Program on Resilience, Emotion Regulation Skills, and Executive Functions of Preschool Children.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Children's perspectives regarding physical activity enablers and barriers in Abu Dhabi.International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being · 2025Article
- The Effects of a SWELE Program on Mental Wellbeing Among Children and Adolescents With Special Educational Needs and Disabilities: A Quasi-Experimental Study.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARID · 2025Article
- Implementation strategies used in policy, systems, and environmental interventions addressing obesity-related outcomes in early childhood education settings: a systematic review.Implementation science communications · 2025Review
- Asia-Pacific consensus statement on integrated 24-hour activity guidelines for the early years.The Lancet regional health. Western Pacific · 2023Review
- An exploration of parent perceptions of a take-home loose parts play kit intervention during the COVID-19 pandemic.PloS one · 2023Article
- Body-oriented interventions to promote preschoolers' social-emotional competence: a quasi-experimental study.Frontiers in psychology · 2023Article
- OUT to IN: a body-oriented intervention program to promote preschoolers' self-regulation and relationship skills in the outdoors.Frontiers in psychology · 2023Article
- Which Types of Body-Oriented Interventions Promote Preschoolers' Social-Emotional Competence? A Systematic Review.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Review
- School educational models and child mental health among K-12 students: a scoping review.Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health · 2022Article
- Erratum: Lee, R.L.T., et al. Effects of an Unstructured Free Play and Mindfulness Intervention on Wellbeing in Kindergarten Students.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
7 authors at 5 institutions in 4 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Play is known as the core occupation of young children as it lays a foundation for their early development and physical, emotional and social wellbeing. Literature suggests that unstructured free play and mindfulness interventions may independently promote wellbeing among preschoolers. However, there is no clear evidence of their combination in supporting wellness in early learning environments. We conducted a quasi-experimental study with 42 children aged four to six years, attending two kindergartens in Hong Kong. The intervention included unstructured play with non-directional loose parts (play materials), conducted outdoors for one hour daily followed by a mindfulness intervention for 10 min per day indoors. The intervention lasted for five consecutive days. We examined happiness and aspects of playfulness before and after the intervention, finding a significant increase in all areas. Given greater freedom in play choice, children showed more disruptive behaviors during unstructured play than the control group engaging in recess as usual. We conclude that unstructured play in addition to mindfulness intervention is effective in promoting students' happiness and playfulness, both of which may help maintain mental health and wellbeing amid stressors such as transition and separation. The increased disruptive behavior requires additional investigation.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.