Exploring Day-to-Day Activities in a Preschool: A Participant Observation Study

Authors

  • Anamika Singh Research Scholar, Department of Education, Regional Institute of Education (NCERT), Mysuru https://orcid.org/0009-0004-6953-1931
  • Kalpana Venugopal Professor, Department of Education, Regional Institute of Education (NCERT), Mysuru

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31305/rrijm.2025.v10.n10.003

Keywords:

Early childhood education, preschool, participant observation, physical environment

Abstract

This study presents findings from a participant observation conducted at Demonstration Preschool to explore how daily routines, social interactions, and learning experiences contribute to early childhood development. Over the course of one week, a total of 20 hours were spent observing a classroom of 5 to 6 year-old children engaged in a variety of structured and unstructured learning activities. The primary objective was to understand how the physical environment, teacher-led activities, and peer interactions collectively shape children’s engagement, learning behaviors, and social-emotional growth. Research findings revealed that, a thoughtfully designed physical setting—with clearly defined learning centers, open access to varied materials, and flexible spatial arrangements—encouraged children to make independent choices and collaborate with peers. Such an environment promoted higher levels of engagement, creativity, and cooperative play. Teacher-led sessions that emphasized inquiry, dialogue, and hands-on exploration were observed to stimulate curiosity and sustained attention, while overly structured and directive tasks tended to limit spontaneous learning opportunities. The study also highlighted the importance of unstructured play periods, where children practiced negotiation, empathy, and problem-solving in natural social contexts. Present research, underscores the need for intentional and responsive learning environments that integrate guided instruction with opportunities for child-initiated exploration. By balancing structure with flexibility, educators can create spaces that nurture cognitive, social, and emotional dimensions of early development, ultimately supporting a more holistic approach to preschool education.

Author Biographies

Anamika Singh, Research Scholar, Department of Education, Regional Institute of Education (NCERT), Mysuru

Anamika Singh is a Doctoral Research Scholar in the Department of Education at the Regional Institute of Education (NCERT), Mysuru. She is a recipient of the UGC-NET-JRF (Junior Research Fellowship). She has completed a B.A.B.Ed, a four-year integrated innovative teacher education programme, and holds a Master’s degree in Education (M.Ed.) with a specialisation in Programme Planning and Evaluation, both from the Regional Institute of Education (NCERT), Mysuru. She has teaching experience at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, where she has assisted and taught courses such as Micro & Macro Teaching, Gender, School and Society, and Guidance and Counselling. Her current doctoral research focuses on Early Childhood Care and Education, with a particular emphasis on developing competencies among young learners at the Foundational Stage. Anamika has presented papers at academic forums and served as a resource person in various teacher training programmes in the area of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy. She has also conducted online sessions on student well-being as part of PM eVidya’s SAHYOG initiative. She aims to continue her contributions toward building robust frameworks for learner-centered education at the Foundational Stage.

Kalpana Venugopal, Professor, Department of Education, Regional Institute of Education (NCERT), Mysuru

Dr Kalpana Venugopal is a Professor of Education at the Regional Institute of Education Mysuru, which is a Constituent of NCERT in the Southern Region. She has her academic qualifications in Education and Psychology. She is a Gold medalist in her Bachelor’s Program in Education, PhD in Education from the University of Madras and was awarded the DLitt (Doctor of Letters) in Education by the President of India at the University of Madras. She is a Fulbright Visiting Professor and was in USA under the Fulbright Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence (FNAPE) at the University of North Carolina, USA. Her areas of work and interest include Child Psychology & Development, Early Childhood Education, Value & Peace Education, Guidance & Counselling, Curriculum Development, and Quality Assurance and Accreditation. She’s involved in Teaching, Program/Course Development, Training, Research, Monitoring and Extension Services in the Region. Her work in the area of research includes coordinating and undertaking National & Regional Projects, guiding PhD. researches, publications & editor of national and international journals, and monitoring researches of other institutions. Participated in National and International Conferences, Workshops and Programs. Member of Board of Studies in several Universities. Expert Member in Selection Committees of KVs, Sainik Schools, JNVs and University Departments; Expert Member for Curriculum Development for States in South India and NCERT. Was the Coordinator of NISHTHA Program at RIE Mysuru. She’s the Coordinator for the National Program at RIE Mysore - Diploma Course in Guidance and Counselling; and the Convener for POCSO & KGBV. She is the Convener for IQAC-NAAC (Internal Quality Assurance Council & National Assessment and Accreditation Council) at RIE Mysuru. She is presently the Nodal Officer for establishment of the new Regional Institute of Education at Nellore, appointed by the Ministry of Education, New Delhi. She is the Program Coordinator of the Madanmohan Malaviya Teacher Training Center at RIE Mysore which focusses on in-service teacher training in the southern region. Professor Kalpana Venugopal was also the Head of the Department of Extension Education, at Regional Institute of Education, NCERT, Mysuru, which is the nodal office for coordinating and monitoring the academic, training and research and advisory activities of the 5 states and 2 UTs of the southern region. She had been appointed by NCERT as the Dean of Instructions at RIE Mysuru, to look after all Academic Programs, student affairs and the Demonstration School of NCERT at RIE Mysore. She is passionate about teaching and training teachers, counselling students & parents, and working with the community for advocacy on teacher recognition and empowerment.

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Published

15-10-2025

How to Cite

Singh, A., & Venugopal, K. (2025). Exploring Day-to-Day Activities in a Preschool: A Participant Observation Study. RESEARCH REVIEW International Journal of Multidisciplinary, 10(10), 35–41. https://doi.org/10.31305/rrijm.2025.v10.n10.003

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 10 (2025): RESEARCH REVIEW International Journal of Multidisciplinary

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Articles

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This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0).