Child Play and Toy in two Generations: “Upon a Childhood History”

Ruken Akar Vural, PhD.
Adnan Menderes University, Faculty of Education,
Aydın-Turkey

Hasan Akbulut, PhD.
Cinema-Television Department of Communication Faculty of Kocaeli University, Kocaeli-Turkey

Müslime Güneş, PhD.
Adnan Menderes University, Faculty of Education,
Aydın-Turkey

Erinç Erdal, PhD Student.
Middle East Technical University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences,
Ankara-Turkey


The aim of this study is to define historical evolution of child play and toy within two generations in context of socio-economic and political conditions in Turkey. Due to this aim, two periods of time were determined. These periods of time are consisted of 1950-1960: Government of Democrat Party and 1990-2000: Post 1980 period. The reason of deciding on these periods is since the two periods were determined by political, economic and cultural turning points in Republican Period. The period between 1950 and 1960 is young Republic’s passing to multiparty system from one-party state, meanwhile departing from her basic ideology; getting acquainted with American assistance and Marshall Plans and moreover, choosing her political side in the international area.

1950’s also witnessed a mass migration from rural to urban areas and as a result, population growth and emergence of indigenous bourgeoisie in big cities. This period is also considered as changing perception to childhood. Between period 1990 and 2000, a new middle class was emerged with free market economy and liberal values, state’s responsibility over public life was decreased and the understanding of social state was weakened. After the breakdown of USSR, United States turned into the biggest power in every areas and globalization was accepted without questioning. In communication filed, one-channel broadcast left its place to multi-channel broadcast; new technologies such as computer, internet, and mobile phone came into our lives. This short ten-year period changed the understanding of child, childhood and child play by means of human conception.

In this study, interviews will be conducted in order to determine forms, types and structures of child plays and toys within specified periods and to analyze changes in the course of time. The sample of this study will be consisted of 20 narrators from different age groups (50-60 aged above and fewer than 16 aged). Oral history interviews to the people between 50-60 ages and semi-structured interviews to the people fewer than 16 ages will be conducted in this study. The draft of interview forms were developed by researchers and after presented to expert opinion, needed corrections were done. Digital voice recorder will be used, photographs will be taken during the interviews and camera recordings will be taken where necessary. On the other hand, after getting individual permission, narrators’ childhood photographs will be taken and examined. Interview recordings will be coded by the researchers individually to strengthen reliability of the research. The categories will be ultimately generated after all data analysis, and relevant categories will be organized under the research questions.

Keywords: play, childhood history, oral history