Exploring Storytelling and Role-Play in Preschool: A Performance Ethnographic Study

Abstract

In the recent years, preschool education has increasingly emphasized innovative and participatory approaches to support holistic development in young children. One such approach that has gathered attention is performance-based learning. In this study, performance activities mainly carry storytelling and role-play in preschool education. A performance ethnography study was conducted in a preschool between the ages of 2.5–5 years children drawing from session planning, scripting, performance, observations, and interpretations of participatory sessions. This research examines how young children engage with narratives, imagination, and performance within the preschool environment. By adopting both emic and etic perspectives, the research seeks to understand the viewpoints of both children and educators involved in the activities. It provides rich insights into the nuances of storytelling and role-play experiences, highlighting creativity, imagination, social engagement, pedagogical goals, sociocultural influences, and symbolic meanings embedded within the activities of the preschool environment. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2025.