Effects of Laughter Yoga and Finger Puppet Play in Preschool Children

Izmir Democracy University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Psychological Well Being; Psychological Resilience; Laughter Yoga

Treatments: Behavioral: Finger Puppet; Behavioral: Laughter Yoga

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07496476

IDU-NURSING-SD-02

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study aimed to examine the effects of Laughter Yoga and Finger Puppet on preschool children's play behavior, social-emotional well-being, and psychological resilience. 90 children in Buca, İzmir, were randomly assigned to three groups: Laughter Yoga, Finger Puppet, or a Control group. The Laughter Yoga group participated in two sessions per week for four weeks, and the Finger Puppet group participated in two sessions per week for two weeks. Data were collected with the help of parents and teachers using questionnaires and observation scales.

Full description

The preschool period is a critical developmental stage in which children's growth is supported through play-based approaches and structured activities. During this period, providing experiences that foster cognitive and social-emotional development plays a significant role in the acquisition of fundamental skills. Laughter Yoga and Finger Puppet are among the non-pharmacological and non-invasive intervention methods that support children's development. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of these interventions on play behavior, social-emotional well-being, and psychological resilience in preschool children.

The study was carried out using a randomized controlled pretest-posttest design including two intervention groups and one control group. A total of 90 preschool children enrolled in a kindergarten in the Buca district of İzmir during the 2024-2025 academic year were selected using a random numbers table and assigned to the Laughter Yoga (n = 30), Finger Puppet (n = 30), and Control (n = 30) groups through the URN randomization method. The Laughter Yoga group received two sessions per week for four weeks, while the Finger Puppet group received two sessions per week for two weeks; no intervention was applied to the control group. Data were collected face-to-face with the guidance of parents and teachers using the Descriptive Characteristics Form for Children and Parents, the Play Behavior Scale for Children Aged 36-71 Months, and PERIK. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 22. The normality of the data distribution was assessed using the Shapiro-Wilk test. For normally distributed data, paired samples t-tests were used for within-group comparisons, and independent samples t-tests were used for between-group comparisons. The level of statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

Enrollment: 90 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 36 to 72 months old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Children enrolled in the preschool of Sevgi-Ferit Akın Middle School during the 2024-2025 academic year.
• Children aged between 36 and 72 months.
• Children whose parents or legal guardians provide written informed consent to participate in the study.

Exclusion criteria

• Irregular attendance to intervention sessions.
• Failure to complete all intervention sessions.
• Withdrawal from the study by the child or parent/guardian's request.
• Presence of intellectual or hearing disabilities.
• Diagnosis of respiratory system diseases (e.g., asthma, bronchitis, dyspnea).
• Diagnosis of inguinal hernia or epilepsy.
• Having undergone abdominal surgery within the last 3-6 months.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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90 participants in 3 patient groups

Laughter Yoga Group

Experimental group

Description:

The Laughter Yoga group participated in two sessions per week for four weeks. Each session included guided laughter exercises, breathing techniques, and playful movements designed to support social-emotional development and psychological resilience in preschool children.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Laughter Yoga

Finger Puppet Group

Experimental group

Description:

The Finger Puppet group participated in two sessions per week for two weeks. Each session included interactive finger puppet activities guided by the researcher, designed to encourage imaginative play, social-emotional skills, and psychological resilience in preschool children.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Finger Puppet

Control Group

No Intervention group

Description:

The control group did not receive any intervention. Participants continued their regular daily activities without additional Laughter Yoga or Finger Puppet sessions.