leikki

Leikki is a Finnish noun meaning "play." It designates voluntary, enjoyable activities undertaken for recreation, exploration, or creative expression. Leikki can be solitary or social, imaginative or rule-based, and may involve physical activity, storytelling, or symbolic use of objects.

Types of leikki include free play, which is spontaneous and unscripted; pretend or symbolic play, where children act out roles and scenarios; constructive play, consisting of building or creating with materials; and digital play, such as video games or interactive media. Play often blends multiple forms and changes with development.

In child development, leikki is recognized as a fundamental medium for learning. Through play, children practice language and communication, develop problem-solving and spatial thinking, learn social norms, and regulate emotions. Theoretical perspectives, including those of Piaget and Vygotsky, view play as a context in which cognitive and social skills emerge, with adults and peers providing scaffolding when needed.

Educational contexts: In Finland and other education systems that value play, early childhood education places leikki at the core of learning. Curricula typically include periods of free play as well as guided or structured play, alongside outdoor activity. Play is also discussed in fields such as play therapy and developmental psychology as a lens for understanding behavior and well-being.