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(4)Playing with Other Children

Many children having sibling(s) often play with their sibling(s), while only children usually play with their friend(s).

When children play with other children, the majority plays with their sibling(s) (37.0%). This percentage exceeds 50% if the children have elder sibling(s) ("elder sibling(s) only" or "both elder and younger siblings"). Most only children play with their friends (41.8%). In relation with the major nursing patterns, children tend not to play alone if they are cared by "nurses, etc. since two years old or younger," "parents, and then nurses, etc. since three years old," or "parents, and then kindergarten teachers since three years old" (Table 12).

Table 12  How children play with other children, in relation to their sex, sibling composition, and major nursing patterns
(Unit: %)
   Total Play alone Play with
sibling(s)		 Play with
friend(s)		 Play with
sibling(s)
and
friend(s)		 Play in
indefinite
groups		 Others Unknown
Total 100.0 14.6 37.0 19.5 15.5 6.7 5.7 0.9
Sex                        
  Boy 100.0 15.3 37.8 18.3 15.1 6.8 5.9 1.0
  Girl 100.0 13.8 36.2 20.8 16.1 6.7 5.5 0.9
Sibling composition                        
  Only child 100.0 33.3 0.0 41.8 0.0 11.9 11.1 1.9
  Younger sibling(s) only 100.0 16.4 32.5 21.4 16.4 6.5 5.8 0.9
  Elder sibling(s) only 100.0 5.3 55.6 8.5 22.1 4.7 3.3 0.5
  Both elder and younger siblings 100.0 1.9 63.1 5.8 24.6 2.4 1.9 0.3
Major nursing patterns                        
  Parents only 100.0 18.3 42.7 15.0 15.0 3.3 5.3 0.4
  Nurses, etc. since two years old or younger 100.0 6.8 26.2 30.8 15.9 13.6 5.2 1.6
  Parents, and then nurses, etc. since three years old 100.0 6.8 26.9 27.2 19.6 11.7 6.2 1.6
  Parents, and then kindergarten teachers since three years old 100.0 9.7 33.9 21.5 21.9 8.0 4.1 0.7
Notes:1)The figures for total, sex, and sibling composition are based on the responses to the 4th survey (total replies: 41,557), and the major nursing patterns are based on the total responses to the 1st through 4th surveys (total replies: 39,838).
2)The total includes the number of samples with "unknown" for each item.

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