Effect of Educational Toys on Academic Performance of Pupils in Primary Schools in Ondo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the effect of educational toys on academic performance of pupils in primary school in Ondo State, Nigeria. The study employed pre-test-post-test control group quasi experimental research design. The sample population comprises of one hundred (100) pupils in kindergarten classes of primary schools in Ondo West Local Government Area of Ondo State. Two intact classes were selected through simple random sampling technique from each of the selected schools and later sub-divided into experimental and control groups. The study was guided by three null hypotheses. The two instruments used in the study were: Educational Toys Performance Test (ETPT) and Assorted Educational Toys (AET). Data were also analysed with the use of mean standard deviation and t-test statistical tools. Findings of the study revealed that pupils taught with the use of Assorted educational toys with the post-performance mean score ( =72.44) performed better than their counterparts taught with conventional method with post mean performance score ( =60.46). The finding also revealed that both male and female pupils performed equally when taught using educational toys while the male was the post-performance scores ( =65.64) respectively. Lastly, in the findings, it was revealed that pupils in private primary schools performed higher than their counterpart in public primary schools. The pupils in private primary schools had post- performance score ( =70.73)while their counterpart in public primary schools had post performances score ( =60.17). It was concluded that the use of assorted educational toys increases pupils’ academic performance in primary schools and it was recommended that adequate Assorted educational toys should be provided to primary schools and teachers should be trained effectively on how to use the Assorted toys for teaching.