Abstract in English, Afrikaans and Zulu / The fostering of self-regulation is of great importance in the Early Childhood Development (ECD) phase, because it leads to future self-discipline. The aim of the study was to understand the participants’ ways of fostering self-regulation during free play in three primary schools in Zimbabwe. The theoretical frameworks of the study, namely positive psychology and Deci and Ryan’s Self-Determination Theory (SDT), as well as the Basic Psychological Needs Theory (BPNT), regarded the learners’ support for autonomy, competence and relatedness as key characteristics of positive discipline that support the development of self-regulation. Benner’s interpretive phenomenology method was used with the aim of describing and interpreting participants’ experiences of the phenomenon under study. The social constructivism paradigm underpinned the study and the approach was qualitative. Data collection and analysis were guided by Benner’s interpretive phenomenological method. A paradigm case, themes and exemplars were used in data presentation, discussion and interpretation. Findings showed that free-play activities consisted of, for instance, socio-dramatic play, indoor play in play corners and outdoor play. The common practices used by the participants to foster self-regulation through positive discipline were co-regulation, positive reinforcement, time-out and logical consequences. Teachers and learners often perceived the teachers’ use of time-out and logical consequences as punishment rather than positive discipline, because of the rigidity of its application without considering psychosocial needs. The findings, however, were consistent with an understanding of fostering self-regulation through positive discipline during free play by nurturing the learners’ psychological needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness, as well as mindfulness. Research proposed mindfulness as a possible fourth basic psychological need. In line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for achieving a better and sustainable future for all people by 2030, participants perceived the fostering of self-regulation through positive discipline as part of gender education for eradicating gender-based violence and to foster resilience. / Selfregulering moet in die vroeë kinderjare reeds by klein kinders gekweek word sodat hulle later in die lewe in staat sal wees om selfdissipline aan die dag te lê. Die doel van hierdie studie was om vas te stel hoe die deelnemers by drie laerskole in Zimbabwe gedurende vrye spel selfregulering by leerders gekweek het. Die drie teoretiese raamwerke waarop hierdie studie berus, is die positiewe sielkunde, Deci en Ryan se selfbeskikkingsteorie (SBT) en die teorie van basiese psigososiale behoeftes (TBSB). Hiervolgens is die bevrediging van kinders se behoefte aan outonomie, bedrewenheid (‘competence’) en verhoudings (‘relatedness’) voorvereistes vir die positiewe dissiplinering waarmee selfregulering by hulle gekweek word. Benner se metode van interpretatiewe fenomenologie is gevolg om deelnemers se belewing van die fenomeen te beskryf en te vertolk. Die sosiale konstruktivisme het die grondslag van hierdie studie gevorm, en die benadering was kwalitatief. Data is volgens Benner se metode van interpretatiewe fenomenologie ingewin en ontleed. ʼn Paradigmageval, temas en voorbeelde (‘exemplars’) is in die aanbieding, bespreking en interpretasie van data gebruik. Volgens die bevindings het vryespelaktiwiteite bestaan uit onder meer sosiaal-dramatiese spel, binnenshuise spel in speelhoekies, en buitelugspel. Die praktyke waarvolgens deelnemers selfregulering deur positiewe dissiplinering gekweek het, was onderlinge regulering, positiewe versterking, afkoeltyd en logiese gevolge. Onderwysers en leerders het afkoeltyd en logiese gevolge nie as positiewe dissiplinering nie, maar eerder as straf belewe aangesien dit streng toegepas word en nie met die kind se psigososiale behoeftes rekening hou nie. Die bevindings strook egter met ons siening van die kweek van selfregulering deur positiewe dissiplinering tydens vrye spel deur leerders se psigososiale behoefte aan outonomie, bedrewenheid (‘comptetence’), verhoudings (‘relatedness’) en bewustheid (‘mindfulness’) te bevredig. Navorsers stel bewustheid (‘mindfulness’) as ʼn vierde basiese psigososiale behoefte voor. In ooreenstemming met die Doelwitte vir Volhoubare Ontwikkeling (DVO’s) vir ʼn beter en volhoubare toekoms vir alle mense teen 2030, het deelnemers gevind dat die kweek van selfregulering deur positiewe dissiplinering deel uitmaak van genderopvoeding as teenvoeter vir geslagsgeweld, en vindingrykheid aanwakker. / Ukukhuthaza ukuzilawula kubaluleke kakhulu esigabeni sokuThuthukiswa Kwabantwana Abasebancane (i-ECD phase), ngoba kuholela ekuzikhalimeni esikhathini esizayo. Inhloso yalolu cwaningo bekuwukuqonda izindlela zababambiqhaza zokukhuthaza ukuzilawula ngesikhathi sokudlala ngokukhululeka ezikoleni ezintathu zamabanga aphansi eZimbabwe. Izinhlaka zombono wezinzululwazi zalolu cwaningo, ezaziwa ngokuthi okuhle kwengqondo kanye noMbono Wenzululwazi kaDeci noRyan Wokuzimisela (i-SDT), kanye noMbono Wenzululwazi Wezidingo Eziyisisekelo Zokuphathelene Nenggqondo (i-BPNT), zithathe ukwesekwa kwabafundi njengokuzimele, ikhono kanye nokuhlobana njengezimpawu ezisemqoka zokukwazi ukuzikhalima okuhle okusekela ukuthuthukiswa kokuzilawula. Kusetshenziswe indlela kaBenner yokuhumusha okwenzekile ngenhloso yokuchaza nokuhumusha okwenzeke kubabambiqhaza kulokho okufundwa ngako. Inqubo yokwakhiwa kwezenhlalakahle iyona esekele ucwaningo kanti futhi indlela yokwenza ibibheka amaqiniso. Ukuqoqwa kwemininingo nokuhlaziywa bekuncike endleleni kaBenner yokuhumusha okwenzekile. Kwasetshenziswa izimo semiqondo, izingqikithi kanye nezibonelo ukwethula imininingo, izingxoxo nokuhumusha. Okutholakele kukhombisile ukuthi ukudlala ngokukhululeka kubandakanya, ngokwesibonelo, ukudlala ngokulingisa ezenhlalo, ukudlala endlini emakhoneni okudlala kanye nokudlala ngaphandle. Imikhuba ejwayelekile esetshenziswa ngababambiqhaza ukukhuthaza ukuzilawula ngokusebenzisa ukukhalima okukahle kwakungukulawula ngokubambisana, ukukhuthaza okuhle, ukuqedwa komdlalo kanye nemiphumela eyenza umqondo. Othisha nabafundi babevame ukubona ukuqedwa komdlalo nemiphumela eyenza umqondo njengento esetshenziswa ngothisha njengesijeziso kunokukhalima okuhle, ngenxa yobukhuni bokusetshenziswa kwako ngaphandle kokubheka izidingo zomqondo. Okutholakele, nokho, bekuhambisana nokuqonda kokukhuthaza ukuzilawula ngokukhalima okukahle ngesikhathi sokudlala ngokukhululeka ngokunakekela izidingo zabafundi zokuphathelene nengqondo ekuzimeleni, ikhono kanye nokuhlobana, kanye nokuqaphela izinto. Ucwaningo luhlongoze ukuqaphela izinto njengesidingo sesine esiyisisekelo kokuphathelene nengqondo. Ngokuhambisanayo neziNjongo Zokuthuthukiswa Okusinokusimama (ama-SDG) ukuze kufezeke ikusasa elingcono nelinokusimama kubantu bonke ngonyaka ka- 2030, ababambiqhaza babona ukukhuthaza ukuzilawula ngokuzikhalima okukahle njengengxenye yemfundo yobulili ukuze kuncishiswe udlame oluncike ebulilini futhi kukhuthazwe ukuqina. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)