Abstract The purpose of this study is to provide knowledge about how children in a preschool class use access strategies and exclusion strategies in the free play. Also why children exclude each other during play. The questions of the study are: What access strategies do children in preschool class use during the free play? What exclusion strategies do children in preschool class use during the free play? Why do children exclude each other during play? To investigate this, I have been non-participating observer in a preschool class. I have used the fifteen access strategies of William Corsaro (1979) and Tellgren's (2004) eight exclusion strategies. The result of the study shows that the preschool class children often use verbal access strategies together with nonverbal strategies. And that those strategies together are more successful than to only use the non-verbal access strategies. The results also indicate that the children's exclusion strategies take place more discreet and inside the play. The children exclude each other to protect their established communities or play groups. The children at the top of the hierarchy are the ones who determines which ones should be included and excluded. My conclusion is that children are skilled users of play strategies and they learn from each other what access strategies are working and what exclusion strategies are being accepted by other children and by the teachers.

This diploma thesis in its theoretical and practical parts focuses on free play of children in pre-school facilities. Kindergarten is the place of early secondary socialization of the child and that's why one part of the diploma thesis is centred on this theme. The theoretical part helps for a deeper understanding of play, especially with 2-4 year old children and builds a foundation for the research. The practical part, based on one year's observation, monitors development of free play of a homogeneous group of children and finds how the quality of play changes with individuals as well as the group. Another focus lies on comparing two separate groups of children in their free play - one group having long term experience with free play and one without such regular experience. The main method of the research is observation. The results of the research points to the importance of free play for a pre-school age child and confirms the influence of free play in the process of early secondary socialization.