Purpose
The study aims to explore how children aged 3-6 years use the kindergarten outdoor environment for different types of play. The research investigates which elements in the physical environment promote or limit children’s play opportunities. The aim is to understand the interaction between space and materials in the kindergarten environment and how this affects children’s play.
Result
The results indicate that there is a dynamic relationship between the outdoor areas and the play that kindergarten children participate in. The results also highlight a specific challenge in the design of playgrounds: One must plan for the predictable while also allowing space for the unpredictable.
Design
The study is based on both qualitative and quantitative methods. The researchers conducted 935 video observations of 86 children aged 3-6 over the course of two years. The play sequences were analysed using behaviour coding, where types of toys, spaces and material use were recorded second by second. Multilevel regression analyses were used to identify associations between types of play and environmental factors.
References
Sandseter, E. B. H., Storli, R., & Sando, O. J. (2022). The dynamic relationship between outdoor environments and children’s play. Education 3-13, 50(1), 97–110.
Online year: 2020
Issue year: 2022
Review year: 2022
Financed by
The Research Council of Norway, Norway