Purpose
The purpose of the study is to investigate how kindergarten environments affect physical activity among children. The study compares the activity level of children in outdoor kindergartens with children in conventional kindergartens. The aim is to find out if outdoor kindergartens can contribute to higher physical activity levels during the kindergarten day.
Result
The results showed no significant difference in daily step count between kindergarten environments, but the children were significantly more active in outdoor kindergarten during kindergarten hours. Outside kindergarten hours, however, lower activity levels were recorded in the weeks the children were in outdoor kindergarten, which may indicate compensatory behaviour. The study suggests that outdoor kindergartens promote activity during kindergarten hours, but this may come at the expense of activity after kindergarten.
Design
The study uses a quantitative approach with observational studies, where children’s physical activity is measured through the use of accelerometers. The children rotated weekly between outdoor kindergartens and conventional kindergartens. Data were collected from a total of 74 children, each wearing an activity monitor for one week per kindergarten environment to record the number of steps and activity level.
References
Rohde, J. F., Larsen, S. C., Sederberg, M., Bahrenscheer, A., Nielsen, A. K., Heitmann, B. L., & Specht, I. O. (2023). Outdoor kindergartens: a structural way to improve early physical activity behaviour? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(6), 5131.
Financed by
The A.P. Moller Foundation, Denmark; The Aase and Ejnar Danielsen’s Foundation, Denmark; The Rosalie Petersen Foundation, Denmark;