Course:KIN355/2020 Projects/Outdoor Play
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Defining the Concept and Its Importance
Outdoor play can be defined as play that occurs in a child’s free time in an outdoor setting that is unstructured and involves physical activity (Trembley et al., 2015; Bredin, 2020a). Outdoor play can happen in various different environments such as parks, playgrounds, fields and forests and can be facilitated by different toys such as bikes, balls, shovels, and chalk (Clements, 2004; Fjørtoft, 2001). For ideal outdoor play children should have access to a variety of toys and tools in an open space with the understanding that they are allowed to make messes (White & Stoecklin, 1998). Most importantly though children should have the ability to physically interact with their environment while playing (White & Stoecklin, 1998; Fjørtoft, 2001). This interaction could involve experiences with water, sand, dirt, grass, trees, or really any material that they can manipulate (White & Stoecklin, 1998; Fjørtoft, 2001). The ability to interact with and manipulate the environment is important because it encourages open ended play with plenty of opportunities for children to use their imaginations and move in creative ways (White & Stoecklin, 1998).
Outdoor play is important for all children but especially those between the ages of three and twelve because this is when children experience their greatest amounts of physical growth and motor development (Clements, 2004). Outdoor play can aid in this growth and development by providing movement opportunities for children which are not usually well suited to indoor environments such as running, jumping, and climbing (Clements, 2004). Studies have shown that when children play outside they move more and move for longer periods of time as compared to when they play inside (Trembley et al., 2015; White & Stoecklin, 1998). Thus the benefits of outdoor play lie greatly in the realm of physical growth and motor development, but they are not limited to these areas. Outdoor play is also associated with positive outcomes for cognitive, emotional, and social development and wellbeing (Burdette & Whitaker, 2015; Trembley et al., 2015). The physical activity that children exhibit when they participate in outdoor play is associated with many health benefits including improved bone density, improved cardiovascular health, increased self-esteem, pro-social behaviours, and increased learning abilities (Burdette & Whitaker, 2015; Trembley et al., 2015; White & Stoecklin, 1998). The importance of outdoor play cannot be overstated as it fosters the health and wellbeing of children in a variety of essential developmental areas.
Role in Childhood Development and Contemporary Considerations
Outdoor play offers children a dynamic and creative environment for movement opportunities and an avenue for them to experience the world firsthand (White & Stoecklin, 1998; Fjørtoft, 2001). This hands-on engagement with the world is beneficial in terms of gross and fine motor because it allows for a variety of different movement opportunities, but also because it encourages social, emotional, and cognitive development (White & Stoecklin, 1998). Outdoor play is found to encourage many skills that children can use throughout their lives which include problem solving skills, the ability to gage what is safe and what is not, and creativity (Clements, 2004). In addition to this, playing in an outdoor environment helps children develop autonomy and independence (White & Stoecklin, 1998).
Despite the knowledge that outdoor play encourages all these areas of development, studies show that children are engaging in less and less outdoor play than ever before (Clements, 2004; Trembley et al., 2015; White & Stoecklin, 1998). One reason that children are not participating in as much outdoor play as they once were is because of safety concerns (Clements, 2004; Trembley et al., 2015). One study found that 45% of parents in Canada were worried that if they let their children play outside, they would be abducted (Trembley et al., 2015). In actuality the odds of a child being abducted at all, let alone while engaging in outdoor play, is one in fourteen million according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (Trembley et al., 2015). The safety concerns do not end here. Parents and adults who care for children also worry that outdoor play will lead to physical trauma such as broken bones or being hit by cars (Clements, 2004; Trembley et al., 2015). While these are valid safety concerns the good news is that the data suggests that it would take roughly 10,000 hours of outdoor play for a child to accrue one or two major injuries (Trembley et al., 2015). That is to say while traumatic injuries can happen, they are extremely unlikely.
Because of the safety concerns associated with outdoor play parents are encouraging their children to engage in technology-based indoor play instead (Clements, 2004; Trembley et al., 2015; White & Stoecklin, 1998). One study conducted in 2004 found that 85% of mothers identified computer games and television watching as being the number one reason their children were not playing outside (Clements). Parents and caregivers are encouraging this type of behaviour because it may seem safer than outdoor play when in actuality watching television and playing video games is associated with violent behaviour, sedentary behaviour, the exposure to online predators and the consumption of unhealthy food (Clements, 2004; Trembley et al., 2015).
Due to the safety concerns surrounding outdoor play and a rise in technology-based engagement the overall health of children is suffering (Clements, 2004; Trembley et al., 2015). As the consumption of television and video games increases, so does the amount of sedentary behaviour that children engage in (Trembley et al., 2015). This rise in sedentary behaviour is shown to have negative impacts in childhood, but also across the lifespan (Trembley et al., 2015). Experts are concerned about the low levels of outdoor play that children are engaged in as the impacts of this disengagement from outdoor play are serious and long lasting with adverse effects on both physical and motor development as well as social development (Trembley et al., 2015). Physical inactivity in childhood leads to an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, type-2 diabetes, mortality, and depression in adolescence and adulthood (Trembley et al., 2015).
While safety should be a priority when it comes to children, the importance of their continued development cannot be overstated. One way to encourage outdoor play even with the safety concerns motioned above is to reframe the way you view outdoor play (Trembley et al., 2015). Try to think of outdoor play for your children (or the children in your care) not as a dangerous and risky activity, but one meant to challenge them in new ways and encourage them to grow (Trembley et al., 2015).
Practical Applications
Activity one: Hopscotch
Purpose statement: The purpose of this activity is to provide children with an opportunity to explore and experience the outdoor natural environment while engaging in health-related physical development. The benefits associated with an active lifestyle are improvements in physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Children are open to creating relationships and engaging with their peers while practicing their social skills as they participate in this activity. This activity takes place outdoors and exposes children to more sunlight where they receive adequate vitamin D. In addition, hopscotch will strengthen the cardiovascular and immune systems while allowing children to enhance their motor development skills as they become familiar with the outdoor environment. Hopscotch will provide a chance to practice and improve balance and coordination as the child hops through the pathway. The modifications for this activity will further increase physical activity, fundamental motor skills, and musculoskeletal development. Additionally, it will encourage children to explore the outdoor environment to their best ability. The different environments will allow children to create various experiences to develop as a child.
Target age: The target age group for this activity are children between the ages of 5-12 years.
Apparatus/equipment needed and environmental space/set-up: For this activity, chalk, gravel/cement outdoor ground, and a playground with premade hopscotch markers (as per Image A) is required. Alongside, a rock, twig, or marble is needed.
Instruction
- The first person will start at the beginning behind the first square numbered as “one”. He/she will toss a small object such as a rock/twig/ or marble onto one of the squares ahead.
- They will then hop through the path to get to the rock/twig/ or marble.
- On the single squares, the child should hop with one leg. As they reach the double squares, they should land with both feet on each square side by side.
- Once they have reached the correct square where the object they tossed lies, the child should then land with both feet and reach down to grab the object.
- After grabbing the object, the child will walk around to the back of the line.
- The next child will then begin the same way.
Modifications:
Modification #1: As children reach a higher level of development and get used to playing the hopscotch patterns already designed in playgrounds, they can proceed further by making their own patterns/pathways with chalk. This can be done in different environments such as sidewalks, any cement grounds, and/or open spaces in playgrounds with different coloured chalk. The designs can be of any colour, shape, or size and as long as the child wants. Children will be able to use their imagination and creativity to prepare these hopscotch pathways.
Modification #2: Try leaping instead of hopping through the pathway to the designated square with the tossed object. After the child has reached this point, they will again land with both feet, pick up the object, and walk back to the end of the line. This can be done on either the playground designed hopscotch or the new hopscotch the child created on their own.
Modification #3: Timing the child and giving them 30 seconds to make it across to the square with the tossed object. Once again, after they have reached that point, they will land with both feet, grab the object and walk around to the end of the line.
Modification #4: If the regular rules/instructions are challenging for certain children and they are unable to hop with one leg, they can use both feet to jump through the squares.
Activity two: Nature walk and rock discoveries
Purpose statement: The purpose of this activity is to provide children with an opportunity to explore and improve their opinion on nature as they create meaningful experiences with their peers in the outdoor environment. This activity provides fundamental gross motor and fine motor skills development. The goal of nature walks is to allow children to be physically active and engage in self-growth as they move through different natural environments. Being exposed to different surfaces such as puddles, dirt, rocks, and grass will give children the opportunity to create experiences. In addition to the walk, playing with rocks will allow the child to engage in divergent thinking. The goal for the second part of this activity is to build and develop fine motor skills through creative and imaginative thinking as they connect with the land around them. The child is open to exploring endless variations of ideas in their mind, which is influenced by their current outdoor atmosphere. Lastly, the outdoor walks and rock searching will improve the child’s physical, mental, and emotional health as they develop social, physical, and cognitive skills.
Target age: The target age group for this activity are children between the ages of 5-10 years.
Apparatus/equipment needed and environmental space/set-up: The equipment needed for this activity will be paintbrushes, paint colours, and a natural outdoor space to walk through.
Instructions:
Part One:
- The children should be taken out for a walk outside in nature.
- They will then search for a rock of their preference.
Part Two:
- The children will be given paintbrushes and paint.
- The children have the opportunity to be creative and design whatever they would like on their rocks.
Modifications: Modifications can be made to help individuals become successful in this activity
Modification #1: One day you can have the individuals skip through the outdoor space and search for a rock. This will allow them to practice and develop their gross motor skills.
Modification #2: One day you can give the children a time limit of up to 3 minutes to find the rock of their choice to paint.
Modification #3: A forest-like or tree-covered pathway is another alternative, which will provide UV radiation protection (Bredin, 2020b) and expose the children to different environments.
Summary
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References
Bredin, S. (2020a). Module 1: Play. KIN 355 Movement Experiences for Young Children, School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia.
Bredin, S. (2020b). Module 3: Playspaces. KIN 355 Movement Experiences for Young Children, School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia.
Burdette, H. L., & Whitaker, R. C. (2005). Resurrecting free play in young children: looking beyond fitness and fatness to attention, affiliation, and affect. Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine, 159(1), 46-50.
Clements, R. (2004). An investigation of the status of outdoor play. Contemporary issues in early childhood, 5(1), 68-80.
Fjørtoft, I. (2001). The natural environment as a playground for children: The impact of outdoor play activities in pre-primary school children. Early childhood education journal, 29(2), 111-117.
Tremblay, M.S., Gray, C., Babcock, S., Barnes, J., Bradstreet, C.C., Carr, D., Chabot, G., Choquette, L., Chorney, D., Collyer, C. and Herrington, S. (2015). Position statement on active outdoor play. International journal of environmental research and public health, 12(6), 6475-6505.
White, R., & Stoecklin, V. (1998). Children's outdoor play & learning environments: Returning to nature. Early Childhood News, 10(2), 24-30.