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Outdoor Play and Learning for Health, Wellbeing, and Development in Early Childhood

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Children's Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2022) | Viewed by 53392

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Anne Martin

E-Mail Website
Leading Guest Editor
MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Berkeley Square, 99 Berkeley Street, Glasgow, G3 7HR
Interests: nature-based childcare; physical activity; active outdoor play; healthy eating; sleep; early childhood; obesity prevention; cognitive development; public health
Dr. Rachel A. Jones

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of the Arts, Social Sciences & Humanities |School of Education | Early Start | University of Wollongong
Interests: early childhood education; movement behaviours; physical development; professional development; movement-play; prevention and intervention research
Dr. Paul Mccrorie

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Berkeley Square, 99 Berkeley Street, Glasgow, G3 7HR
Interests: environmental determinants of physical activity and socio-emotional and behavioural wellbeing; outdoor early learning and childcare; inequalities

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are guest editors for the Special Issue “Outdoor Play and Learning for Health, Wellbeing, and Development in Early Childhood” in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

In recent years, there has been a cultural shift that has reduced access to and the use of outdoors for many young children. Contributing factors include urban planning, increased fear amongst adults in relation to children’s safety when playing outside, and technological advances, leading to an overwhelming prominence of more sedentary indoor activities such as playing on mobile devices and watching TV. This may have detrimental effects on the health, development, and wellbeing of the youngest in our societies. With many young children receiving formal or informal childcare, there is great potential to promote healthy child development through engagement in outdoor play and learning.

This Special Issue seeks papers describing outdoor play and learning interventions and initiatives designed to promote the physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and behavioral development of children aged 0–7 years. We are interested in research addressing individual, family, community, workforce, and/or policy factors associated with outdoor play and learning for healthy child development.  Priority will be given to research on access and exposure to nature and built outdoor environments, and may include research related to playground design and play (loose parts play and active play). Of particular interest are studies on the transition from early care and education into primary/elementary education settings. We welcome implementation, natural experimental, and observational research, as well as high-quality systematic reviews.

We hope that this Special Issue provides an important forum to share the best ideas and research practices related to outdoor play and learning in early childhood.

Given your expertise in this field, we would like to cordially invite you to contribute to the Special Issue. More information about the journal and manuscript preparation guidelines can be found at https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph.

With best wishes,

Dr. Anne Martin
Dr. Rachel A. Jones
Dr. Paul McCrorie
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • outdoor play
  • risky play
  • nature-based childcare
  • forest kindergarten
  • playscapes
  • playground design
  • physical activity
  • motor competence
  • sleep
  • learning
  • prosocial behavior
  • creativity
  • nature connectedness
  • early childhood
  • preschool years

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 2142 KiB  
Article
Children’s Usage of Inclusive Playgrounds: A Naturalistic Observation Study of Play
by Maeghan E. James, Emma Jianopoulos, Timothy Ross, Ron Buliung and Kelly P. Arbour-Nicitopoulos
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13648; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013648 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 5506
Abstract
Inclusive playgrounds that are designed to be physically accessible and welcoming to children with disabilities may provide equal and equitable access to play for all children. Using a naturalistic observational design, this study examines children’s use of a playground designed to be accessible [...] Read more.
Inclusive playgrounds that are designed to be physically accessible and welcoming to children with disabilities may provide equal and equitable access to play for all children. Using a naturalistic observational design, this study examines children’s use of a playground designed to be accessible and inclusive for all ages and abilities. A modified version of the System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities was used to collect child data on observed gender, age, play behaviour types, social interactions, and activity levels. A relatively equal number of female (52%) and male (48%) observations was made, and the majority (96%) of children observed appeared to be under 12 years of age. Most children (71%) were observed to be engaging in active play. Functional play (e.g., climbing, swinging, running) was the predominant play behaviour observed on the playground (88%), and the majority of social interactions were with peers (48%) or an adult (26%). These findings provide information on how children use a playground designed to be inclusive for children of all ages and abilities. This information can be used to help inform the design of inclusive play spaces as well as types of programming that may occur within such settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Outdoor Play and Learning for Health, Wellbeing, and Development in Early Childhood)
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35 pages, 8518 KiB  
Article
Playing in ‘The Backyard’: Environmental Features and Conditions of a Natural Playspace Which Support Diverse Outdoor Play Activities among Younger Children
by Janet Loebach and Adina Cox
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12661; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912661 - 3 Oct 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4286
Abstract
Outdoor play in nature-rich spaces has been associated with healthy development among young children. The diverse play opportunities afforded to children by natural playspaces can scaffold health benefits, appreciation of nature, and pro-environmental behaviors into adulthood. Environmental features and conditions of outdoor playspaces [...] Read more.
Outdoor play in nature-rich spaces has been associated with healthy development among young children. The diverse play opportunities afforded to children by natural playspaces can scaffold health benefits, appreciation of nature, and pro-environmental behaviors into adulthood. Environmental features and conditions of outdoor playspaces significantly influence the diversity and quality of play opportunities. Understanding how the physical environment can support high-quality play experiences can inform the design of stimulating, health-promoting playscapes for children. An observational behavior mapping framework was utilized to examine the environmental features of The Backyard, a large natural playscape, associated with play activities among young children. The Tool for Observing Play Outdoors was used to capture outdoor play types OPT), along with associated behavioral and environmental data, during seven days of field observation. While the playspace supported most OPTs, Physical and Exploratory play were most prevalent. Associations with activity intensity and risk play are also presented. Loose parts, particularly natural loose parts, were highly involved in most OPTs, but especially associated with Exploratory play. Ground topography showed some association with several OPTs and warrants further investigation. The environmental features of The Backyard supported an abundant and diverse range of outdoor play activities for young children and families. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Outdoor Play and Learning for Health, Wellbeing, and Development in Early Childhood)
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14 pages, 1221 KiB  
Article
Effects of Free Play and Partly Structured Playground Activity on Motor Competence in Preschool Children: A Pragmatic Comparison Trial
by Patrizia Tortella, Monika Haga, Håvard Lorås, Guido Francesco Fumagalli and Hermundur Sigmundsson
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(13), 7652; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19137652 - 22 Jun 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3823
Abstract
Both the indoor and the outdoor environments and their organization exert pronounced influence upon physical activity behavior and motor development of preschool children. The aim of this study was to explore whether partly structured activity or free play in a specific playground had [...] Read more.
Both the indoor and the outdoor environments and their organization exert pronounced influence upon physical activity behavior and motor development of preschool children. The aim of this study was to explore whether partly structured activity or free play in a specific playground had different impacts on motor competence development in 4–6-year-old preschoolers. The study had a pretest–post-test design, with two intervention groups and one control. Sixty-two children were included in a partly structured activity group and forty-three children in a free-play group. Both groups participated in playground activities consisting of 10 sessions (once a week), each lasting 1 h, in a specific playground setting. For the partly structured activity group, activities in each session consisted of a combination of both structured and free activity while the free-play group were engaged in unstructured play only. The control group did not attend the playground activities (N = 36). To assess levels of motor skills, each child completed pre- and post-tests using the Movement Assessment Battery for children (MABC-2), the Test of Motor Competence (TMC) and two playground-specific tests. A 3 (study group) and X 2 (gender) ANCOVAs were conducted on post-test scores on each of the test items from TMC, MABC-II and playground tests, with pre-test scores as covariates. Post hoc pairwise multiple comparisons were conducted with the alpha Bonferroni corrected, and the partial eta-squared (η2p) was applied as a measure of effect size. The results indicate no significant differences in motor competence measured by the TMC or the MABC-2 between groups. On the contrary, a significant improvement in performance in the playground-specific tests was observed in the partly structured activity group compared to the free-play and control groups. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Outdoor Play and Learning for Health, Wellbeing, and Development in Early Childhood)
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14 pages, 378 KiB  
Study Protocol
The Impact of Time Spent in Natural Outdoor Spaces on Children’s Language, Communication and Social Skills: A Systematic Review Protocol
by Steph Scott, Tonia Gray, Jenna Charlton and Sharon Millard
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12038; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912038 - 23 Sep 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 8156
Abstract
There has been increasing interest over the past decade with regard to the health and wellbeing implications of time spent outdoors in nature for children. Universal systematic reviews of evidence report benefits to physical health, social-emotional mental health and wellbeing, cognition and academic [...] Read more.
There has been increasing interest over the past decade with regard to the health and wellbeing implications of time spent outdoors in nature for children. Universal systematic reviews of evidence report benefits to physical health, social-emotional mental health and wellbeing, cognition and academic learning. Internationally, there is indicative evidence to suggest outdoor engagement with nature may also impact children’s language and communication skills, skills that are critical to development, education, social relationships and life opportunities. Yet, at present such evidence has not been synthesised. Despite evidence for the benefits of the outdoors, the amount of time children are spending outdoors is in rapid decline, and has been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Alongside this are increasing numbers of children starting primary education with significant speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) which remain persistent over time. With established wide-reaching benefits of nature to children’s physical and mental health and psychological development, there is a need to further explore the more specific impacts of the natural environment on children’s language, communication and social skills, which could provide a unique opportunity to consider nature as a universal public health intervention for SLCN. The current review will aim to synthesise existing qualitative and quantitative evidence of the impact of time spent in natural outdoor spaces on the language, communication and social skills of 2–11-year-old children. Literature will be searched across seven databases and considered for inclusion against inclusion and exclusion criteria. Potential implications of the review include informing public health practice and policy for child development and education, informing priorities for speech, language, and communication interventions, and providing directions for future international research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Outdoor Play and Learning for Health, Wellbeing, and Development in Early Childhood)
30 pages, 6489 KiB  
Systematic Review
Nature-Based Early Childhood Education and Children’s Social, Emotional and Cognitive Development: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review
by Avril Johnstone, Anne Martin, Rita Cordovil, Ingunn Fjørtoft, Susanna Iivonen, Boris Jidovtseff, Frederico Lopes, John J. Reilly, Hilary Thomson, Valerie Wells and Paul McCrorie
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(10), 5967; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19105967 - 13 May 2022
Cited by 36 | Viewed by 26197
Abstract
This systematic review synthesised evidence on associations between nature-based early childhood education (ECE) and children’s social, emotional, and cognitive development. A search of nine databases was concluded in August 2020. Studies were eligible if: (a) children (2–7 years) attended ECE, (b) ECE integrated [...] Read more.
This systematic review synthesised evidence on associations between nature-based early childhood education (ECE) and children’s social, emotional, and cognitive development. A search of nine databases was concluded in August 2020. Studies were eligible if: (a) children (2–7 years) attended ECE, (b) ECE integrated nature, and (c) assessed child-level outcomes. Two reviewers independently screened full-text articles and assessed study quality. Synthesis included effect direction, thematic analysis, and results-based convergent synthesis. One thousand three hundred and seventy full-text articles were screened, and 36 (26 quantitative; 9 qualitative; 1 mixed-methods) studies were eligible. Quantitative outcomes were cognitive (n = 11), social and emotional (n = 13), nature connectedness (n = 9), and play (n = 10). Studies included controlled (n = 6)/uncontrolled (n = 6) before-after, and cross-sectional (n = 15) designs. Based on very low certainty of the evidence, there were positive associations between nature-based ECE and self-regulation, social skills, social and emotional development, nature relatedness, awareness of nature, and play interaction. Inconsistent associations were found for attention, attachment, initiative, environmentally responsible behaviour, and play disruption/disconnection. Qualitative studies (n = 10) noted that nature-based ECE afforded opportunities for play, socialising, and creativity. Nature-based ECE may improve some childhood development outcomes, however, high-quality experimental designs describing the dose and quality of nature are needed to explore the hypothesised pathways connecting nature-based ECE to childhood development (Systematic Review Registration: CRD42019152582). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Outdoor Play and Learning for Health, Wellbeing, and Development in Early Childhood)
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27 pages, 792 KiB  
Protocol
Training Pre-Service Early Childhood Educators in Physical Activity (TEACH): Protocol for a Quasi-Experimental Study
by Patricia Tucker, Brianne A. Bruijns, Kristi B. Adamo, Shauna M. Burke, Valerie Carson, Rachel Heydon, Jennifer D. Irwin, Andrew M. Johnson, Patti-Jean Naylor, Brian W. Timmons and Leigh M. Vanderloo
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(7), 3890; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19073890 - 24 Mar 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3288
Abstract
Background: Early childhood educators (ECEs) influence young children’s early uptake of positive health behaviours in childcare settings and serve as important daytime role models. As such, it is imperative that post-secondary early childhood education programs provide students with the foundational knowledge and professional [...] Read more.
Background: Early childhood educators (ECEs) influence young children’s early uptake of positive health behaviours in childcare settings and serve as important daytime role models. As such, it is imperative that post-secondary early childhood education programs provide students with the foundational knowledge and professional training required to confidently facilitate quality active play opportunities for young children. The primary objective of the Training pre-service EArly CHildhood educators in physical activity (TEACH) study is to develop and implement an e-Learning course in physical activity and sedentary behaviour to facilitate improvements in: pre-service ECEs’ self-efficacy and knowledge to lead physical activity and outdoor play opportunities and minimize sedentary behaviours in childcare. This study will also explore pre-service ECEs’ behavioural intention and perceived control to promote physical activity and outdoor play, and minimize sedentary behaviour in childcare, and the implementation of the e-Learning course. Methods/Design: A mixed-methods quasi-experimental design with three data collection time points (baseline, post-course completion, 3-month follow-up) will be employed to test the e-Learning course in early childhood education programs (n = 18; 9 experimental, 9 comparison) across Canada. Pre-service ECEs enrolled in colleges/universities assigned to the experimental group will be required to complete a 4-module e-Learning course, while programs in the comparison group will maintain their typical curriculum. Pre-service ECEs’ self-efficacy, knowledge, as well as behavioural intention and perceived behavioural control will be assessed via online surveys and module completion rates will be documented using website metrics. Group differences across timepoints will be assessed using linear mixed effects modelling and common themes will be identified through thematic analysis. Discussion: The TEACH study represents a novel, evidence-informed approach to address the existing gap in physical activity and sedentary behaviour-related education in Canadian post-secondary early childhood education programs. Moreover, e-Learning platforms, can be employed as an innovative, standardized, and scalable way to provide ECEs with consistent training across jurisdictions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Outdoor Play and Learning for Health, Wellbeing, and Development in Early Childhood)
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