The influence of warm weather and outdoor environment design on preschooler’s physical activities and thermal comfort

Abstract

<p>Warm weather can have negative effects on the health and wellbeing of humans, especially risk groups e.g. children. Methods for estimating thermal comfort and physiological stress outdoors are not developed or adjusted for children. A consequence of this is few existing studies on children and thermal comfort and heat stress, particularly in a Swedish context. Children are at higher risk of heat stress than adults because of a larger body-surface-area to body-mass-ratio, lower sweat rate and that they are less aware of their thermal status. Swedish children attending preschool spend around three hours per day outdoors and the effects of weather and outdoor environment design on children’s thermal comfort are not clear. By better understanding how weather affects children's thermal comfort, measures can be taken to reduce heat stress and increase children's health and wellbeing.</p><p>Here we present results from a project on the effect of warm weather on Swedish preschooler’s health and wellbeing. The results are based on detailed observations and simulations for present day climate as well as future climate change scenarios and give indications on exposure to heat stress and potential implications on the health and wellbeing of the children. For example, two thirds of preschool yards in Gothenburg are exposed to strong heat stress on clear and warm days. Strong heat stress have negative consequences for the pedagogic activities and wellbeing. Moreover, days with strong heat stress will increase in the future in exposed yards, whereas yards with sufficient shade are less prone to heat stress.</p>