Quality interactions are crucial for children’s learning and development. Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) centers have the opportunity to support children’s learning and development, yet the quality of interactions and influences on the quality of interactions in outdoor environments is not known. Research findings: this study assessed the quality of educator interactions in outdoor environments using the CLASS Pre-K assessment tool. 11 ECEC centres participated in the study, which included 110 educators and 490 children. 87 observations were collected to measure the CLASS Pre-K domains (1-lowest to 7-highest). Mean domain scores were 6.02 (emotional support), 5.23 (Classroom Organization) and 4.46 (Instructional Support). Regression analyses show free routines had significant relationships with Teacher Sensitivity (p = 0.03) and Instructional Learning Formats (p = 0.03), and increased amounts of time spent outside had the most significant relationships with Teacher Sensitivity (p = 0.001) and Behavior Management (p = 0.001). Practice or Policy: The major recommendations that would serve to improve the quality of interactions in outdoor environments include providing a free routine and increasing the amount of time spent in outdoor environments. As these recommendations are modifiable practices, they are potentially the easiest to alter and therefore, with minimal change, could enhance the quality of interactions between educators and children.

There has been several research about the benefits of outdoor activities on preschool children’s development and learning. However, there is a lack of implementation regarding the results of the related research in early childhood settings. The purpose of this study is to investigate related literature considering what these shortcomings are, how they can be compensated and to analyze National Early Childhood Curriculum in Turkey in terms of outdoor play environments and outdoor activities. In order to reach these aims, this study indicates the types of outdoor play environments in terms of the opportunities that they offer for children’s playing, the effects of such different environments on children’s play preferences, and the barriers against children’s experiences outdoors. Moreover, it is clear that most of the studies investigating outdoor play environments in Turkey are conducted in in the field of landscape architecture rather than early childhood education field. The results showed that outdoor play environments are investigated regarding the physical characteristics of the environment and there is lack of emphasis on the impacts of outdoor play environments and activities on children’s development and learning. Therefore, this study also aims to give information about how outdoors can be used as learning settings and how outdoor activities can support children’s development and learning. Lastly, the results indicated that Turkish Ministry of National Education, Early Childhood Education Curriculum doesn’t emphasize the value of outdoor play environments and outdoor activities; therefore teachers have the responsibility on their shoulders to compensate this deficiency.

ABSTRACT In this paper, we characterise outdoor spaces and play opportunities in 12 Portuguese early childhood settings (ECS), extending scientific knowledge about how outdoor environments are commonly organised and used in Portugal. To achieve this goal, we developed an observation tool (GO-Exterior) based on scientific literature concerning design and planning of outdoor play environments. The study reveals that most outdoor environments lacked important features to provide interesting opportunities for children’s play, with significant deficits in terms of natural areas and materials, loose objects and diversity in surfaces or topographies. Data gathered support the need for specific policies and strategies to improve outdoor play opportunities in ECS. GO-Exterior can potentially support further studies in this area, providing important data for interventions in early childhood centres following a play value perspective on the design of outdoor spaces.

The outdoor space at childcare centres can be many preschoolers' primary experience of outdoor play. Trends prioritizing risk reduction have diminished access to nature and risky play. We examined the effects of an intervention to increase opportunities for nature and risky play in the outdoor play environments of two childcare centres using a repeated measures mixed methods design. We used the Seven Cs play space design criteria, adding natural materials to enhance affordances for play. We measured changes in play, social behaviour, psychological wellbeing, and physical activity in 45 children aged 2 to 5. Findings indicated significant decreases in depressed affect, antisocial behaviour and moderate to vigorous physical activity, and increases in play with natural materials, independent play, and prosocial behaviours. Early Childhood Educators observed improved socialization, problem-solving, focus, self-regulation, creativity and self-confidence, and reduced stress, boredom and injury. Outdoor play spaces are important for promoting children's wellbeing and development.

The benefits of outdoor play for children’s well-rounded development are maximized when children experience enjoyment and, at the same time, gain physical, motor, cognitive, and social-emotional competence. This study examined the quality of outdoor play in Chinese kindergartens, the dominant form of full-day early childhood education program serving children aged from 3 to 6 years in China. The Outdoor Play Rating Scale was used to study the quality of the provision for children’s outdoor play. A total of 174 classrooms from 91 kindergartens in Zhejiang Province were included in the study. A stratified random sampling procedure was used to select kindergartens and classrooms. Results indicated that there was inadequate opportunity for outdoor play, including free play, as well as low level of physical activity by children. We found significant differences in quality of outdoor play across kindergartens in different locations (urban/non-urban areas). Recommendations were provided to practitioners in the discussion that primarily emphasized addressing the need to increase opportunities for children’s access to a wide range of outdoor activities and to improve teachers’ professional competencies in organizing quality outdoor activities for children. Implications for policymakers include the need to narrow the gap in the quality of outdoor environments in kindergartens so that children’s play is supported in ways that will enhance children’s early development and learning.

BackgroundParticipation in outdoor play has been extensively documented as beneficial for the health, well-being, and development of children. Canadian early childhood education centers (ECECs) are important settings in young children’s lives and provide opportunities to participate in outdoor play. However, there are barriers to the provision of outdoor play opportunities at ECECs, such as adverse weather conditions, poorly designed outdoor spaces, outdoor time policies, and early childhood educator comfort levels.ObjectiveThe PROmoting Early Childhood Outside (PRO-ECO) study is a wait-list control cluster randomized trial that evaluates the impact of the PRO-ECO intervention, an innovative outdoor play intervention, on children’s outdoor play behavior. The purpose of this paper was to provide a detailed overview of the pilot study protocol and the methods that will be used to develop, implement, and evaluate the PRO-ECO intervention.MethodsA total of 8 ECECs delivering licensed care to children aged 2.5 to 6 years in the Greater Vancouver region of British Columbia, Canada, and operated by the YMCA of Greater Vancouver (YMCA GV) are included in this study. Using a wait-list control cluster randomized trial design, we randomly allocated ECECs to either the PRO-ECO intervention arm (n=4) or the wait-list control arm (n=4). The primary outcome measures include changes in the proportion and diversity of observed outdoor play behavior during dedicated outdoor times at the ECECs as measured through observational behavior mapping. Secondary outcome measures include changes in educator attitudes; quality of ECECs’ outdoor play space; and children’s psychosocial strengths, physical activity levels, and social behaviors. A process evaluation of the acceptability of the PRO-ECO intervention in the 8 YMCA GV ECECs will also be assessed. Outcome data will be collected at baseline, 6-month follow-up, and 12-month follow-up. Mixed effect models will test the effect of the PRO-ECO intervention on quantitative outcomes. Baseline and postintervention data will be included in the analysis, controlling for the cluster design. Qualitative data will support quantitative findings and provide evidence for the acceptability of implementation.ResultsParticipant recruitment for this study began in August 2021, and baseline data collection was completed at all 8 ECECs in November 2021. As of April 2022, a total of 130 children have been recruited to participate in this study.ConclusionsThe PRO-ECO pilot study will develop, implement, and evaluate the PRO-ECO intervention within 8 YMCA GV ECECs in the Vancouver region of British Columbia, Canada. The findings of this study will be useful for early childhood educators, ECEC providers, and policy makers to consider means for enhancing outdoor play provision and assessing the sustainability of the intervention in ECEC settings.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT05075580; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05073380International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/38365

ABSTRACTThe purpose of the study was to examine outdoor environments to understand whether or not young children had access to play materials and loose parts to enhance their playful experiences. This study sought to gather the availability of SAFE and quality play opportunities in early childhood outdoor environments. The study took place in one state of the United States. The study found 75% of outdoor spaces had a playground structure that including a place for children to climb and slide down. The study found 83% of programs had appropriate surfacing materials provided in the outdoor play environment. Loose parts, such as toys, balls, and action figures were also included in the outdoor play and learning environment. The significance of play that this study shows is outdoor environments have an abundant opportunities to support the developmental characteristics of children.

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) scholars and health professionals worldwide share a common concern about the decline in children's physical development and activity due to lack of access to good quality outdoor environments. Early childhood education and care facilities across the world have been affected by trends that are limiting outdoor play, including large-scale migration of rural populations to industrial urban areas where access to the outdoors is limited. In China, this migration and other factors have resulted in dramatic changes to the nation's sociocultural fabric. The authors discuss policies and practices regarding outdoor play designed for millennial preschoolers in China. It presents a Chinese perspective on preschoolers' (3- to 6-year-olds) outdoor play and physical activity and provides recommendations to enhance a worldwide view of child development in the new millennium.

Nature Explore and the Outdoor Classroom Project are among the organizations at the forefront of the movement to create nature-based learning environments in early childhood settings. To date, hundreds of outdoor classrooms have been built using their evidence-based guiding principles. This post-occupancy study examined the extent to which these spaces produced their intended outcomes. Overall, our findings support existing theories linking nature-based outdoor education to positive learning and developmental outcomes including enhanced imaginative play, increased physical and mental well-being, and environmental stewardship. However, the most successful environments: (1) maximized choices, (2) provided many distinct spaces, especially child-sized ones, (3) embedded play affordances within pathways and borders, (4) encouraged spatial evolution, and (5) supported ongoing stakeholder engagement.

This qualitative case study explored how early childhood teachers’ beliefs and practices influence the function of preschool outdoor play. Teachers believed that supervision was paramount. They perceived that the physical design of the outdoor environment posed limitations for planning, preparation, and implementation. Teachers’ recollections of their own childhood outdoor activities provided a shared value of freedom during play. Yet, during outdoor play teachers displayed an adherence to rules or a “philosophy-reality conflict” (Hatch & Freeman, 1988, p. 158). Teachers believed that outdoor play is important to the development of young children; however, minimal knowledge of outdoor play and motivation to promote it was not evident.