Playground Design Research Articles

Design of playgrounds: the space of art and pedagogy

Design of playgrounds: the space of art and pedagogy

CREATING INCLUSIVE SPORTS PLAYGROUNDS: STRATEGIES FOR CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS

This articleexplores strategies for creating inclusive sports playgrounds designed to cater to children with developmental delays. It emphasizes the importance of inclusivity in playground design, ensuring that children of all abilities can participate in and benefitfrom sports-related activities. The article discusses the integration of specialized equipment, sensory-friendly areas, and adaptable play structures to accommodate various developmental needs. The goal is to provide a comprehensive guide on how to createplaygrounds that are not only physically accessible but also developmentally supportive, promoting social inclusion and enhancing the physical and psychological well-being of all children.

Playground Design and Physical Activity

This study compares traditional post-and-platform playgrounds with innovatively designed playgrounds to assess the degree to which design influences use and physical activity. Innovative playgrounds are defined as having (1) a variety of surface types; (2) naturalized and planted areas designed for play; (3) open-ended structures that do not dictate play sequences; (4) loose, movable equipment; and (5) not comprised solely of traditional post-and-platform structures. This study also examines how neighborhood contextual factors contribute to playground use and physical activity. The authors selected 30 traditional and 30 innovative playgrounds in 10 U.S. cities and used the System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities to document the number and characteristics of users during 19 hourly observations over 1 week at each playground in the summer of 2021. Data were analyzed to identify the factors associated with the number of users and the amount of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity within each playground. Innovative playgrounds attracted 2.5 times more users and generated almost 3 times as much moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. After controlling for playground size, population density, neighborhood poverty, and destination location, innovative playgrounds still attracted 43% more visitors than traditional playgrounds. Whereas playgrounds in high-poverty neighborhoods saw less overall use, innovatively designed playgrounds mitigated the difference by 60% compared with traditional playgrounds. Playground characteristics that attract more users and are associated with more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, such as design, size, and the number of unique features, should be integrated into future playground designs and renovations, with innovative designs prioritized for low-income neighborhoods.

Desain taman bermain anak berbasis daya kembang kognitif anak di Taman Kota Sewaka Dharma

Denpasar City was awarded the Child-Friendly City award from 2011 to 2019. This achievement needs to be maximized by providing a children playground based on cognitive development, in order to facilitate children's development in the way of thinking and problem-solving. The purpose of this study is to map the existing condition and to create a children playground design based on cognitive development in Sewaka Dharma City Park. These research methods using inventory, analysis, synthesis, concept-making, planning, and design process. The site is divided into four playing spaces based on group age, that are 0-3 years, 3-6 years, 6-8 years, and 8-17 years age groups, each of which aimed to maximize cognitive development. Playground for group age of 0- 3 years is facilitated with sensory games, 3-6 years age with creative games, physical games for the 6-8 years age, and social games for the 8-17 years age. The design is not only adding playing equipments to the site, but also the designed playing facilities can contribute to users life quality based on their cognitive activity. The results of this research can be taken into consideration for further children playground development, so it does not only produce recreational facilities but can also improve the quality of human resources in the future.

Spatial distribution, activity zone preference, and activity intensity of senior park users in a metropolitan area

Urban parks can bring multiple health benefits to seniors and thus are important to their lives. This study investigated seniors’ spatial distribution, preferred activity zones, and activity intensity during park visits. We used GPS trackers to collect spatial location information and accelerometers to record metabolic equivalent of energy (MET) at an interval of 10 s, and examined differences in activity intensity according to activity zone type. Data from 286 seniors in two large urban parks in Shanghai, China were included. We identified eight park activity zone types: pathway, paved open space, sports area, children’s playground, lawn, water, other natural area, building, and other area. Grid cells of 5 m by 5 m were created and hotspot analysis was utilized to identify the activity zones most frequently used by seniors. ANOVA post-hoc analysis was applied to investigate the variance between activity zone cells in terms of mean visit point counts, total visit point MET, and average MET. We also utilized latent class analysis to identify distinctive subgroups of seniors.The results indicate that seniors’ spatial distributions vary vastly both between and within park activity zones. Of the eight zone types, paved open space was used most frequently, and seniors were most active on pathways. Other natural area also had high usage, and featured higher average activity intensity than sports area, water, and building and other area. Children’s playground had higher average activity intensity than lawn or water. Finally, three distinctive groups of seniors were identified: short-stay active walker, long-stay light walker, and short-stay transient. These findings have direct implications for park design practice. Paved open space and pathways should be carefully designed based on the specific seniors’ activity patterns. Furthermore, seniors’ needs should be considered in the design of playgrounds in parks, where they accompany their grandchildren, and of other natural area, where they stretch their bodies and enjoy fresh air. The diverse activity patterns of the subgroups of seniors should be addressed in future studies.

Evaluation of school administrators' views on playgrounds and sports areas in the schools they work

One of the best learning tools for children is games. Playgrounds and playgrounds are areas where children complete their physical, mental and social development. It is important for the health, welfare and order of the society that children complete their development in a healthy way. This makes the design of children's playgrounds much more important. Play is the basic building block that supports the development of children, who are the building blocks of society, from birth to adolescence in many ways. The aim of this study is to evaluate the opinions of school administrators about the playgrounds and sports fields in their schools. In the study group of the research, face-to-face interview technique was used with 15 school administrators working in Gaziantep Provincial Directorate of National Education and on a voluntary basis. In the research, using the interview method, which is one of the qualitative research methods, the data obtained were analyzed by the content analysis method. As a result of the research, school administrators stated that the playgrounds and sports areas of the schools they work in are insufficient. At the same time, they stated that there should be sports halls in schools and that the adequacy of the areas should be at a high level in terms of children's development. School administrators participating in the research stated that playgrounds and sports fields contribute to the educational development of students. It has been seen that there should be educational areas, playgrounds and sports areas should be wide and safe. In addition, regarding the playground and sports fields of the research group; It has been concluded that game and sports halls should be built, game and sports areas should be more standard, multi-purpose, regular floors and suitable for student level.

ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSIVITY OF PLAYGROUNDS FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES IN MALAYSIA

Playing is one of the most crucial physical activities for children's development worldwide. Due to the unsuitability of the playground's design and the available play equipment, children with disabilities (CwDs) frequently experience difficulties when playing, especially at public playgrounds, amusement parks, and other recreational areas. They have consistently been mistreated and ignored in several ways. When designing and developing a playground, the accessibility and inclusivity of the space are crucial factors that should be considered. in preparing playgrounds for Children with Disabilities (CwDs). Two objectives are highlighted in this study, 1) to determine the criteria of accessible and inclusive playgrounds for disabled children in Malaysia and 2) to investigate the current accessibility and inclusivity of playgrounds for children with disabilities in Malaysia. The research methodology used is the qualitative method by using semi-structured interviews with caregivers of disabled children. The findings from the study conclude that most of the public playgrounds designed in Malaysia (even including inclusive playgrounds for Children with Disabilities (CwDs)) have still not met the needs of children with disabilities. The findings from this study hopefully will ensure that disabled children in Malaysia have the accessibility to play in inclusive playgrounds happily in the future.

A direct observation tool to measure interactions between shade, nature, and children’s physical activity: SOPLAY-SN

BackgroundMost physical activity (PA) during school occurs at recess; however, recess PA may be influenced by children’s thermal comfort and interaction with nature, neither of which have concurrently been measured reliably in previous studies. This study tests the reliability of SOPLAY-SN, an adaption of the validated System for Observing Play and Leisure Activity in Youth (SOPLAY) to measure Shade and Nature (SN) alongside PA, and associations between children’s PA and interaction with shade and nature during recess to highlight the utility of the tool.MethodsInteractions with shade and nature were measured using systematic direct observation at two playgrounds (primary-grade = ages 5–8, upper-grade = ages 9–12) during recess at an elementary school in Phoenix, Arizona (USA). Pairs conducted observations over four warm days (primary = 29–34 °C, upper-grade = 32–36 °C) in May 2021 (N = 179 scans). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were used to calculate inter-rater reliability. Mean counts, frequencies, and Kendall rank correlation coefficient tests were used to assess relations between PA level and interactions with shade and nature.ResultsReliability was good for sedentary behavior (ICC = 0.98); light PA (LPA; ICC = 0.80) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA; ICC = 0.94); shade interaction (ICC = 0.95); and nature interaction (ICC = 0.80) and average agreement was good (86% overall PA, 88% shade, 90% nature). Most (60%) primary-grade children were observed in the shade, with 64% under a covered play structure where children were mainly (47%) sedentary. Of the 11% of primary-grade students observed interacting with nature, 90% occurred in a grass field with trees. Among upper-grade children, 23% were observed in the shade with 53% in grass fields where 48% of play was light. Few (7%) upper-grade children were observed interacting with nature, with most instances (76%) in a grass field with trees. Among primary-grade children, shade was correlated with sedentary behavior (τb = 0.63, p < .05); LPA (τb = 0.39, p < .05); MVPA (τb = 0.56, p < .05); and nature interactions with sedentary behavior (τb = 0.16, p < .05). Among upper-grade children, shade was correlated with sedentary behavior (τb = 0.27, p < .05) and LPA (τb = 0.21, p < .05).ConclusionsSOPLAY-SN is a reliable tool for measuring children’s interaction with shade and nature and participation in PA. Understanding how shade and nature impact movement during recess can inform playground design for children’s health and well-being.

P03-16 Motivating playgrounds: Understanding how school playgrounds support autonomy, competence, and relatedness of tweens

BackgroundPhysical activity (PA) is an important factor contributing to general health. PA declines rapidly during tween years (9-12 years) when children's social world changes. During tween years, children's self-consciousness develops and their focus on social status, friendships, and appearance increase. It is therefore important to consider how to motivate tween's to be physically active. School playgrounds can contribute substantially to children's PA and are considered key contexts for children to be physically and socially active. Despite the potential of school playgrounds, little is known about how to motivate tweens to use school playgrounds.Use of motivational theories in health research has increased rapidly in the last 20 years and the Self-Determination Theory has been used to conceptualize and analyze motivation. Using the three basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) proposed by the Self-Determination Theory, this qualitative study aimed to investigate how school playgrounds can support tweens to enhance their autonomous motivation for PA on school playgrounds.MethodsWe interviewed 56 tweens in focus group go-along interviews in their school playground.ResultsWe found that playgrounds could support each of the three basic psychological needs. School playgrounds supported the need for autonomy when the tweens could freely choose from different play equipment pieces. Furthermore, playgrounds should provide enough space to avoid noisy areas and congestion. To support competence, playgrounds should facilitate challenges at different levels, enabling the tweens to practice and experience task mastery. These challenges should contain an element of risk where the tweens can experience a high degree of competence. Playgrounds provide a unique possibility for making and strengthening social bonds. To support relatedness, playgrounds should include areas to hang out and talk with friends of a similar age.ConclusionThis research highlighted the importance of incorporating tweens' perspectives in playground design to attract and retain them in play and PA in school playgrounds.

Playground Inclusivity for Children With a Disability: Protocol for a Scoping Review.

BackgroundAlthough playgrounds are designed to promote outdoor play, children with disabilities may be unable to engage in these spaces due to intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Previous research has examined inclusive/accessible playground design when developing new playgrounds; however, it is unclear if there is a best-practice tool for evaluating the inclusivity of existing playground structures.ObjectiveA scoping review of both peer-reviewed and grey literature will be employed to explore evaluation tools for playground inclusivity, to enable the participation of children with disabilities.MethodsThe conduct of this study will adhere to the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines. A search for peer-reviewed research studies will be conducted in the following electronic databases: MEDLINE, Scopus, CINAHL, and Embase. Grey literature will be examined via a three-step process: (1) a search in the Canadian Health Research Collection Database; (2) a targeted Google search; and (3) reference list searching. Titles, abstracts, keywords, and full texts of identified studies will be independently screened for inclusion by two reviewers. A synthesis of included articles will describe the publication and auditing tool details. A summary of the findings will highlight the types of playgrounds measured, types of disability considered, measures of inclusion used, and psychometric properties.ResultsDatabase searches for peer-reviewed articles were completed in December 2021. A total of 1471 unique records were returned after the removal of 559 duplicate records. Full texts of 167 studies meeting eligibility criteria will be reviewed. The peer-reviewed research search will guide the grey literature search. The scoping review is planned for completion in 2022.ConclusionsA rigorous search of the literature will determine the availability of tools for evaluating existing playground structures for the inclusivity of children with disabilities. The results will inform recommendations on tool applications, and applicable knowledge translation activities.International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/37312

Motivating playgrounds: understanding how school playgrounds support autonomy, competence, and relatedness of tweens

ABSTRACT Purpose Physical activity (PA) is an important factor contributing to general health. PA declines rapidly during tween years (9–12 years) when children’s social world changes. School playgrounds can contribute substantially to children’s PA, but little is known about how to motivate tweens to use school playgrounds. Using the three basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) proposed by the Self-Determination Theory, this qualitative study aimed to investigate how school playgrounds can support tweens’ needs. Methods Tweens (n = 56) participated in focus group go-along interviews in their school playground. Results We found that tweens needed a variety of play possibilities (autonomy) that challenged their skills (competence) as well as areas to retract and be with friends (relatedness). Conclusion This research highlights the importance of incorporating tweens’ perspectives in playground design to attract and retain them in play and PA in school playgrounds.

An expert assessment on playspace designs and thermal environments in a Canadian context

Playgrounds are a hub for child play and concerns that may impact children's play there may hinder their health and well-being. Extreme temperatures can increase risks in children of sunstroke, burns from playground surfaces, and exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Despite health risks from extreme heat to children, existing playground design standards around the world, including in Canada, make little-to-no mention of how to design playgrounds for thermal comfort, particularly in summer. To help fill this gap in the Canadian context, several organizations collaborated to develop guidance for thermally comfortable playgrounds in Canada. As part of this project, an online survey was administered to 55 experts with diverse professional backgrounds, largely from Canada and the United States, to determine how thermal comfort is viewed in playground design and safety. Survey results showed agreement among experts that thermal comfort receives low or no priority in playground design but should be prioritized or considered alongside other safety factors in relevant playground safety guidelines and standards. The results of this survey not only helped inform the 2020 publication of a Thermal Comfort annex to the CSA Group's Children's playgrounds and equipment standard (CAN/CSA Z614) but could also help inform future research and practice globally.

Turning Eight Family Homes Into Interactive, Pervasive Playgrounds During the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown

This paper presents an evaluation study of how eighth families adopted, played and experienced a movement-based game system of analog and digital technologies in their homes during a pandemic lockdown. The COVID-19 pandemic locked down many countries and grounded people in their homes with social and physical implications. A game system consisting of simple, tangible technologies with modular components was designed to meet these needs. The game system was developed for the players to set up in their homes easily and, therefore, should not depend on screens or extensive physical installations. The game system comprises simple, tangible technologies such as light and music cubes, a simple mobile robot, card game challenges, and a suite of mini-games combining the elements in a variety of playful experiences. Using the technology probes methodology, the game system was packed into a suitcase and evaluated by eight families that played the game in their homes, video-recorded their sessions, wrote a final report and were (informally) interviewed afterwards. The data set presents how the families turned their ordinary everyday spaces into interactive, pervasive playgrounds encouraging social and bodily exploration and play. Furthermore, the study shows how bodily movement and social play can be promoted through different technologies that stimulate various bodily senses and incorporate them through the different game and play structures into their everyday living environments. The findings resulted in four design implications to aid designers and researchers in future work on movement-based game systems and interactive, pervasive playground design. These design implications accommodate social and bodily activities in ordinary places otherwise not pre-allocated for play or game activities.

Designing inclusive playgrounds in Switzerland: why is it so complex?

ABSTRACT Playgrounds designed with the intention to be inclusive are one approach to creating equal opportunities for all children, including those with disabilities, in terms of their right to play. However, when building inclusive playgrounds, the focus is often limited to the physical environment. Yet, studies investigating children’s play in inclusive playgrounds have shown that other aspects of inclusion, such as social inclusion, are equally as important as the physical environment. Nevertheless, there is a lack of knowledge about how inclusion is considered in the design of inclusive playgrounds. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the design and use of inclusive playgrounds among people involved in the provision of inclusive playgrounds and advocates of children with disabilities from a Swiss context. Four focus groups were conducted with 26 participants involved in providing inclusive playgrounds or having a professional or personal relationship with children with disabilities. Results revealed no uniform understanding of inclusive playgrounds. Barriers to inclusive playground provision included negative attitudes, lack of knowledge about inclusion and the absence of policies for inclusion. Through the focus group discussions, it was proposed that a community network is needed, to bring together children with disabilities and their families with playground providers when designing inclusive playgrounds. In this context, user involvement can inform the design of playgrounds and support the understanding of the needs of people with disabilities in playgrounds, among other things. To enhance inclusion for children with disabilities on inclusive playgrounds, design approaches that consider social inclusion, like Universal Design, are proposed.

Designing public playgrounds for inclusion: a scoping review of grey literature guidelines for Universal Design

ABSTRACT Universal Design (UD) is promoted internationally for the design of public playgrounds that support outdoor play, social participation, and inclusion. Despite this international recognition of UD, there is a lack of research evidence concerning the applicability of UD for playground design. Instead, municipalities need to rely on best practice guidelines to inform the design of public playgrounds for inclusion. Internationally, numerous grey literature guidelines have been produced for designing public playgrounds for inclusion, resulting in a lack of consensus on core principles for applying UD. Thus, this scoping review study aimed to synthesise findings from a review of international grey literature guidelines to strengthen the knowledgebase for designing public playgrounds for inclusion. Three themes were identified that characterise core considerations for good design: (1) design approaches, (2) design principles and (3) design recommendations. Although UD is recognised as having potential to support the design of public playgrounds, inconsistent design approaches, principles, and recommendations, were communicated within these guideline documents. Still, the core concept of inclusion underpinned all guideline documents and a tailored application of UD dominated. Consequently, to fully realise the design of public playgrounds for inclusion, UD may need to be tailored for play; however, further research is required.

Fair Play: A Qualitative Exploration of Visitor Behavior at PlayGrand Adventures All-Abilities Playground

People with disabilities in the United States have access to a fraction of engaging play experiences available to others due to playground design choices, minimal legal requirements, and societal acceptance of the status quo. PlayGrand Adventures, the first and largest all-abilities playground in North Texas, meets this need by providing engaging play opportunities for everyone. This qualitative case study explores and describes community engagement at PlayGrand Adventures, informed by principles of environmental reciprocity supported by Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory (1986) and Gibson’s Affordance Theory (1979). The researcher collected data on community perception and engagement via a questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, and playground observations. The study fills a gap in academic research on all-abilities playgrounds in the United States to increase awareness of the systemic underserving of people with disabilities in this country and provides a potential solution. The researcher offers initial recommendations for PlayGrand Adventures’ future development and implementation with implications for replication in other cities.

Designing for inclusion in public playgrounds: a scoping review of definitions, and utilization of universal design

Purpose Public playgrounds afford children and families important opportunities for outdoor play, social participation, and inclusion. Unfortunately, many children and families experience barriers to accessing, using, and being included in public playgrounds. Consequently, Universal Design (UD) is promoted for providing conceptual guidance for designing for inclusion in public playgrounds. However, a lack of research evidence means researchers have engaged in the ongoing interpretation of the UD concept and related non-discriminatory planning and design concepts. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine how UD, and related concepts, are used in peer-reviewed articles concerning public playgrounds. Materials and methods A scoping review was conducted in November 2019, which identified 15 peer-reviewed articles that met the inclusion criteria. Results Analysis revealed that the terms UD, inclusive design, accessibility, and usability are all being used to describe non-discriminatory planning and design concepts arbitrarily and without regard for higher or lower order concepts. Two broad interpretations were evident: (a) UD is synonymous with accessibility for some, and (b) UD is a higher-order concept that goes beyond accessibility for others. Nevertheless, findings highlight the utility of UD in underpinning the design of public playgrounds in many developed countries; however, the concept requires further clarity and specificity as it pertains to playground design and more pertinently inclusion in outdoor play. Conclusions We argue for further conceptual refinement to consolidate the importance and future application of UD for Play (UDP) in the design of public playgrounds that promote outdoor play, social participation, and inclusion. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION Most peer-reviewed journal articles reviewed fail to define what is meant by the term Universal Design. Of those that do provide a definition, the outcome of inclusion in play, or the application of Universal Design to enable play in public playgrounds was unclear. Research to date has mostly focused on related concepts, including accessibility and usability, with less emphasis on Universal Design. Recommend a tailored perspective of Universal Design for Play (UDP).

Exposure of Malaysian Children to Air Pollutants over the School Day

Children are sensitive to air pollution and spend long hours in and around their schools, so the school day has an important impact on their overall exposure. This study of Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and its surroundings assesses exposure to PM2.5 and NO2, from travel, play and study over a typical school day. Most Malaysian children in urban areas are driven to school, so they probably experience peak NO2 concentrations in the drop-off and pick-up zones. Cyclists are likely to receive the greatest school travel exposure during their commute, but typically, the largest cumulative exposure occurs in classrooms through the long school day. Indoor concentrations tend to be high, as classrooms are well ventilated with ambient air. Exposure to PM2.5 is relatively evenly spread across Selangor, but NO2 exposure tends to be higher in areas with a high population density and heavy traffic. Despite this, ambient PM2.5 may be more critical and exceed guidelines as it is a particular problem during periods of widespread biomass burning. A thoughtful adjustment to school approach roads, design of playgrounds and building layout and maintenance may help minimise exposure.

Research on the Mechanism of Public Participation in the Planning and Design of Urban Park Playground

Over the recent years, citizens in Taiwan have proposed increasingly stringent demands and standards for urban park playgrounds. Thus, this study aimed to explore and discuss mechanisms for public participation in its planning and design procedures. Furthermore, this study proposed suggestions on mechanisms for public participation in the planning and design process by analyzing public recognition in each of the four phases of public participation. Moreover, questionnaires were distributed to experts and interviews were conducted among park users to gather the appropriate data. The research result showed that participatory design could effectively improve public recognition toward urban park playgrounds and earn confidence among citizens. However, it is noteworthy that the public favors social media communications over traditional forms. On the other hand, the public shows disapproval of a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Finally, the proposed suggestions and recommendations of this study are formulated based on the research findings

Analisis Persepsi, Preferensi, dan Ekspektasi Perancangan Children Playground Panti Asuhan Salib Putih Salatiga

Analysis of perceptions, preferences, and expectations for the design of the children playground at the Salib Putih Orphanage in Salatiga. Playing is a need for children that must be fulfilled. Children can improve gross and fine motoric development, improve reasoning, and understand their environment, shape theirimagination, fantasy power, and creativity by playing. At this time, the Salib Putih Orphanage did not have a special play area for children, the children play in the yard and hall. This study aims to determine the potential and constraints on the site of the Salib Putih Orphanage and to determine the perceptions, preferences, and expectations of stakeholders in the orphanage regarding the design of the children playground which can then be used as input in designing the play area at the Salib Putih Orphanage. The research stages included site surveys, interviews with orphanage caregivers and foundation administrators as well as questionnaires to 40 respondents covering the residents of orphanages, the children and adolescents, with educational levels ranging from elementary school, junior high school to higher education, the orphanage foundation staff and workers, also the practical students at the orphanage. Site survey includes location, boundaries, accessibility, climate. Interviews use the in-depth interview method, which is the process of extracting information in depth, openly, and free of problems and research focus, while the questionnaire for respondents using the Likert measurement scale is presented with several questions that must be filled, given 5 choices that have gradations levels from Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neutral, Agree to Strongly Agree. Each of these answer choices hasa weighted value of 1-5 points. The results showed that the site in the area of the Salib Putih Orphanage has the potential to build a children’s playground with a variety of facilities and supports in accordance with the analysis of perceptions, preferences, and expectations.