Beyond Physical Activity: The Importance of Play and Nature-Based Play Spaces for Children’s Health and Development - SUMMARY

Childhood obesity is a worldwide issue that can be easily solved through play. Not just any play though, outdoor and unstructured play seems to be more effective. But when adults structure a play and emphasize the need for physical activity it decreases the child's want to play. Whereas when children are given the freedom to play they successfully accomplish the task of getting their physical activity in. Not only does natural/ outdoor play positively affect the child physically, it also contributes to their overall wellbeing. The theory of play affordances expands on the environment of play and the Seven Cs - a practical evidence-based approach for designing children's play spaces that promote diverse play. The Seven Cs promote more diverse play environments that reach the heart of play which is unstructured and joyful, and this was attained through research and testing. There has been a link between natural elements in play spaces and structured environments to physical activity in children. Natural play spaces offer diverse opportunities for kids to play and challenge themselves, and most importantly have fun. Studies have shown that 6- to 11-year-old children were active 41% of the time outdoors compared to 18% indoors. This is due to the fact that outdoor play offers a combination of sedentary, light, moderate, and vigorous activity. Psychologist James J. Gibson proposes that the environment and objects and features of that environment give a chance for numerous types of actions. For example trees with sturdy branches can be used for climbing, and boulders in a field can provide for jumping, sitting, scaling, etc. This improves the child's physical health and cognitively challenges them. Studies also show that playgrounds that are structured like KFC (Kit, Fence, and Carpet) playgrounds, limit the child's activity because they imply that an organized activity is needed. A study done in schools in Canada found that 50% of the respondents reported that their school grounds promoted more vigorous activity after greening their play spaces, and 70% reported increases in light and moderate physical activity among the children. Some of the Seven Cs contain the fact that play should involve: context on how the play space interacts with its surroundings, visual and physical connectedness of the play space, differently sized spaces, challenge, etc. 

Context on how the play space interacts with its surroundings: Have climatic conditions been addressed? If the play space is in a dangerous neighborhood, has the play space been screened from its surroundings?

Visual and Physical connectedness of the play space: Children playing should be about the sense of what's happening outside, for example, the seasons changing. 

Different sized play spaces: This offers a range of play activities and also gives a child a moment for themselves. Some play spaces offer little corners where a child may go and collect their emotions. 

Challenge: Children will use the equipment and explore play spaces to maximize potential affordances, testing the environment, and themselves to the limit of their abilities. 

Lastly, a study shows a before and after in outdoor play spaces. Their activity has been monitored and the description below the images show the meaning behind the markings and their connection with play. 

CITATION: 

Herrington, Susan, & Brussoni, Mariana. (2015). Beyond Physical Activity: The Importance of Play and Nature-Based Play Spaces for Children’s Health and Development. Current Obesity Reports, 4(4), 477–483. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-015-0179-2