Exploring Practices of Outdoor Play for Children: Early Childhood Educators' Perceptions and Centres' Beliefs

Enhanced play spaces are being developed in public and neighbourhood parks which indicates a positive direction in promoting outdoor play. However, preschool and childcare centres vary in their scheduling of outdoor play in... [ view full abstract ]

Enhanced play spaces are being developed in public and neighbourhood parks which indicates a positive direction in promoting outdoor play. However, preschool and childcare centres vary in their scheduling of outdoor play in their curriculum and provision. With children spending increased time in childcare due to parents’ work commitments, they may have limited access to outdoor play. In addition, as greater emphasis is placed on academic preparation for formal schooling, less importance may be given to outdoor play, resulting in its limited provision in the curriculum.

There is a need for early childhood centres and their educators to actively embrace the position of children’s right to outdoor play and to ensure that adequate provision is evident in the curriculum. In order for this to happen, operators, centre leaders and educators need to have a better understanding of the necessity to provide regular outdoor play in the curriculum and its benefits so as to ensure its effective translation into practice.

The purpose of this paper is to present a review of practices of outdoor play in early childhood centres, the perceptions of early childhood educators, and the centres’ beliefs in implementing outdoor play in their curriculum. It seeks to provide documentation of teachers’ perceptions and practices through a survey and also further insight on centres’ beliefs and practices through interviews. Findings of the study will be useful to promote greater understanding of the importance and benefits of outdoor play and its provision for children.