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DEVELOPMENTAL BENEFITS of PLAY on a NATURAL PLAYGROUND by Shelley Ethier B.Ed., University of Victoria, 1999

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DEVELOPMENTAL BENEFITS of PLAY on a NATURAL PLAYGROUND by Shelley Ethier B.Ed., University of Victoria, 1999 DEVELOPMENTAL BENEFITS OF PLAY ON A NATURAL PLAYGROUND by Shelley Ethier B.Ed., University of Victoria, 1999 A Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF EDUCATION in the Department of Early Childhood Education © Shelley Ethier, 2017 University of Victoria All rights reserved. This project may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without the permission of the author. DEVELOPMENTAL BENEFITS OF A NATURAL PLAYGROUND i Supervisory Committee Dr. Christopher Filler, Department of Curriculum and Instruction Supervisor Dr. Jodi Streelasky, Department of Curriculum and Instruction Co-Supervisor Abstract Children are spending less time outside in nature (Gray, et al., 2015; Louv, 2008). The purpose of this project is to provide the research and rationale on the importance of providing young children with the opportunity to play outdoors on a natural playground. The guiding question for this project is: How does play on natural playgrounds vs. traditional playgrounds contribute to the holistic development of young children? In the literature review, I draw on recent research in the fields of outdoor play, child development, and the comparison of these two elements on natural vs. traditional playgrounds. I then created a PowerPoint presentation as well as a brochure which provides educators, administrators, and parents with a review of the current research on the importance of play on a natural playground as it aids in the cognitive, social- emotional, physical, and spiritual development of young children. The PowerPoint presentation is going to be presented to the Parent Advisory Committee to inform them of the benefits of play on a natural playground aiding in the design and implementation of a new playground for our school. Keywords: outdoor play, natural playground, natural playscape, loose parts DEVELOPMENTAL BENEFITS OF A NATURAL PLAYGROUND ii Table of Contents Supervisory Committee……………………………………………….…………… i Abstract……………………………………………………………………………. i Table of Contents………………………………………………………………….. ii Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………… iiii Chapter 1: Introduction…………………………………………………………….. 1 Rationale…………………………………………………………………… 2 Personal Rationale..………………………………………………………... 3 Theoretical Framework…………………………………………………….. 4 Significance………………………………………………………………....5 Project Overview…………………………………………………………... 7 Chapter 2: Literature Review……………………………………………………..... 8 Introduction………………………………………………………………… 8 History of Playgrounds…………………………………………………...... 10 Risks on Playgrounds………………………………………………………. 12 Loose Parts in the Outdoors………………………………………………... 13 Types of Outdoor Play……………………………………………………... 14 Functional/Locomotor Play………………………………………... 16 Constructive Play…………………………………………………... 16 Symbolic/Dramatic Play…………………………………………… 17 Games with Rules/Cooperative Play………………………………. 17 Benefits of Play on Child Development in Outdoor Playscapes…………... 18 Physical Development……………………………………………... 19 Social/Emotional Development……………………………………. 20 Cognitive Development……………………………………………. 20 Spiritual Development……………………………………………... 21 Loose Parts on the Playground…………………………………………….. 22 DEVELOPMENTAL BENEFITS OF A NATURAL PLAYGROUND iii Natural vs. Traditional Playgrounds……………………………………….. 23 Conclusion: Advantages of Natural Playgrounds………………………….. 26 Chapter 3: Project………………………………………………………………….. 28 Introduction………………………………………………………………… 28 PowerPoint Project………………………………………………………… 29 Creating the Presentation………………………………………………….. 29 History of Playgrounds……………………………………………. 30 Definition of Traditional and Natural Playgrounds……………….. 31 Risks on Playgrounds………………………………………………. 32 Types of Play and the Benefits of Play on Child Development…… 34 Loose Parts and Child Development………………………………. 36 Natural vs. Traditional Playgrounds……………………………….. 38 Examples of Natural Playscapes…………………………………… 39 Conclusion…………………………………………………………. 40 Creation of Brochure………………………………………………………. 41 Summary…………………………………………………………………… 42 Chapter 4: Reflections………………………………………………………………43 Project Summary……………………………………………………………43 Evolving Beliefs and the Impact on Future Practice………………………. 43 Implementation of Project…………………………………………………. 45 Recommendations………………………………………………………….. 46 Future Considerations……………………………………………………… 47 References………………………………………………………………………….. 48 DEVELOPMENTAL BENEFITS OF A NATURAL PLAYGROUND iiii Acknowledgements I want to thank my family, friends, and colleagues for their unrelenting support throughout this masters endeavour. To my wonderful husband, thanks for proofreading, listening, encouraging, and providing a shoulder to cry on during the stressful times and the happy times. To my parents for providing the support, and resources to further my education. To my friends and colleagues for their reassurance and belief in my ability to complete this project. A special thank you to Sandi, who provided me with inspiration, resources, and for doing the occasional proofreading throughout the two years. To my cohort who shared their knowledge, stress, and laughs over the two years. Thank you to Dr. Christopher Filler for his support and guidance during this project. DEVELOPMENTAL BENEFITS OF A NATURAL PLAYGROUND 1 Developmental Benefits of Play on a Natural Playground Chapter One Introduction Since the 19th century, there have been many movements guided by research and world events that have led to the evolution of playgrounds. Developmental playgrounds, outdoor gymnasia, sand gardens, model playgrounds, junk or adventure playgrounds, novelty or imaginative playgrounds, and most recently a focus on integrated playscapes (Frost, 2012; Frost, 2006) with the return to nature at the forefront (Fjortoft, 2004). At its most basic, a natural playground is defined as an outdoor area where children play with natural elements. These natural elements include things such as the rocks, sand, water, and plants (British Columbia Recreation and Parks Association, 2015; Kuh, Ponte, & Chau, 2013). Many adults may remember the days of their childhood when they turned to nature to play: climbing on a rock, walking along a log, crawling through a bush, building a fort, or playing in the sand box. In the last decade, the reduction in children’s interactions with nature has brought forth the importance of creating natural play environments (Fjortoft, 2004; Louv, 2008). In the literature, nature playgrounds are referred to by many names: natural playground, discovery play gardens, outdoor play space, naturescape or playscape (BCRPA, 2015). Some have defined natural playgrounds as a space which integrates natural components, naturally occurring or placed, such as: hills, trees, shrubs, sand, logs, and waterways and provide the children with open-ended, physically challenging, and unstructured play opportunities (Fjortoft, 2004; Hamarstrom, 2012; Herrington, Lesmeister, Nicholls, & Stefiuk, 2007; Luchs & Fikus, 2013). Others define a natural playground as a naturally occurring space such as a field, stream, vegetation, or forest where physical activity and imagination leads to the use of these natural elements (BCRPA, 2015; Fjortoft, 2001). Research shows that natural playgrounds support young children’s development in multiple domains. From an educational perspective a natural playground can provide opportunities not accessible on a traditional playground or indoors in the classroom (Severin, 2007). As a teacher I see that natural playgrounds provide an environment for children to not only engage their gross motor skills, but also engage their imaginations and DEVELOPMENTAL BENEFITS OF A NATURAL PLAYGROUND 2 interactions with each other through social play, while their senses are engaged with the natural world. This was evident when the children were helping and encouraging each other to crawl across a log that was spanning the creek. In another instance, the children were building a fort out of sticks and moss and using their imaginations to play out a scenario of trade and barter with pinecones and rocks. Rationale Children today lead a much more sedentary lifestyle, partly due to electronics, in comparison to previous generations. As a result children are spending less time outside in nature (Gray, et al., 2015; Louv, 2008). Louv referred to this phenomenon as “nature deficit disorder” (2008, pp. 10-11). Research indicates that Canadian children aged six to ten years of age spend an average of 7.4 hours per day of waking hours sedentary; watching television, playing video games, and sitting for extended periods of time doing art or reading (Gray, et al., 2015; Participaction, 2015). Not only are kids sedentary, leading to health concerns, but they are sedentary inside (Gray, et al., 2015). Internationally there are many concerns about young children being obese and overweight and thus creating additional health affects in their adult years (World Health Organization, 2014). In 2013, 42 million young children under age five were considered obese or overweight (World Health Organization, 2015). Less outdoor activity is occurring because of the development of technology, concerns about safety, having highly structured lives with less free play, and an increased number of working families (Ritchie, Clifford, Burns, Reagan, & Schlossberg, 2013; Gray, et al., 2015). Active Healthy Kids Canada (2012) stated that 46% of children aged six to eleven get three or less hours of free active play per week. The World Health Organization and Canada Federal Government recommend sixty minutes of moderate to vigorous physical
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