Abstract
Objectives
Childcare centres are an important setting for young children to engage in outdoor play. The objectives for this study were to (1) determine the average outdoor play duration and frequency for toddlers (19–35 months) and preschoolers (36–60 months) in childcare centres, (2) determine if duration and frequency differed across winter (December–March) and non-winter (April–November) months, and (3) determine correlates of outdoor play duration and frequency.
Methods
Childcare centre directors (n = 240) in Alberta, Canada, completed a questionnaire adapted from the Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (GO NAP SACC) Outdoor Play Tool that measured outdoor play separately for toddlers/preschoolers and winter/non-winter months. Consistent with the tool, centres were categorized as meeting or not meeting best practices for outdoor play duration and frequency. The questionnaire also measured demographic, socio-cultural, environmental, and policy correlates. Chi-squared tests and multiple logistic regression models were conducted.
Results
More centres met the outdoor play duration and frequency best practices in non-winter than in winter months for toddlers (duration: 79.2% vs 24.9%; frequency: 11.4% vs 1.4%) and preschoolers (duration: 55.7% vs 14.6%; frequency: 20.2% vs 3.4%). Correlates of outdoor play duration and frequency varied across age groups and seasons. However, educator certification, educator professional development, and play areas were most consistent across final models.
Conclusions
Findings from this study suggest correlates of outdoor play may differ across age groups and seasons. Interventions aimed at increasing outdoor play in childcare centres appear warranted, especially in winter months for northern locations.
Résumé
Objectifs
Il est important que les enfants en garderie aillent jouer dehors. L’étude avait les objectifs suivants : 1) déterminer pendant combien de temps et à quelle fréquence les tout-petits (19 à 35 mois) et les enfants d’âge préscolaire (36 à 60 mois) en garderie jouaient dehors; 2) déterminer si la durée et la fréquence diffèrent en hiver (décembre à mars) par rapport aux autres saisons (avril à novembre); et 3) déterminer les corrélations entre le temps passé dehors et la fréquence à laquelle les enfants jouent dehors.
Méthodes
Des personnes (n = 240) à la tête de garderies de l’Alberta, au Canada, ont rempli un questionnaire adapté du Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (GO NAP SACC) Outdoor Play Tool qui mesurait séparément les données pour les tout-petits et les enfants d’âge préscolaire et les mois d’hiver et autres mois. Conformément à l’outil, les garderies ont été classées selon qu’elles respectent ou non les meilleures pratiques en matière de temps passé dehors pour les enfants et de fréquence à laquelle ils jouent dehors. Le questionnaire a également permis de mesurer les corrélats démographiques, socioculturels, environnementaux et politiques. Des tests du khi carré et des modèles de régression logistique multiple ont été réalisés.
Résultats
Le nombre de garderies qui ont respecté les meilleures pratiques pour ce qui est du temps passé dehors pour les enfants et de la fréquence à laquelle ces derniers jouent dehors est plus élevé dans les mois non hivernaux que dans les mois hivernaux, à la fois chez les tout-petits (79,2 % contre 24,9 % pour la durée, 11,4 % contre 1,4 % pour la fréquence) et chez les enfants d’âge préscolaire (55,7 % contre 14,6 % pour la durée, 20,2 % contre 3,4 % pour la fréquence). Les corrélats de la durée et de la fréquence variaient selon les groupes d’âge et les saisons. Cependant, la formation des éducateurs, le perfectionnement professionnel des éducateurs et les aires de jeux étaient les données les plus stables parmi les modèles finaux.
Conclusions
Les résultats de cette étude suggèrent que les corrélats du temps passé à jouer dehors peuvent différer selon les groupes d’âge et les saisons. Les interventions visant à faire en sorte que les enfants jouent plus souvent dehors en garderie semblent justifiées, en particulier pendant les mois d’hiver pour les régions nordiques.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank all childcare centre directors for taking the time to complete the questionnaire.
Funding
The research was funded internally by the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation at the University of Alberta. MP is supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)-Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarship-Master’s Award. VC is supported by a CIHR New Investigator Salary Award.
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Ethics approval was granted from the University of Alberta Research and Ethics Board. All participating directors provided written informed consent.
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Predy, M., Holt, N. & Carson, V. Examining correlates of outdoor play in childcare centres. Can J Public Health 112, 292–303 (2021). https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-020-00404-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-020-00404-4