Importance of Outdoor Play for Childhood Development and Care

Running head: CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT AND CARE
CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT AND CARE
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CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT AND CARE
Article 1:
Part A: summary
Sandboxes, loose parts, and playground equipment: a descriptive exploration of
outdoor play environments
Research Topic:
Sandboxes, loose parts, and playground equipment: a vivid exploration of outdoor play
environment was a study that that was carried out by a group of researchers to examine the
importance of the outdoor plays to the growth and development of children. The study was
aimed at identifying the advantages of outdoor games over the indoor games. It was also carried
out to examine the required safety standards of a playground to avoid accidents during the
physical activities (Van Cauwenberg, et al. 2018, p. 7). The space of the stadium was also
involved in the study. It was also aimed at coming up with the safety standards of the play
equipment such as loose parts, sandboxes, toys among others.
Research questions
The research was carried out to come up with the solutions to the following problems:
 Why teachers and guardians should first know child development stages and how
children should be handled at different stages.
 The benefits of physical activities and plays in child development and care.
 The safety standards and guidelines for safe play environment and equipment (SANDRA
MCCLINTIC AND KAREN PETTY, 2015, p. 27)

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CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT AND CARE
Research paradigm:
Qualitative research was carried out to come up with a precise knowledge on the different stages
of development and how each step should be handled according to during the outdoor plays
activity, the health and intellectual benefits of the outdoor plays to children and the safety
standards of both the playgrounds and the play equipment. It was aimed at educating teachers
and guardians on how to handle children at different stages to improve their health status and
improve their academic performance (SANDRA MCCLINTIC AND KAREN PETTY, 2015, p.
14).
Methodology used:
Different techniques of research, conceptual and the qualitative research methods were carried
out to examine and collect sufficient data to aid in coming up with intensive report and evidence
on the subject matter (Heather Olsen & Brandy Smith, 2017, p. 4).
Collection methods
Different methods of research used included face-to-face psychologist and child specialist
interviews, reading class work, an observation which involved comparing children who have
been brought up in different environments. Indoor and outdoor environments, reading child
specialist journal writings and also collecting data from the hospital data provided by the
specialist (Fathi M. Ihmeideh & Ibrahim A. Al-Qaryouti, 2015, p 4).
Study location and participants:
A group of six students was involved in researching childhood development and care. One
psychologist and one child specialist were interviewed on the benefits of the outdoor exercises

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CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT AND CARE
over the indoor plays. The students managed to visit different homesteads and interviewed the
parents on the environment they have brought up their children in, whether outdoor or indoor.
The students read different journals to get more knowledge of the safety standards of the
playgrounds and play equipment. The student participants included three ladies and three gents.
Major findings
The key findings that were identified included; different stages of development and how
children should be handled at various stages, the healthy, physical, social and mental benefits of
the outdoor plays to children and the standards of the playgrounds and equipment to avoid
accidents and communicable diseases among the children (Fathi M. Ihmeideh & Ibrahim A. Al-
Qaryouti, 2015, p. 9).
Identified limitations:
Due to lack of knowledge and the ignorance of the teachers, parents, and guardians, it was
determined that children are given a lot of freedom to participate in indoor plays such as
watching cartoons, movies, internet games among others. Due to the insecurity of some places,
children are limited from participating in outdoor matches. It was also found that the school's
playgrounds were not spacious and they didn't reach the required standards of safety (Heather
Olsen & Brandy Smith, 2017, p. 6).
Implication for practice
The research findings concluded that most teachers and guardians lack knowledge on social,
health, physical and mental benefits of the outdoor plays to children. Guardians and teachers
should be educated on the importance of the outdoor games to children. It was also stated that the