The Relationship between the Quality of Kindergartens’ Outdoor Physical Environment and Preschoolers’ Social Functioning
The ability to initiate and engage in relationships is a critical landmark and predictor of children’s development and well-being. In kindergarten, children exhibit greater social participation outdoors rather than indoors. Indeed, the physical environment influences preschoolers’ social proximity....
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Education Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/10/661 |
| _version_ | 1827650543794782208 |
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| author | Mariana Moreira Rita Cordovil Frederico Lopes Brenda M. S. Da Silva Guida Veiga |
| author_facet | Mariana Moreira Rita Cordovil Frederico Lopes Brenda M. S. Da Silva Guida Veiga |
| author_sort | Mariana Moreira |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The ability to initiate and engage in relationships is a critical landmark and predictor of children’s development and well-being. In kindergarten, children exhibit greater social participation outdoors rather than indoors. Indeed, the physical environment influences preschoolers’ social proximity. In this study, we examine the relationship between the quality of kindergartens’ outdoor physical environment and preschoolers’ social functioning. Two kindergartens in Gondomar, Portugal, were selected to participate according to different levels of their physical environment outdoors (poor and fair quality) and measured by a specific physical environment rating scale. Twenty-six children (aged 3–6, 10 boys) participated in this study. Children’s social proximity at the playground was measured through Radio Frequency Identification Devices (RFID). Mann–Whitney statistical tests were used to compare social proximity between groups. Our results showed that in the higher quality outdoor area, children spent less time alone and more time in social proximity with their peers in smaller groups (one or two children). More time was also spent in social proximity with different genders. Our study emphasizes the critical importance of reviewing kindergartens’ outdoor physical environments to support preschoolers’ social needs in a more challenging and diverse setting. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:19:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-950ff49cb8654c37b5118eeebe00b275 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:19:34Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-950ff49cb8654c37b5118eeebe00b2752023-11-23T23:51:10ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022022-09-01121066110.3390/educsci12100661The Relationship between the Quality of Kindergartens’ Outdoor Physical Environment and Preschoolers’ Social FunctioningMariana Moreira0Rita Cordovil1Frederico Lopes2Brenda M. S. Da Silva3Guida Veiga4Interdisciplinary Human Performance Centre (CIPER), Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, University of Lisbon, 1499-002 Lisbon, PortugalInterdisciplinary Human Performance Centre (CIPER), Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, University of Lisbon, 1499-002 Lisbon, PortugalLaboratory of Motor Behavior, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, University of Lisbon, 1499-002 Lisboa, PortugalDepartment of Educational and Developmental Psychology, Leiden University, 2311 EZ Leiden, The NetherlandsDepartamento de Desporto e Saúde, Escola de Saúde e Desenvolvimento Humano, Universidade de Évora, 7004-516 Évora, PortugalThe ability to initiate and engage in relationships is a critical landmark and predictor of children’s development and well-being. In kindergarten, children exhibit greater social participation outdoors rather than indoors. Indeed, the physical environment influences preschoolers’ social proximity. In this study, we examine the relationship between the quality of kindergartens’ outdoor physical environment and preschoolers’ social functioning. Two kindergartens in Gondomar, Portugal, were selected to participate according to different levels of their physical environment outdoors (poor and fair quality) and measured by a specific physical environment rating scale. Twenty-six children (aged 3–6, 10 boys) participated in this study. Children’s social proximity at the playground was measured through Radio Frequency Identification Devices (RFID). Mann–Whitney statistical tests were used to compare social proximity between groups. Our results showed that in the higher quality outdoor area, children spent less time alone and more time in social proximity with their peers in smaller groups (one or two children). More time was also spent in social proximity with different genders. Our study emphasizes the critical importance of reviewing kindergartens’ outdoor physical environments to support preschoolers’ social needs in a more challenging and diverse setting.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/10/661kindergartenoutdoorphysical environmentpreschoolerssocial functioning |
| spellingShingle | Mariana Moreira Rita Cordovil Frederico Lopes Brenda M. S. Da Silva Guida Veiga The Relationship between the Quality of Kindergartens’ Outdoor Physical Environment and Preschoolers’ Social Functioning Education Sciences kindergarten outdoor physical environment preschoolers social functioning |
| title | The Relationship between the Quality of Kindergartens’ Outdoor Physical Environment and Preschoolers’ Social Functioning |
| title_full | The Relationship between the Quality of Kindergartens’ Outdoor Physical Environment and Preschoolers’ Social Functioning |
| title_fullStr | The Relationship between the Quality of Kindergartens’ Outdoor Physical Environment and Preschoolers’ Social Functioning |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Relationship between the Quality of Kindergartens’ Outdoor Physical Environment and Preschoolers’ Social Functioning |
| title_short | The Relationship between the Quality of Kindergartens’ Outdoor Physical Environment and Preschoolers’ Social Functioning |
| title_sort | relationship between the quality of kindergartens outdoor physical environment and preschoolers social functioning |
| topic | kindergarten outdoor physical environment preschoolers social functioning |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/10/661 |
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