Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/whats-going-on-out-here-an-evaluation-tool-for-your-playground/5009141/
Imagine it's 10:30 in the morning of a typical day at your preschool and the four year olds (or toddlers or three's) have just burst outside to play on the playground. What the children do over the next 45 minutes depends on several factors, one of which is the quality of the physical environment.Will the four year olds find play equipment appropriate for their needs, or for those of ten year olds? Will they find places to play alone as well as in groups? Will they become bored because the playground that greets them today looks exactly like it has every day since enrollment? Will they feel secure knowing that a teacher can see them and is watching to prevent dangerous activities? Will they race to grab the only swing still working, knowing that to be second is to miss swinging today?
These questions suggest that your playground is an important place. Decisions about planning, equipping, and using the playground will have a profound impact on the quality of the education children receive; on the liability of teachers, administrators, or owners; and on the behavior of children.
The research is clear and far reaching ...