Journal Screenshot

International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development

Open Access Journal

ISSN: 2226-6348

Teachers’ Perceptions on The Importance of Outdoor Play Activity for Kindergarten Children

Norul Huda Mohd Ghazali, Nik Evina Nik Roseli, Haysriq Thomeeran, Siti Nurzubaidah Mohd Farid, Harnani Mohamed

http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARPED/v12-i2/17242

Open access

To enhance on our children holistic development, teachers could implement outdoor play activities in which much research have proven that outdoor play activities will give impact on the child’s development. This study deeply clarifies and investigate the importance of outdoor play activities for children 4 to 6 years old. This study employs qualitative research methods including the interviews of teachers in different kindergarten and teacher’s observation to determine the perception of each teacher on the importance of outdoor play activity to kindergarten children. Furthermore, the research gets to find out whether the teachers know their roles when it comes to planning outdoor play activities in their school. Anecdotal records been used to collect the data on the observation of the teachers while they are handling the children through outdoor play activities. The interviews were carried out with five teacher using open ended questions. The results and findings showed teachers are aware with their roles to cooperate outdoor play activities in their kindergarten such as observer, facilitator, support system, participants, planner, and model. The research findings and discussion proved that there are some barriers that teachers go through while they want to implement outdoor play activities. Researcher recommended that to educate the teachers on how to apply the outdoor play activities in their kindergarten and to manage all the barriers for future research. It also revealed that outdoor play activities impact on children’s holistic development and skills. Teachers agreed that outdoor play activities give impact to children’s cognitive, affective, and psychomotor skills. At the same time, teachers agreed to attend outdoor play activities training which help them to share more on the activities with other teachers with different background.

Abbas, M. Y., Othman, M., Puteri, &, Megat, Z., & Rahman, A. (2012). Pre-school Classroom Environment: Significant upon Childrens’ Play Behaviour? Procedia -Social and Behavioral Sciences, 49, 47–65.
Agostini, F., Minelli, M., and Mandolesi, R. (2018). Outdoor Education in Italian Kindergartens: How Teachers Perceive Child Developmental Trajectories. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6194191/
Aziz, N. F., and Said, I. (2015). Outdoor Environments as Children’s Play Spaces: Playground Affordances. Play, Recreation, Health and Well-being. 1(2), 1-22.
Backman, E. (2011). What controls the teaching of friluftsliv? Analyzing a pedagogic discourse within Swedish physical education. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 11 (1), 51-65.
BBC News. (2012) Safety fears ‘hinder outdoor play’, says survey. Education and Family. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/education-19065224
Bento, G., and Dias, G. (2017). The importance of outdoor play for young children’s healthy development. Porto Biomedical Journal. 2(5), 157-160.
Berk, L. E. (2014). Development through lifespan. 6th edn. Boston, Pearson.
Bernard, R., and Ryan, G. (2010). Analyzing qualitative data. London. Sage Publication.
Burris, K., and Burris, L. (2011). Outdoor play and learning: policy and practices. International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership. 6(8), 1-12.
Byun, W., Dowda, M., & Pate, R. (2011). Correlates of objectively measured sedentary behavior in U.S. preschool children. Pediatrics, 128(5), 937–945.
Canning, N. (2010). The influence of the outdoor environment: Den-making in three different contexts. European early childhood education research journal, 18(4), 555-566.
Chakravarthi, S. (2009). Preschool teachers’ beliefs and practices of outdoor play and outdoor environments. 37(4), 1-164.
Choi, M?, Roh, E., Jeong, M., & Ju, B. (2013). The influence of reduction in aggression of Dongju Shin 42 young children and interpersonal problem solving ability between outdoor activity of rough and tumble play and general outdoor activity play. Journal of Future Early Childhood Education. 20(4), 21-44.
Copple, C., & Bredekamp, S. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Dowdell, K., Gray, T., & Malone, K. (2011). Nature and its influence on children’s outdoor play. Australian Journal of OutdoorEducation, 15(2):24–35.

Frost, J. L., Wortham, S. E., Reifel, S. (2011). Play and Child Development, 4th Edn. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education
Gray, C., & MacBlain, S. (2012). Learning theories in childhood. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
Kellert, S. R. (2005). Building for life: Designing and understanding the human-nature connection. Washington, DC: Island Press.
Kinver, M. (2016). Outdoor learning 'boosts children's development'. Environment reporter, BBC News. Retrieved from: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-36795912
Larson, L. R., Green, G. T., and Cordell, H. K. (2011). Children’s time outdoors: results and implications of the National Kids Survey. Journal Park and Recreation Administration. 29(2), 1-20.
Li, P. L. P., and Bahauddin, A. (N.S) Physical Environment and Learning through Play: Case studies in Malaysian preschool. Retrieved from: file:///F:/MASTER%20IN%20EDUCATION%20M(ED)/SEM%205/QUALITATIVE/JOURNALS%20OUTDOOR%20ENVIRONMENT/ART_52.pdf
Nicolopoulou, A. (2010). The alarming disappearance of play from early childhood education. Human Development, 53(1), 1-4.
Nilsson, M., and Ferholt, B. (2014). Vygotsky's theories of play, imagination and creativity in current practice: Gunilla Lindqvist's “creative pedagogy of play” in U. S. kindergartens and Swedish Reggio-Emilia inspired preschools. Kindergartener and Sweedish Reggio Emillia inspired preschool perspectiva. 32(3), 919-950.
New Straits Times. (2019) Retrieved from
https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2019/03/464953/no-go-outdoor-school-activities-hot-weather
Oikonomou, S. (2012). Academic teachers' perceptions and experiences of outdoor education. Department of Culture and Communication. Retrieved from: http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:537861/FULLTEXT02.pdf (assessed 2.10.2019)
Punch, K. (2009). Introduction to research methods in education. London, Sage.
Robertson, C. L., & Krugly-Smolska, E. (1997). Gaps between advocated practices and teaching realities in environmental education. Environmental Education Research, 3 (3), 311-26.
Saaid, A. S. H. (2016). Exploring aspects of design and safety of children playgrounds in Malaysia. Retrieved from:
http://eprints.usm.my/38642/1/Exploring_aspects_of_design_and_safety_of_children_playgrounds_in_Malaysia_by_Ahmad_Sid_Hijaz_Bin_Md._Saaid..pdf
STAR Online. (2018) Retrieved from:
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/04/01/dont-play-around-with-safety-a-staggering-756-of-playgrounds-checked-in-a-study-are-in-bad-condition Studies in Malaysian Preschools. Retrieved from: http://eprints.usm.my/40685/1/ART_52.pdf (assessed 27.10.2019).
Shim, S. K., Herwig, J. E., Shelley, M. (2001). Preschoolers’ play behaviours with peers in classroom and playground settings. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 15(2), 149-163.
Stife, S. (2010). Reflecting on environment education: where is our place in the green movement? The Journal of Environment Education. 41(3), 171-191.

Szczepanski, A. (2009). Outdoor education - Authentic learning in the context of urban and rural landscape - A way of connecting environmental education and health to sustainable learning - Literary education and sensory experience. Perspective of where, what, why and when of learning. Retrieved from: https://www.mgu.ac.jp/main/educations/library/publication/pre_hattatsu/no10/hatsurin_13.pdf
Tan, M., & Pedretti, E. (2010). Negotiating the complexities of environmental education: a study of Ontario teachers. Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, 10 (1), 61-78.
Tarman, B. and Tarman, I. (2011). Teacher’s involvement in children’s play and social interaction. Elementary Education. 10(1),325-337.
Tuuling, L., Oun, T. and Ugaste, A. (2018). Teachers opinions on utilizing outdoor learning in the preschool of Estonia. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning. 19(4), 358-370.
Towell, J. L. (2005). Quality outdoor preschool environments in early care and education centers. MS thesis. Stillwater, OK: Oklahoma State University.
Holland, S. (2018) UN convention on the right of the children. Retrieved from https://www.childcomwales.org.uk/wp- content/uploads/2018/04/Play-FINAL.pdf
Wells, N. (2000). At home with nature: Effects of “greenness” on children's cognitive functioning. Environment and Behavior, 32(6), 775–795.
Yildirim, G., and Akamca, G. O. (2017). The effect of outdoor learning activities on the development of preschool children. South African Journal of Education. 37(2), 1-10.
Zaini, K. (2007). Children's Concept of Primary School Ground for Planning and Playing Through Landscape in Malaysia. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai.
Backman, E. (2011). What controls the teaching of friluftsliv? Analyzing a pedagogic discourse within Swedish physical education. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 11(1), 51-65.
Burris, K., & Burris, L. (2011). Outdoor play and learning: Policy and practices. International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership, 6(8), 1-12.
Canning, N. (2010). The influence of the outdoor environment: Den-making in three different contexts. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 18(4), 555-566.
Choi, M., Roh, E., Jeong, M., & Ju, B. (2013). The influence of reduction in aggression of young children and interpersonal problem-solving ability between outdoor activity of rough and tumble play and general outdoor activity play. Journal of Future Early Childhood Education, 20(4), 21-44.
Copple, C., & Bredekamp, S. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Nilsson, M., & Ferholt, B. (2014). Vygotsky's theories of play, imagination, and creativity in current practice: Gunilla Lindqvist's "creative pedagogy of play" in U.S. kindergartens and Swedish Reggio Emilia-inspired preschools. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 32(3), 919-950.
Oikonomou, S. (2012). Academic teachers' perceptions and experiences of outdoor education. Culture and Communication, 6(4), 3-30.
Robertson, C. L., & Krugly-Smolska, E. (1997). Gaps between advocated practices and teaching realities in environmental education. Environmental Education Research, 3(3), 311-326.
STAR Online. (2018). Retrieved from
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/04/01/dont-play-around-with-safety-a-staggering-756-of-playgrounds-checked-in-a-study-are-in-bad-condition.
Tarman, B., & Tarman, I. (2011). Teachers' involvement in children's play and social interaction. Elementary Education Online, 10(1), 325-337.
Wells, N. M. (2000). At home with nature: Effects of "greenness" on children's cognitive functioning. Environment and Behavior, 32(6), 775-795.

In-Text Citation: (Ghazali et al., 2023)
To Cite this Article: Ghazali, N. H. M., Roseli, N. E. N., Thomeeran, H., Farid, S. N. M., & Mohamed, H. (2023). Teachers’ Perceptions on The Importance of Outdoor Play Activity for Kindergarten Children. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 12(2), 2431–2446.