In-between spaces on school grounds support self-directed play

Aminpour, F. ., Bishop, K. ., & Corkery, L. . (2020). The hidden value of in-between spaces for children’s self-directed play within outdoor school environments. Landscape and Urban Planning, 194. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2019.103683

The design of outdoor school environments, by largely supporting formal games, fails to provide children with sufficient play opportunities. This study focused on “in-between spaces” and the potential of such spaces for supporting children's self-directed play.  An “in-between space” is defined as “a small space that allows different experience and use than the dominant landscape of larger space.”

Data collection occurred during recess on the school grounds of three different schools in Australia. The process included 60 behavior mapping sessions, 18 focus groups, and 78 walking tours. Behavior mapping uses direct observation of behavior, along with a map of the space in which the behavior occurs. Behavior mapping for this study was completed in 10 popular areas that contained children's in-between spaces. The focus group discussions centered around children's preferred spaces on the school grounds, their preferred play activities, their view of school rules, their overall satisfaction with the school grounds, and their suggestions for improving the school ground spaces. The walking tours consisted of child-led walks during which children identified their preferred self-directed activity patterns during recess, and their perception of spaces that supported or impeded these activities.

The kinds of in-between spaces enjoyed by children included small enclosures, areas located on the edges of formal spaces, and natural settings. Results of behavior mapping indicated that “natural settings constituted approximately 65% of children's chosen in-between spaces across the three schools.” Children offered two main reasons why they preferred to use in-between spaces instead of the formal spaces of school grounds. First, conditions of the formal spaces – including overcrowding and gender imbalance -- inhibit the children from using the spaces as they wish. Second, in-between spaces provide opportunities for self-directed play that are generally not present in the formal spaces.  Children's interest in use of in-between spaces was generally not supported by school routines and regulations. About 20% of the school ground areas identified in this study were considered out-of-bounds, places where children were not permitted to play during recess.

This paper provides a rationale for the use of in-between spaces to support children's self-directed play and argues for changes in school design and policy that encourage the use of such spaces. The study "shows that children use in-between spaces because they are both pulled by the intrinsic qualities of these spaces and pushed by the lack of alternative suitable spaces.” The authors call attention to social, physical and organizational elements that need to be considered in making in-between spaces available to children. The authors also highlight the importance of involving children in the school environment design process. "The central argument resulting from this study is that for children to be able to establish their self-directed play, all the environmental dimensions (physical, social and organisational) of a play space should be supportive."

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