The potential of school grounds for increasing opportunities for children to connect with nature is recognized in the literature; yet information about what children prefer on school grounds is limited. This study sought to identify children's preferences for the physical characteristics of various natural settings in schools.
Three schools in different parts of Australia participated in the study. All three schools had natural areas on their grounds where children were allowed to play. Walking tours, focus groups, and behavior mapping strategies were used to collect information about where children liked to play and how they played. A total of 150 children (age 8-10) participated in the walking tours, either individually or in friendship pairs. During the tours, children were asked to show the natural settings where they liked to be or play and explain how they used these settings. Forty-seven children participated in the focus group discussions, with three to five children per group. Google Maps and photos of the school grounds were used to facilitate discussion about the children's favorite natural settings, their ideas for improving the natural settings, and the reasons why some settings were not used as much as other settings. The researcher conducted 60 behavior mapping sessions of 20 minutes each across the three schools to gather additional information about the physical qualities of the natural settings, how children used these settings, and how the physical qualities and use related to each other.
Results showed that children were interested in plants that they could use for different types of play. They also enjoyed plants that provoked positive sensory engagement. Where and how children played was influenced by the physical characteristics of the boundaries of the natural settings, in that certain boundaries supported a particular type of play while hindering another. Children preferred natural settings that were in good condition, well-maintained, and usually located along the edges of the main play areas. There were some age and gender differences. Young children used the natural settings more than older children. While both boys and girls expressed feelings of joy and happiness in their contact with nature, girls were more likely to mention some of the aesthetic qualities of nature and their experience of feeling calm and peaceful in the natural settings. Conflict between children while using natural settings was rare.
These findings highlight the value of vegetation on school grounds, but also emphasize “the importance of understanding and taking account of children's preference for the natural settings to ensure optimum engagement.” To maximize the potential benefit of school grounds for children, school designers and school administrators would do well to attend to children's preferences for the physical characteristics of various natural settings on the grounds.
Research Partner
Research Category