Green environments have attention promoting value for preschool childrenThe idea that green environments have restorative value for adults and school-age children is supported by a number of studies. The purpose of this study was to determine if these same benefits apply to preschool children. Eleven preschools in the Stockholm area participated in this study. The preschools selected included a variation in outdoor environment characteristics and socio-economic status of the families.
Data collection included measures on both the children and the characteristics of the outdoor environment at each of the preschools. A total of 198 four- through six-year-old children participated in the study, with the number of children from any one preschool varying between 34 and 95. The children were assessed using the Early Childhood Attention Deficit Disorders Evaluation Scale (ECADDES, School version). This assessment was completed individually by staff familiar with the child’s behavior. While the ECADDES was developed for the detection of behavior characteristics typical for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, a revised version (the ECADDES, School) was later developed to measure attention functioning in young children.
Two separate tools were used to measure the preschool outdoor environments: the outdoor play environment categories (OPEC) and the sky view factor, which provides an overall measure of the proximity between greenery and the children playing in the setting.
Findings indicated that children in preschools with green, well-integrated (i.e., vegetation, open areas and play structures integrated vs separate) outdoor environments had higher attention functioning than children in more barren environments. According to the researchers, this study indicates that the restorative potential of green outdoor environments applies to preschool children and that environmental assessment tools can be useful in planning and developing outdoor environments for young children.
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