Early childhood educators in Scotland are generally aware of the benefits of outdoor play for young childrenThe Scottish government is currently promoting more outdoor play programs (OPPs) for preschool-age children. Their plans include doubling the number of free hours of childcare for families and requiring that all children in childcare spend a significant part of each day outdoors. This study investigated the perceptions and beliefs of Scottish early childhood educators working in OPPs and traditional nursery programs regarding outdoor play.
Data for the study was based on survey responses of 44 early childhood educators: 25 working in OPPs; 19 in traditional nursery programs. The online surveys included 32 items inquiring about educator views on OPPs and the role of educators in early years programs. Twenty-five of the items were close-ended questions; seven open-ended questions. Topics addressed included: perceived benefits and challenges to outdoor play for both children and educators; the optimal amount of outdoor time for children; barriers to implementing outdoor play programs; and challenges in implementing the government’s new policy to expand OPPs. Educators were also asked to share their views on an ideal outdoor play program and to share information about how confident they felt in their ability to support outdoor play.
Results showed that educators in both OPPs and traditional nursery programs hold similar and divergent views about the value of outdoor play. While both groups recognized multiple benefits of outdoor play, significantly more OPP educators reported a wider range of benefits for both children and educators than the nursery educators. Specific benefits noted more frequently by the OPP educators included higher self-esteem, confidence, greater mental health, overall improvement in children’s behavior, and decreased screen time. OPP educators were also more likely to recognize that the benefits of OPP include (1) the way in which OPP helps them (the educators) show parents how to spend time outdoors and (2) how it provides them (the educators) with the opportunity to take risks. Educators in both types of programs also reported similar views about play-based curriculum and the role of educators. Only OPP educators raised issues relating to risk benefit analysis of outdoor play.
Overall results indicate that educators in both groups appreciated the value of outdoor play in their current programs, in an ideal OPP, and in the impending Scottish government policy.
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