Schoolyards

Abstract

Two groups of schoolyards for junior- and intermediate-level schools were studied. A previous study had shown that teachers considered these groups of schoolyards to be "good" and bad, respectively. It was found that the good schoolyards had woods either in or near them, whereas the bad schoolyards did not. It also was seen that children in the good schoolyards took-part In a greater number of activities than children in the bad ones. The schoolyards' different places were used with different frequency and for different activities in the two groups. The results indicate that when the place is included in the activity concept, it is possible to point out general differences, regarding place as well as activity, between schoolyards that were perceived as good or bad.

Children in schoolyards: Tracking movement patterns and physical activity in schoolyards using global positioning system and heart rate monitoring

“…A recent study of Haug et al (2008) found that children in secondary schools with many facilities had 4.49 times higher odds of being physically active compared to children in schools with fewer facilities. Lindholm (1995) and Fjørtoft and Sageie (2000) have described how green structures may motivate children's play and physical activity. This may explain the higher activity of girls in schoolyard B as they used the forest area more than the boys (Table 3).…”

“…It is generally accepted that green structures have a considerable potential for promoting physical activity and improving health in adult people (Tzoulas et al, 2007). Previous studies have documented that stimulating green environments also influence children's play and physical activity (Lindholm, 1995;Fjørtoft, 2004).…”

“…Forest areas seemed to invite more physical activity in girls than in boys, but green landscapes are desired options for play in both genders (Lindholm, 1995). Whether other determinants such as markings for hopscotch, rope jumping and areas for other ballgames promote physical activity should be more extensively explored as indicated by Haug et al (2008).…”

“…The better equipped schoolyards and playgrounds offer a variety of play forms that challenge physical activity. Lindholm (1995) has documented how activities in schoolyards increased with the presence of green structures. Stratton (2000) reports that simple initiatives such as marking the schoolyard with colours have a positive effect on children's physical activity.…”

“…The quantity and quality of outdoor neighborhood environments seem to encourage physical activity in adult people, and contribute to health in late life (Sugiyama and Thompson, 2007). Studies on child-environmental relationships indicated positive influences on children in general (Fjørtoft, 2000;Grahn et al, 1997;Lindholm, 1995) and also on children with attention deficit disorders (Faber Taylor et al, 2001).…”