ENVIRONMENTS FOR CHILDREN:

Physical, Social and Cognitive Development in Playgrounds for Primary School-Aged Children

Design and Healthy Living Project By: Cara Pennel and Tahseen Hussain Spring 2011

Healthy Child Development Balances

Physical, Social, and Cognitive Skills

Physical Social

Cognitive

Importance of Physical, Social, and Cognitive Skills

According to Packer Isenberg & Quisenberry (2002):

• “Absence of play is an obstacle to the development of healthy and creative individuals.”

• “Psychoanalysts believe that play is necessary for mastering emotional traumas or disturbances; psychosocialists believe it is necessary for ego mastery and learning to live with everyday experiences; constructivists believe it is necessary for cognitive growth; maturationists believe it is necessary for competence building and for socializing functions in all cultures of the world; and neuroscientists believe it is necessary for emotional and physical health, motivation, and love of learning.”

Physical Development of Primary School Aged

Children

“Five-year-olds abound with energy and seek active games and environments. Their increased abilities to balance and coordinate movements allow them to ride a bike with training wheels, swim, jump rope and perform most ball-related skills. They show mature form in walking and running, and are able to vary the direction, speed and quality of their movements. They can also use their fingers flexibly to control writing and painting tools, dress and undress dolls, and manage zips and buttons.” (Pbsparents.org, 2010)

Social Development of Primary School Aged Children

• Team work and collaboration • Social roles and rules • Cultural rules • Expression of ideas and feelings • Oral and other communicate skills • Mood Management • Making and handling friendships • Develop empathy for Others

“Being accepted by ‘the group’ is becoming more and more important.” (Pbsparents.org, 2010)

Cognitive Development for Primary School Aged Children

• Brain development and function

• Motor skills

• Discovery

• Reasoning

• Problem solving

• Information, people (including self) and customs

Cognitive Development of Primary School Aged Children

Animism (non-human entities are spiritual beings, or at least embody some kind of life-principle)

“A child of seven will refuse to admit that the sun can see in the room …but will maintain that is can go with us when we are walking because it has to accompany us to make us warm” Piaget 1969 (Tuan, 1978)

Artificialism: “According to Piaget children tend to take for granted that things are human products. Things are made by parents of other adults.”

“Clouds are smoke which comes out of chimney- (children 6) even nature is a product of human. “ (Tuan, 1978)

Children’s notion of size, distance, and time are relatively crude. (Tuan, 1978) Mimicry: “Children learn to mimic the behavior of animals thus feeling closeness to them. Children also model themselves after adults. “(Tuan, 1978)

Evaluation Criteria Check List for Healthy Playgrounds for

Primary-Aged Children A B C D E F G H

Physical

·Running 3 2 1 2 4 5 4 3

·Jumping 2 1 1 1 5 5 5 2

·Lifting 1 1 4 1 4 4 2 2

·Climbing 3 5 2 3 1 1 1 1

·ADA 1 1 1 1 2 4 1 1

Total Physical 10 10 9 8 16 19 12 9

Social

·Collaboration/Team Building 1 1 1 1 5 4 3 4

·Non-competitive Social Interaction 3 3 2 1 5 5 4 5

·Social Roles 3 3 1 1 5 5 5 5

·Expression/Communication 1 1 1 1 5 4 3 4

·Friendship Development 3 3 2 2 5 5 3 5

Total Social 11 11 7 6 25 23 18 23

Cognitive

·Problem Solving 1 1 1 1 5 4 2 4

·Imagination 3 3 1 1 5 4 3 5

·Exploration 3 3 1 2 5 3 4 5

·Self-Discovery 1 1 1 1 4 4 2 5

·Motor Skills 1 1 2 1 5 5 2 4

Total Cognitive 7 7 6 6 24 20 12 23

Total Points (Out of 75) 30 30 22 20 65 62 44 65

Scoring: 1 = Low; 3 = Moderate 5 = High

UNHealthy Child Development hinders

Physical, Social, and Cognitive Abilities

Pediatric Obesity Detriments Physical, Social, and

Cognitive Health

Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years Prevalence is 19.6% in children aged 6 to 11 years

Physical health: • Health problems • Healthcare costs • Hospital stays • Adult obesity

Social health: •Victimization and bullying •Mental health and emotional problems •Lower self-esteem •Social isolation and loneliness •Peer rejection •Cigarette and alcohol use Cognitive health:

•School performance •IQ •Perceived cognitive abilities •Future educational attainment

The Modern Playground

According to Piaget children enjoy…. •Process of translation and recreation of the world as they interpret it through creative mediums such as sand, clay, mud, water •Children in all parts of the world enjoy climbing trees. •All children enjoy feeling the air as they slide of roll down a slope. •“Children like to get into small places” “ Nooks and playhouses” (universally)

Elements of the Modern Playground…A Translation of

Piaget’s Research in Children's Cognitive Development ?

Bee Creek Park, College Station (A)

Physical 10

Social 11

Cognitive 7

TOTAL 30

Wolf Pen Creek, College Station (B)

Physical 10

Social 11

Cognitive 7

TOTAL 30

Thomas Park, College Station (C)

Physical 9

Social 7

Cognitive 6

TOTAL 22

Hensel Park, Bryan (D)

Physical 8

Social 6

Cognitive 6

TOTAL 20

Can we do better?

Physical 16

Social 25

Cognitive 24

TOTAL 65

Snug Kit (E)

Video

Physical 18

Social 23

Cognitive 20

TOTAL 61

Daubeny Primary School (F)

Physical 12

Social 18

Cognitive 12

TOTAL 44

Shapla Infant School (G)

Physical 9

Social 23

Cognitive 23

TOTAL 65

Brockley Primary School (H)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

A B C D E F G H

Cognitive

Social

Physical

Healthy Playground Ratings for Physical, Social and

Cognitive Development in Primary School Age Children

Evaluation Criteria for Healthy Playgrounds for

Primary-Aged Children A B C D E F G H

Physical

·Running 3 2 1 2 4 5 4 3

·Jumping 2 1 1 1 5 5 5 2

·Lifting 1 1 4 1 4 4 2 2

·Climbing 3 5 2 3 1 1 1 1

·ADA 1 1 1 1 2 4 1 1

Total Physical 10 10 9 8 16 19 12 9

Social

·Collaboration/Team Building 1 1 1 1 5 4 3 4

·Non-competitive Social Interaction 3 3 2 1 5 5 4 5

·Social Roles 3 3 1 1 5 5 5 5

·Expression/Communication 1 1 1 1 5 4 3 4

·Friendship Development 3 3 2 2 5 5 3 5

Total Social 11 11 7 6 25 23 18 23

Cognitive

·Problem Solving 1 1 1 1 5 4 2 4

·Imagination 3 3 1 1 5 4 3 5

·Exploration 3 3 1 2 5 3 4 5

·Self-Discovery 1 1 1 1 4 4 2 5

·Motor Skills 1 1 2 1 5 5 2 4

Total Cognitive 7 7 6 6 24 20 12 23

Total Points (Out of 75) 30 30 22 20 65 62 44 65

Scoring: 1 = Low; 3 = Moderate 5 = High

Designing Playgrounds for Children with Special Needs

Morgan’s Wonderland, San Antonio

ENVIRONMENTS FOR HEALTHY CHILDREN:

Design and Healthy Living Project By: Cara Pennel and Tahseen Hussain Spring 2011

References:

Design and Healthy Living Project By: Cara Pennel and Tahseen Hussain Spring 2011

Active Living Research. Park, Playgrounds and Active Living, Research Synthesis, February 2010. Retrieved February 7, 2011 from: http://www.activelivingresearch.org/files/Synthesis_Mowen_Feb2010.pdf. American Academy of Pediatrics. Prevention of pediatric overweight and obesity. Pediatrics. 2003; 112:424–430. Child Growth and Development. (2008, Sept 9). Child Development and Playgrounds. Retrieved February 7, 2011 from: http://childdevelopmentblog.info/child-development-and-playgrounds. Krahnstoever Davison, K. and Lawson, C.T. Do attributes in the physical environment influence children's physical activity? A review of the literature. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. 2006; 3:1-17. Northridge, M.E., Sclar, E.D., Biswas, P. Sorting out the connections between the built environment and health: a conceptual framework for navigating pathways and planning healthy cities. J Urban Health. 2003;80:556–568. Packer Isenberg, J. and Quisenberry, N. (2002). Play: Essential for All Children. Childhood Education, 79(1);33-39. Pbsparents.org. (2010, Jan 14 ). Physical Development 5-6 Years. Retrieved Feb 19, 2011, from Raising Children network: The Australian Parenting Website: http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/physical_health_from_age_5_to_6_pbs.html/ context/511. Pbsparents.org. (2010, Jan 14). Social and Emotional Growth. Retrieved Feb 19, 2011, from Raising Children Network: The Australian Parenting Website: http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/social_and_emotional_growth_from_age_5_ to_6_pbs.html/context/511. Pellegrini, A.D. and Smith, P.K. (1998). Physical Activity Play: The Nature and Function of a Neglected Aspect of Play. Child Development, 69(3):577-598. Powell, E.C., Ambardekar, E.J. and Sheehan, K.M. Poor Neighborhoods: Safe Playgrounds, Journal of Urban Health. 2005; 82(3):403-410. Stern, R. (2011). Social and Emotional Learning. (N. C. Center, Producer) Retrieved Feb 19, 2011, from education.com: http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Social_Learning_What/. Tuan, Y.-F. (1978). Human Behavior and Environment- Advances in Theory and Research Vol. 3. Children and the Environment. New York, NY: Plenum Press.