(Abstract)
The purpose of this study is to investigate the actual conditions of outdoor infant/toddler playgrounds in corporate-sponsored child care centers and to examine the directors' and teachers' perceptions of their playground status and oper...
(Abstract)
The purpose of this study is to investigate the actual conditions of outdoor infant/toddler playgrounds in corporate-sponsored child care centers and to examine the directors' and teachers' perceptions of their playground status and operation.
The research questions are as fellows:
1. How is the actual conditions of outdoor infant/toddler playgrounds in the corporate-sponsored child care centers?
1-1 What are some differences by metropolitan cities/non-metropolitan cities, the number of infants and toddlers in the center and the foundation types?
1-2 What and how many play ground equipments are provided in each area of the outdoor infant/toddler playground?
1-3 How is the operating conditions of outdoor infant/toddler playground?
2. Is there any differences between perceptions of directors and those of teachers on the realities of outdoor infant/toddler playground in corporate-sponsored child care centers?
The results of the questionnaire to answer the research questions were analyzed into frequency and percentage for each question. The subject of this study was 359 teachers and 134 directors who work in 134 corporate-sponsored child care centers and responded to the questionnaire sent by mail among 193 corporate-sponsored child care centers of the whole country that have at least one infant/toddler classroom.
The results of this study are summarized as follows:
First, among 134 corporate-sponsored child care centers were only 14 centers(10.4%) that which replied as 'having outdoor playground for infants and toddlers separated from older children.' Besides, the corporate- sponsored child care centers which replied as 'having no outdoor play facilities at all' were as many as 32 places(23.9%). The comparison of outdoor infant/toddler playground based on metropolitan cities/non-metropolitan cities, and the foundation type showed no statistically significant differences. But the number of infants and toddlers in the center was related to the existence of infant/toddler playground. The corporate-sponsored child care centers with a bigger size was more likely to have a playground for infants and toddlers than those with a smaller size. The holding ratio of playground equipment for each area, which was proposed by Wellhousen(2002), nearly showed up below 50%. Outdoor infant/toddler playgrounds were noted as being unsatisfactory both in quality and quantity. And 83% of the corporate-sponsored child care centers in Korea provided outdoor playground activity time for infants and toddlers and believed that providing enough outdoor play time is important. The reason that many centers had no outdoor playground for infants and toddlers was due to 'no space' and 'financial difficulties.'
In terms of actual operation conditions of outdoor infant/toddler playground, 83% of teachers in corporate-sponsored child care centers allowed outdoor play time . Most corporate-sponsored child care centers provided outdoor play time once or twice a week. On the other hand, the number of teachers who replied as 'giving no outdoor play time' was as high as 61(17%). Most corporate-sponsored child care centers recognized the importance of outdoor play, but they reported as having difficulties in operating outdoor play time owing to 'bad environment' and 'restricted space'. Especially there were difficulties owing to the practitioners' anxiety about safety of infants and toddlers.
Second, over 80% of both teachers and directors recognized the necessity of outdoor play equipment and space for infants and toddlers separated from older children. The highest number of directors recognized that the educational effect of outdoor play was improvements of originality(79.3%), followed by physical development(59%). There were some differences between teachers and directors in their perceptions about educational effects of outdoor play for infants and toddlers. 74% of directors recognized financial support for facility expansion and upgrade, a variety of outdoor play program and safety check as solutions to making outdoor play more effective and active for infants and toddlers.