The impact of playground design on the play behaviors of children with differing levels of physical competence

The impact of the outdoor learning environment on the play behaviors and peer relationships of 8 second-grade children with differing levels of physical competence was investigated using a qualitative case study approach. Subject selection was based on performance on the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency. Settings for the study were playgrounds of contrasting design: one emphasizing exercise play, the other providing various play options in addition to exercise. Grounded theory procedures were used to analyze observation and interview data. Results indicated that playground design influenced subjects' social as well as physical skill development by facilitating or constraining the strategies they used to manage their play with peers. A theoretical model was developed to describe interrelationships among playground design, physical competence and peer relationships. Features of each playground are discussed relative to the opportunities they provided for the physical and social development of subjects with high or with low physical competence.