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morrissey-infantandtoddler-2015.pdf (5.9 MB)

Infant and toddler responses to a redesign of their childcare outdoor play space

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journal contribution
posted on 2015-01-01, 00:00 authored by Anne-Marie Morrissey, Caroline Scott, Llewellyn WishartLlewellyn Wishart
Researchers used an affordances-based conceptual framework to study infants' and toddlers' responses to the redesign of their play space. Behavior mapping and child tracking observations showed that the introduction of features such as edging, levels and inclines appeared to increase the level and variety of children's physical activity, and lead to greater utilization of the space. While researchers observed children engaging with natural affordances, this was less than expected, possibly due to educator constraints. Children's engagement with new features indicated unique child views of the space and a delight in challenge. Findings suggest the value of looking for children's perspective on affordances, and considering the effects of specific features and the influence of caregivers in evaluating design outcomes.

History

Journal

Children, youth and environments

Volume

25

Issue

1

Season

Spring

Pagination

29 - 56

Publisher

The Board of Regents of the University of Colorado

Location

Boulder, Colo.

ISSN

1546-2250

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal; C Journal article

Copyright notice

2015, University of Colorado

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