About This Study
This qualitative study explores how specific outdoor environmental features shape the play behaviours of preschool children aged 2.5 to 6 years.
Research Question
How do outdoor play environments influence different types of play behaviours in preschool children?
Aim of the Study
The aim of this study is to understand how intentionally designed outdoor environments can support preschool children’s holistic development. It moves beyond standardized, safety-focused playgrounds to explore how more diverse environments can better support different types of play experiences.
Theoretical Framework: Gibson’s Theory of Affordances
This study is guided by Gibson’s (1979) Theory of Affordances, which views the environment as an active participant in children’s play.
Key Concept:
Affordances are the opportunities for action that the environment provides. These opportunities depend on both the physical features of the environment and the child’s abilities, skills, and experiences.
How this relates to the study:
Outdoor features such as trees, slopes, and open spaces can invite children to engage in actions like climbing, balancing, running, and imaginative play.
Research Methodology & Design
This study used a qualitative rapid review approach to explore patterns and meanings within early childhood settings. An inductive process was used so that the findings were developed directly from the reviewed studies, helping the analysis remain closely connected to the original research. A rapid review was selected as a practical and efficient way to examine existing research within a limited timeframe. This approach uses structured and transparent methods to search, select, and analyze studies, while remaining feasible for a capstone project.
The Research Process
1. Eligibility Criteria
To ensure the quality and relevance of the research, clear criteria were used to select studies:
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Population: Preschool children aged 2.5 to 6 years
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Context: Early learning and childcare settings
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Focus: Studies examining how outdoor environmental features (e.g., natural materials, loose parts, terrain) relate to play behaviours
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Timeline: Peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2015 and 2025
2. Search Strategy
A structured search was conducted using the Education Source and Academic Search Complete databases. Keywords such as outdoor play, environmental features, and play behaviours were combined using Boolean operators (AND/OR) to identify relevant studies.
3. Study Screening (PRISMA Guidelines)
The selection process followed the PRISMA guidelines to ensure transparency.
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Identification: 101 records were identified
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Screening: 79 studies remained after removing duplicates and were screened by title and abstract
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Eligibility: 19 full-text articles were reviewed
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Included: 3 studies met all criteria and were included in the final analysis
4. Data Analysis (Thematic Analysis)
The selected studies were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis.
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Coding: Patterns of meaning were identified across the studies
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Semantic coding: Focused on the explicit meanings reported in the articles
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Theme development: Codes were grouped into broader themes to show how environmental features are related to different types of play behaviours
Ethical Considerations
Guiding Principles:
This study followed the Tri-Council Policy Statement (TCPS 2, 2022), with attention to the principles of Respect for Persons, Concern for Welfare, and Justice when using information from selected studies.
Use of Sources:
Only publicly available, peer-reviewed studies were included. Sources were used responsibly and accurately represented, and no identifying information was reported.
Researcher Reflexivity:
Reflexivity was an important part of the research process. As an early childhood educator (RECE), I reflected on my own experiences and assumptions to reduce bias and ensure that the findings remained grounded in the evidence.