The goal of this study is to determine if there is an association between childcare outdoor play area designs and the level, type, and duration of children’s physical activity. Is there a difference in the development of gross motor skills of children attending childcare centers with different types of outdoor play areas? What attributes of play areas are associated with longer durations of physical activity in preschoolers? To help answer these questions, the researcher is collecting data from a sample of 192, 3-5 year-old children identified from three childcare centers with play areas with different design characteristics. Physical activity data will be gathered using direct observation and tracking behavior. A key purpose of the study is to influence childcare licensing policy and accreditation regulations so that outdoor play areas include characteristics that support daily physical activity of preschool children.
