A qualitative investigation of unsupervised outdoor activities for 10- to 13-year-old children: “I like adventuring but I don't like adventuring without being careful”

Brussoni, Mariana; Lin, Yingyi; Han, Christina S.; Janssen, Ian; Schuurman, Nadine; Boyes, Randy; Swanlund, David; Mâsse, Louise C.

doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2020.101460

Cited by 33 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…While parents encouraged CIM, they also played a role in defining its limits via parent–parent discussion about children’s travel range, destinations they could travel to, safety discussions pertinent to the neighbourhood, and parent(s)–child discussions around these topics. These findings highlight that the linked nature of family members [ 24 ] and the filtering of parents’ perspectives to children may consequently impact children’s freedoms, including the timing and range of CIM [ 21 ]. While positive childhood recollections were common in this study, it may be helpful for future initiatives to encourage parents to reflect on their childhoods, their independent mobility, and benefits and/or skills they gained, and reframe the risks they may perceive for their children.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A recent study examined factors that facilitated or hindered children’s unsupervised outdoor play through children’s interviews and found two overarching themes relating to children’s sense of safety and perceptions of things to do in the neighbourhood [ 21 ]. While this study highlighted the child perspective, it also emphasised a need to examine CIM more comprehensively from multiple perspectives.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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“Well, You Feel More Responsible When You’re Unsupervised”: Exploring Family Perspectives on Children’s Independent Mobility

et al. 2021

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While children’s independent mobility (CIM) is associated with various benefits, there is evidence of a generational decline in CIM in westernized countries; therefore, it is helpful to understand how CIM is currently negotiated between children and their parents. The purpose of this study was to examine children’s and parents’ perspectives and negotiations of CIM within the family unit. Face-to-face interviews and walk-along interviews were conducted with parents (n = 44) and children (n = 22), respectively. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim, and a thematic analysis was conducted. Four key preconditions were identified that facilitated negotiation of CIM within family units, including (1) the influence of parents’ childhood experiences regarding their view of CIM (e.g., positive interpretations of childhood on parenting practices), (2) the role of children’s individual characteristics on their independent mobility (e.g., child’s confidence in their abilities), (3) family communication as a key coping strategy (parent–parent and parent–child communication), and (4) the influence of positive perceptions of the social environment on CIM. The findings suggest that CIM thrives when these conditions are present; as a result, it may be particularly helpful to develop policies and programs that support children’s skill training, explore strategies to support communication between parents and children, and build neighbourhood connections.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Well, You Feel More Responsible When You’re Unsupervised”: Exploring Family Perspectives on Children’s Independent Mobility

et al. 2021

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“…on logs), rolling (e.g. down a grassy hill), and children have expressed a wish for nature spaces and nature features in order to engage in active and challenging play (Brussoni et al 2020;Jansson 2015;Ward 2018). In the present study, some of the participating ECEC institutions had limited or no access to natural spaces within their playground.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…under the slide). Also, Brussoni et al (2020) found through interviews that children aged 10-13 preferred neighbourhoods that afforded access to alleys, hiding spots, loose parts and nature where they could engage in activities and play. From interviews supplemented with photographs and drawings, Zamani (2016) found that 4-5-year-olds preferred playgrounds where they could engage in functional play, hiding, dramatic play and explorative play in natural environments/zones and with both loose natural materials-sand, leaves, twigs, stones, dirt and flowers, among others-and loose manufactured elements such as tires, ropes and toys.…”

Section: The Dynamic Between Children's Play and Their Play Environmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The dynamic relationship between outdoor environments and children’s play

2020

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Play is a fundamental activity for experiences, learning and development among children in their early years. Early childhood education and care (ECEC) institutions' play environments, their features and design, are therefore of great importance for the opportunities provided for children to create and engage in a wide range of play. This study examines how children utilise features in the ECEC outdoor environment (spaces and materials) to engage in different types of play. Children (3-6 years, N = 86) were observed in two-minute sequences during periods of the day when they were free to choose what to do. The data consists of 935 randomly recorded two-minute videos, which were coded second by second to register the type of play occurring, the space in which it occurred and the materials children used. The results indicate a dynamic relationship between the outdoor environments and the play in which children engage and point out the complex nature of playground design, where planning for the predictable, and at the same time opening up for the unpredictable, is important.

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“…In addition, findings from different studies are not always consistent, which may be partially due to the diverse study contexts and the varying definitions and measures of CIM used in these studies. Furthermore, most recent CIM studies are based on the settings in Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand [ 18 , 39 , 40 , 41 ]. Only a few studies on CIM were conducted in the US and examined the relevant personal, social, and physical environmental factors.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Housing and Community Environments vs. Independent Mobility: Roles in Promoting Children’s Independent Travel and Unsupervised Outdoor Play

Qiu

Zhu

2021

IJERPH

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Children’s independent mobility (CIM) has declined dramatically in recent decades despite its benefits in facilitating childhood development, promoting physical activity, and combating the obesity epidemic. This US-based study examines the impacts of housing and neighborhood environments on two modes of CIM—home-based independent travel to non-school destinations and unsupervised outdoor play—while considering personal and social factors. A bilingual parent/guardian survey was distributed to public elementary schools in Austin, Texas, asking about children’s travel and play, housing and neighborhood environments, and personal and social factors. A Google Street View audit was conducted to capture additional housing-related information. Logistic regressions were used to predict CIM. For second to fifth graders (N = 525), less than two-thirds of the parents would allow children’s independent travel to non-school destinations (62%) and unsupervised outdoor play (57.9%), with the majority limited to a short distance (five-minute walk) and a few destinations (e.g., friend’s/relative’s home). Stranger danger was a negative predictor and the presence of friend’s/relative’s home was a positive predictor for both modes of CIM. Quality of neighborhood environment was another positive correlate for independent travel to non-school destinations. Significant personal and social factors were also identified. Study findings demonstrated the impacts of physical environments on CIM and the potential of using relevant interventions to promote children’s health and development.

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A qualitative investigation of unsupervised outdoor activities for 10- to 13-year-old children: “I like adventuring but I don't like adventuring without being careful”

Cited by 33 publications

References 36 publications

“Well, You Feel More Responsible When You’re Unsupervised”: Exploring Family Perspectives on Children’s Independent Mobility

“Well, You Feel More Responsible When You’re Unsupervised”: Exploring Family Perspectives on Children’s Independent Mobility

The dynamic relationship between outdoor environments and children’s play

Housing and Community Environments vs. Independent Mobility: Roles in Promoting Children’s Independent Travel and Unsupervised Outdoor Play

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