Play within outdoor preschool learning environments of Greece: a comparative study on current and prospective Kindergarten Educators

ABSTRACT

Outdoor play comprises a highly significant play category through which children learn, develop, express themselves, socially and physically interact with their surroundings. Research, however demonstrates outdoor play is not substantially utilized within Greek preschool environments. This study was conducted during the 2019 academic year, aiming at examining, via questionnaire, the views of current (N:100) and prospective (N:100) Kindergarten Educators regarding outdoor play’s importance and utilization as a learning and development asset within Greek preschool environments. Findings establish that current and future educators acknowledge outdoor play’s contribution into children’s learning and development and promote natural materials playing into Kindergarten. Nevertheless, they fail to exploit exterior settings for organized play activities; prospective educators but occasionally evaluate toy-objects or the play equipment of the school yard. This study, finally, highlights the need for retraining Greek educators towards a better utilization of outdoor play and its incorporation into Kindergarten’s educational process.

KEYWORDS:

• Outdoor play
• preschool learning environments
• current kindergarten educators
• prospective kindergarten educators

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to kindly thank the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (HFRI/ΕΛΙΔΕΚ) for the support of their research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 In total, there are 13 regions in Greece, who are all in charge of funding State Kindergartens.

2 Numerous buildings in Greece are former houses that were converted to schools.

Additional information

Funding

The authors would like to kindly thank the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (HFRI/ΕΛΙΔΕΚ) for the support of their research.

Notes on contributors

Maria Sakellariou

Maria Sakellariou is a Professor at the University of Ioannina, Greece and the Director of Pedagogy and Didactics’ Methodology workshop, Early Childhood Education Department (T.P.N.), University of Ioannina. She has been a visiting professor on the Educational Sciences Department, University of Cyprus and on the Department of Pre-school Education and Educational Design, Aegean University (course ‘Gender-New technologies within Education’). Her research and bibliography focus on Pedagogy and Preschool, Primary School Education, Teaching Methodology, Curricula Design, Socio-Ethical Cognition, School-Family-Community Collaboration and Play Didactics. She has written, co-published, edited books-scientific manuals, composed essays-articles for international double blind-peer reviewed journals and collective works.

Maria Banou

Maria Banou is a Kindergarten Educator, Doctoral Candidate at the Department of Early Childhood Education, University of Ioannina, Greece and a Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (ELIDEK) scholar. Her research interests focus on Pedagogics and Pre-school/Primary School Education issues, mainly regarding Curricula Designing-Evaluation and Play Didactics. She worked in the Secretariat of Pre-school Pedagogics Symposia and as a coordinator in meetings on the thematic axis of play and playful approach of learning.