From boats to bushes: environmental elements supportive of children’s sociodramatic play outdoors

ABSTRACT

Sociodramatic play is a central activity of early childhood, one influenced by the nature of the environment where it occurs. Using the Smilansky Scale for the Evaluation of Dramatic and Socio Dramatic Play (Smilansky and Shefatya, 1990), this study compared the frequency and complexity of the sociodramatic play of two groups of fifteen 4–5 year old children in two preschool outdoor spaces differing in natural elements, resources, and spatial characteristics. Field notes and behaviour mapping were also employed to explore potential associations between the play characteristics, and specific elements and areas of the two spaces. Findings showed the following elements supported more frequent and complex sociodramatic play: a balanced conjunction of man-made resources and significant vegetation and natural loose parts; opportunities for seclusion and lack of overcrowding; linking pathways and open-ended design. The findings have implications for the design of outdoor spaces that support the frequency and complexity of children’s sociodramatic play.

KEYWORDS:

• Sociodramatic play
• outdoor spaces
• early childhood education

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to offer a special thanks to Thomas Robertson who developed the drawn mapping templates of the outdoor spaces, and to the management, staff and children of the participating centres.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Natalie Robertson http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8480-2235

Anne-Marie Morrissey http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7753-4858

Deborah Moore http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0463-9998

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a 2017 Research for Education Impact (REDI) Industry Collaboration Development Grant at Deakin University.