The Place of Outdoor Play in a School Community

A Case Study of Recess Values

Abstract

Children’s outdoor play in school may forge meaningful, lasting environmental and community connections, yet it has rarely been explored as a component of placebased education. This article describes an ethnographic case study of recess play values in a small, independent school for dyslexic children that offers multiple choices for recess play, including traditional playground equipment and a wooded area. Ecological psychology provided the theoretical framework to describe the values observed over several years of children’s recess play, as well as those expressed in interviews with parents, teachers, administrators and alumni. Results suggest that the strong preference for “woods play” areas during the elementary grades is linked to the diversity of affordances (“action possibilities”) present, as well as the opportunity to participate in a dynamic, creative children’s culture. The dual use of the woods for teaching and play further enhanced students’ sense of connection with and competence in selected play settings.