The Relationship Between Preference and Environment in the School Playground

Abstract

A photograph sorting task was employed to investigate the relationship between children's preferences for sites of their school playground, and environmental dimensions associated with these sites. The sample was comprised of 20 boys and 20 girls, with a mean age of nine years five months. Adaptability (how many activities a site supported) emerged as the strongest predictor of both boys' and girls' preferences. Naturalness and colourfulness also emerged as significant predictors of boys' and girls' preferences. A significant gender effect was also observed with risk, oldness and privateness, (negatively weighted) being significant predictors of girls' preferences. The gender differences and the importance of adaptability in the playground, provide useful guide-lines for playground design and construction.