Vol. X, No. 1, Jan-March 2011
Canadian Study Shows Children Do Not Use Outdoor Gross Motor Equipment
" For five years, Susan Herrington, a professor in the University of B.C.’s School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, videotaped children, ages two to five, at 16 outdoor playgrounds. They found that 87% of the time the conventional gross motor remained empty. Even when the children played on or around the equipment, they used it for its intended purpose only 3% of the time. Herrington’s conclusions were that children are not attracted to boring, sanitized commercial equipment but could be found throwing dirt, sand or water. To read an article about the research, click here.