No description available.

In this research, concept of play and types of outdoor playgrounds were explored in the light of the relevant literature. A field study was conducted in order to determine the attributes of traditional type playground equipment in children&amp / #8217 / s developmental needs. KurtuluS Park of Ankara was determined as the research area whereas, 70 children, aged between 6 to 12, were randomly selected and observed. Data on age, sex, favourite type of playground equipment and play behaviour of the child were collected by means of an observation sheet. A short interview with the child was also conducted after the observation session. Collected data were encoded, analyzed and interpretted by using Pearson&amp / #8217 / s Chi-square Test and Fisher&amp / #8217 / s Exact Chi-square Test with 95% ( &amp / #945 / = 0.05 ) confidence intervals. The results of the field study revealed that today&amp / #8217 / s playgrounds have little value in terms of play. Limitations of fixed playground equipment directly affect children&amp / #8217 / s developmental needs. The findings of the research study indicates that traditional type play structures support physical and social development of the child to a certain extent. However, this kind of equipment do not foster cognitive and emotional development of children.

Thesis (M.T.P.) -- University of Adelaide, Dept. of Architecture, 1979.

Thesis(M.I.D.)--Auburn University, 2006. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographic references.

This thesis presents a comparison of zoos and zoological gardens in the United States, Europe, and Asia. After an examination of these entities, the appeal and educational value of particular species is determined.

Play is an important part of childhood that helps to develop social skills and ensure proper mental and physical development. There is a growing concern among parents and play researchers that technology and urbanization are limiting children’s access to the natural environment. This is encouraging play designers to create playgrounds that are based more on natural elements, such as water, plants, hills, tree groves, and rock outcrops, rather than manufactured equipment. Because environments can affect the behaviors that occur in them, a growing number of studies have focused on how naturalized play environments impact the development of children as they play. However, few studies have addressed how people who are interacting with naturalized playgrounds view them. This thesis discusses the findings of a qualitative research project that aimed to understand if naturalized playgrounds at mostly educational facilities were being viewed as viable play environments by examining supervisors’ and teachers’ perceptions of how the playground was being used. The naturalized playgrounds in this study contained about two thirds natural elements and one third manufactured elements. Most participants in the study felt that the term "naturalized" adequately characterized the play facility under their supervision. They also showed an active interest in furthering their education about naturalized playgrounds and saw their role as a facilitator of play. Naturalized playgrounds were viewed by participants as providing viable play options for children and, in most cases, a better option than traditional playgrounds due to the open-ended play opportunities the natural elements promoted. Participants in this study saw the heavy and continual use of natural elements promoting benefits such as a connection to nature, educational opportunities, and creating a dynamic playground that was interesting all year. When looking at how children used the environment, the perception was that a less formally structured playground provided an environment that everyone could enjoy. This also promoted more creative play that allowed for many types of play as opposed to the mainly physical play of traditional playgrounds. Data also showed that individual elements tend to promote specific types of play, which makes having a broad diversity of elements important.

No description available.

Master of Regional and Community Planning / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Hyung Jin Kim / Children’s play is partially satisfied through provision of public playgrounds with manufactured playground equipment in urban settings in the U.S., however, manufactured playground equipment is often criticized for its monotonous play equipment and is considered to be the primary cause of low playground utilization and dissatisfaction by many researchers (Hart, 2002; Beckwith, 2000; Cunningham & Jones, 1999; Davies, 1996; Masters, 2011). This study selected an urban park playground, a community playground, and a neighborhood park playground with manufactured equipment in the city of Manhattan as study sites. The purpose of this study is to examine utilization of the current playground areas and equipment—specifically by examining playground satisfaction levels and utilization frequency, and playground equipment satisfaction and utilization frequency to reveal playground utilization issues. A playground field audit and an on-site visitor survey were used to collect data. This study found (a) study playgrounds are underutilized among 6-to-10 and 11-to-15 age groups, (b) correlations exist between play equipment utilization frequencies and satisfaction ratings for most play equipment, and (c) no correlation exists between playground utilization frequency and playground satisfaction ratings. Results also revealed that (d) rare and occasional playground visitors are more likely to be attracted to play equipment with moving parts, higher physical challenges, and creative designs. Playground utilization rates are at current levels partially due to the rigid demand for playground use and play equipment. Although this study showed that 57% of survey participants were satisfied with the manufactured play equipment overall, play equipment should still be carefully selected and installed in consideration of different age groups, and visitors’ needs and characteristics; and more creative and cutting-edge play equipment should be considered for future playground improvements.

戶外是室內學習的延伸，且與戶外遊戲時間相比，學前幼兒花更多的時間在室內，並且他們在室內所從事的身體上的活動比起戶外來得少。因此，為了讓幼兒能夠充分利用在戶外學習環境中的遊戲時間，發洩體力與發展身心，提供幼兒戶外學習的環境－遊戲場，其品質之良窳 扮演了極重要的角色。 有鑑於此，本研究將訪談台北市11位公立幼稚園之園長，以瞭解幼稚園遊戲場規劃之原則；並針對臺北市68所公立幼稚園之遊戲場，實地觀察與測量其在空間規劃、遊戲設備與附屬設施之現況，希望能對臺北市遊戲場之概況有更深一層的瞭解。並就現況調查之結果，以敘述 統計、區間估計、卡方考驗與單因子變異數分析等統計方法分析之。 根據研究目的與研究問題，本研究之主要發現如下： 一、受訪園長表示遊戲場皆定期進行檢核，且設置與維護的經費普遍夠用，並認為遊戲場規劃應遵循五個步驟與八項原則。 二、地形或地貌殊相之遊戲場在規劃上具有良好的創造性；空間型態大致上利於成人督導、空間密度利於幼兒遊戲，但空間分區之多元性、安全性與近便性較為不足。 三、遊戲設備的安全性大致良好且類型多元，但統整性、挑戰性與彈性略顯不足。 四、遊戲場鋪面之安全性良好，多元性尚可，創造性不足。 根據研究結果，提出以下之建議，以供教育行政機關、學校行政人員與後續研究之參考： 一、遊戲場規劃除了應注重受訪園長所提之八項原則外，亦應注重其近便性、創造性與統整性。 二、善用幼稚園電腦化管理系統，促進幼稚園遊戲場定期之管理與維護 並將相關資料建檔，以利管理、決策與經費的分配。 三、較少樹木可供遮蔽之遊戲場或較易鏽蝕之材質，宜增加遊戲設備定 期檢核的頻率，若經費無虞，可考慮選擇耐熱性、耐蝕性高並具有 安全表面處理之材質作為遊戲設備之主體結構，或使用遮陽設備。 四、遊戲設備與空間分區可依三點原則進行配置；而空間型態有一處以 上轉折或擁有2種空間分區之遊戲場，可考慮設置開放遊戲空間區 或自然與創作遊戲區，並採用不同材質為其鋪面。 五、宜參酌遊戲場本身之面積，限制適當的同時使用人數與配置適當數 量的遊戲設備。 六、可增加遊戲設備間的統整性，並增設富創造性的鋪面及富挑戰性與 彈性的遊戲設備。 七、平台空間較小的組合式遊戲設備，可增加平台數為2座以上或加大 平台空間至2平方公尺以上。 八、對後續研究的建議 1.在研究對象方面 （1）增加訪談人數或加入私幼園長、教師或幼兒的觀點 2.在研究方法方面 （1）可使用問卷蒐集較大量的資料 3.在研究內容方面 （1）就遊戲場面積較小的遊戲場，遊戲場之空間應如何配置方能讓有限空間提供多樣功能。 （2）遊戲設備在設計上是否符合幼兒之發展階段 （3）遊戲設備結構的複雜度是否影響幼兒停留時間 （4）將靜態遊戲設備加以密集排列，所能帶來之效益是否較使用組合式遊戲 設備來得高。 / the outdoors as secondary to the learning which occurs indoors,and preschool children spent an overwhelming amount of time indoors as compared to outdoors and their physical activity was lower inside than when they were outside. Therefore, in order to use the time in outdoor learning environment effectively, to work off energy, develop body and mind, the quality of playground play an important role. The purpose of this study was to realize the principle of playground design by interview 11 kindergarten administrators, and to overview the space design, equipment, and adjunctive facilities of playground by observe and measure 68 public kindergartens in Taipei. The data was analyzed by SPSS for Windows 14.0 version at .05 significant level. Statistic method such as descriptive statistics, chi square test and one-way ANOVA were adapted to data analysis. Major findings include as following: 1. Director of respondents said the playgrounds are conducted regularly check and set up and maintain sufficient funds in general, and that planning should follow five steps and eight principles. 2. Special terrain and topography of the playground has a good creative; space patterns generally help adult supervision, spatial density contribute to children play, but regional space lack of diversity, security and accessible. 3. Equipments generally good on safety and have diverse types, but lack of integration, challenges and flexibility. 4. Playgrounds safety are good, diversity general, but lack of creativity.

published_or_final_version / Architecture / Master / Master of Architecture