The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between the attitudes of parents toward outdoor environments and their children spending time outdoors, and how these attitudes related to their children's overall health. The sample for this study consisted of parents of six to thirteen year old children from the U.S., who accessed the survey from the Aggie Horticulture homepage between March and August 2009. Surveys were collected until 142 completed questionnaires were received. The online questionnaire included questions about parents' attitude toward nature; their children playing outdoors, play site rating, and children's overall health and demographic questions. Descriptive statistics were used to tabulate mean scores on the Parental Attitude About Nature Scale, and Parental Attitude About Their Children Spending Time Outdoors Scale, both of which indicated overall positive views. Pearson's product-moment correlations indicated statistically significant relationships between the Parental Attitude About Nature Scale, and Parental Attitude About Their Children Spending Time Outdoors Scale (P=0.001), and between these two scales and time children spent outdoors (P=0.008, P=0.05). No correlation existed between Parental Attitude About Their Children Spending Time Outdoors score and the Health Problems score (P=0.459). Also, there were statistically significant relationships between time spent indoors on video games or watching TV and health problems of children (r=+0.182, P=0.031), congestion (r=+0.192, P=0.023), and children having trouble sleeping (r=+0.237, P=0.005); asthma attacks and with the time spent in indoor organized sports (r=+0.274, P=0.001) and outdoor organized sports (r=+0.177, P=0.036). Additionally, time spent outdoors in free play was negatively correlated with body pain or discomfort (r=-0.219, P=0.009), repeated upset stomach (r=-0.179, P=0.034), or feeling tired or having low energy (r=-0.289, P=0.001). In regards to play areas a post-hoc analysis (Tukey's HSD) revealed that all the outdoor play scene pictures had statistically significantly higher mean scores in ratings of approval by parents (P=0.001) when compared to the indoor play area and that the outdoor scene picture with the black hardtop surface had a statistically significantly lower mean score (P=0.001) than the other outdoor play scene pictures. This indicated that, in general, parents preferred play areas with a greater amount of natural elements.

Thesis (PhD) -- University of Western Sydney, Nepean, 1997. / Bibliography : p. 253-267.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 1999. / Title from title page screen, viewed July 18, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Laura E. Berk (chair), Paul T. Shallaert, Jayne E. Bucy, Matthew S. Hesson-McInnis, Mark E. Swerdlik. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 97-126) and abstract. Also available in print.

In the nineteenth century, specialization and segregation of land uses necessitated to identify formal spaces for child&rsquo / s play activity in the cities. In the late nineteenth century, &lsquo / &lsquo / traditional playgrounds&rsquo / &rsquo / were provided for children. However, formally designed, spatially segregated play space brought its own problems itself. Rapid changes in the urban pattern and dominance of cars in the urban environment restricted the safe accessibility of children to such play spaces by themselves. Also, &lsquo / &lsquo / traditional playground&rsquo / &rsquo / has been criticized because of its inefficiency to answer the needs of children and to contribute to the continuity of play activity. Due to the inefficiency of &lsquo / &lsquo / traditional playgrounds&rsquo / &rsquo / for the continuity of &lsquo / &lsquo / play&rsquo / &rsquo / , children prefer to establish their own informal play spaces, as it was before the introduction of formal ones. However, parental concerns regarding child&rsquo / s safety in the urban environment restrict the use of outdoor play spaces, especially the residential street which is the oldest traditional informal play space. For these reasons, children&rsquo / s play habits changed and children today are becoming more dependent to indoors. If child&rsquo / s developmental needs are considered, the contribution of outdoor environment to the development of children should be reevaluated by making comparison between formal and informal play spaces. Regarding children&rsquo / s needs and the contribution of outdoor environment to their development, some approaches have been developing and changing to design better play spaces. Thus, this thesis tries to clarify that what kind of approach would be efficient in order to provide permanent answers for the needs and rights of children and for the continuity of &lsquo / &lsquo / play&rsquo / &rsquo / in today&rsquo / s urban pattern.

This thesis is focused on the play in children with multiple disabilities. The aim is to summarize theoretical bases and current findings in this topic, to help extend this findings and to highlight the importace of play for children with multiple disabilities. In the context of the theory, findings of research and methodologically oriented publications is a play in children with multiple disabilities explored through the case study, which involve the analysis of play four preschool children with multiple disabilities in children's daily rehabilitation care. The thesis attention to the specifics of play in children with multiple disabilities, how is development of play in these children is and what factors influence the development. This thesis provides information that can be used in practice for workers with children with multiple disabilities. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)