The Importance of Play in Natural Environments for Children's Language Development: An Explorative Study in Early Childhood Education

Autor/inn/en	Prins, Jannette; van der Wilt, Femke; van Santen, Sofia; van der Veen, Chiel; Hovinga, Dieuwke
Titel	The Importance of Play in Natural Environments for Children's Language Development: An Explorative Study in Early Childhood Education
Quelle	In: International Journal of Early Years Education, 31 (2023) 2, S.450-466 (17 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Prins, Jannette) ORCID (van der Wilt, Femke) ORCID (van der Veen, Chiel)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0966-9760
DOI	10.1080/09669760.2022.2144147
Schlagwörter	Play; Child Development; Early Childhood Education; Young Children; Language Acquisition; Language Usage; Playgrounds; Natural Resources; Foreign Countries; Interpersonal Communication; Semantics; Interpersonal Relationship; Environmental Influences; Role; Netherlands + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Spiel; Kindesentwicklung; Early childhood; Education; Frühkindliche Bildung; Frühpädagogik; Frühe Kindheit; Sprachaneignung; Spracherwerb; Sprachgebrauch; Playground; Spielplatz; Natural Ressource; Natürliche Ressource; Ausland; Interpersonale Kommunikation; Semantik; Interpersonal relation; Interpersonal relations; Interpersonelle Beziehung; Zwischenmenschliche Beziehung; Environmental influence; Umwelteinfluss; Rollen; Niederlande
Abstract	Playing in natural environments is a popular activity for young children. In previous years, studies have shown benefits of playing in natural environment for children's motor development and attention restoration. In this study, we explored the relation between playing in natural environments and children's language use. A total of N = 18 children (4-7 years) from three Dutch primary schools participated. To measure children's language use during outdoor play, we recorded their utterances for ten minutes while playing in a non-nature-based playground and a nature-based playground. Audio tapes were transcribed and coded using a coding scheme focusing on communicative functions. Findings indicated that children used more language and more complex language while playing in the nature-based playground. Additionally, four themes were identified: (1) Children used language to refer to their play situation; (2) Children used language to refer to the elements of their physical play environment; (3) Compared to the non-nature-based playground, children talked more about the objects of the nature-based playground; and (4) Children talked more about science and math concepts. Play in the nature-based playground appeared to be a richer conversational setting for language use than the non-nature-based playground, with a potential to scaffold and guide language use. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01