PRESCHOOL CHILDREN’S OPPORTUNITIES AND PARENTS’ OPINIONS REGARDING OUTDOOR PLAY

Abstract

This study aims to explore preschool children’s opportunities and parents’ opinions regarding outdoor play in Denizli,
Turkey. Totally 398 parents answered the questionnaire that was designed by the researcher. The study shows
that most of the children play outdoors once a day; generally they play in playgrounds and backyards under adults’
or older sister/brothers’ supervisions. Moreover, parents often have concerns about traffic, ill-intentioned strangers,
kidnapping and injures. Correspondingly, their expectations include enhancing and varying playgrounds and green
areas as well as increasing safety in outdoor settings where children play. These findings are discussed in the light
of literature and suggestions for improving children’s outdoor play opportunities are made.

Keywords

• Outdoor play, Early years, Play settings, Parents

OKUL ÖNCESİ DÖNEM ÇOCUKLARININ DIŞ MEKANDA OYUN FIRSATLARI VE EBEVEYN GÖRÜŞLERİ

Öz

Bu araştırmanın amacı, Denizli ilindeki okul öncesi eğitim kurumlarına devam eden çocukların dış mekanda oyun oynama fırsatlarının ve ebeveynlerin bu konudaki görüşlerinin incelenmesidir. Veri toplama aracı olarak araştırmacı tarafından geliştirilen anket formunu toplam 398 ebeveyn yanıtlamıştır. Araştırma sonunda çocukların çoğunlukla günde bir defa dış mekanda oyun oynadıkları; oyun alanı olarak çocuk parkı ve evin/apartmanın bahçesinin tercih edildiği; dış mekanda oyun sırasında çocukların yetişkin veya büyük kardeş tarafından gözlendiği saptanmıştır. Ayrıca, ebeveynlerin dış mekanda oyun ile ilgili kaygılarının çoğunluğunun trafik, kötü niyetli yabancılar, kaçırılma ve yaralanma ile ilgili olduğu bulunmuştur. Bu kaygılara paralel olarak ebeveynler çeşitli alternatifler içeren çocuk parkı ve yeşil alanların yaygınlaştırılması ve çocukların oyun ortamlarında güvenliğin arttırılmasına yönelik beklentilerini ifade etmişlerdir. Araştırmada elde edilen bulgular ilgili alanyazın ışığında tartışılmış ve çocukların dış mekanda oyun fırsatlarının arttırılmasına yönelik birtakım önerilerde bulunulmuştur.

Anahtar Sözcükler: Dış mekanda oyun, Okul öncesi dönem, Oyun alanları, Ebeveyn.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Dış mekânda oyun, Okul öncesi dönem, Oyun alanları, Ebeveyn

Kaynakça

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