IJEC (2015) 47:5377

DOI 10.1007/s13158-014-0114-9
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Examining the Quality of Outdoor Play

in Chinese Kindergartens
Bi Ying Hu Kejian Li Allison De Marco
Yuewen Chen

Published online: 8 August 2014

 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014

Abstract The benefits of outdoor play for childrens well-rounded development

are maximized when children experience enjoyment and, at the same time, gain
physical, motor, cognitive, and social-emotional competence. This study examined
the quality of outdoor play in Chinese kindergartens, the dominant form of full-day
early childhood education program serving children aged from 3 to 6 years in
China. The Outdoor Play Rating Scale was used to study the quality of the provision
for childrens outdoor play. A total of 174 classrooms from 91 kindergartens in
Zhejiang Province were included in the study. A stratified random sampling procedure was used to select kindergartens and classrooms. Results indicated that there
was inadequate opportunity for outdoor play, including free play, as well as low
level of physical activity by children. We found significant differences in quality of
outdoor play across kindergartens in different locations (urban/non-urban areas).
Recommendations were provided to practitioners in the discussion that primarily
emphasized addressing the need to increase opportunities for childrens access to a
wide range of outdoor activities and to improve teachers professional competencies
B. Y. Hu
Faculty of Education, University of Macau, Macao, Peoples Republic of China
e-mail: hubiying@umac.mo
K. Li (&)
Hangzhou Preschool Teachers College, Zhejiang Normal University at Hangzhou,
Hangzhou 310012, Zhejiang, Peoples Republic of China
e-mail: likj@zjnu.cn
A. De Marco
Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8040, USA
Y. Chen
The Central Kindergarten of Shaoxing County, Shaoxing 312300, Zhejiang,
Peoples Republic of China

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in organizing quality outdoor activities for children. Implications for policymakers

include the need to narrow the gap in the quality of outdoor environments in
kindergartens so that childrens play is supported in ways that will enhance childrens early development and learning.
Keywords Outdoor play
Quality
Early childhood education and care

Kindergarten
China
Resume Les bienfaits du jeu en plein air pour le developpement equilibre des
enfants sont optimises lorsque les enfants y prennent du plaisir et, en meme temps, y
gagnent en competence physique, motrice, cognitive et socio emotionnelle. Cette
etude a examine la qualite du jeu en plein air dans les ecoles maternelles chinoises,
la forme dominante de programme a` plein temps deducation de la petite enfance
desservant les enfants de 3 a` 6 ans en Chine. LOutdoor Play Rating Scale (echelle
de notation du jeu en plein air) a servi a` evaluer la qualite des jeux en plein air
offerts aux enfants. Letude comportait un total de 174 classes de 91 ecoles maternelles de la province du Zhejiang, selectionnees selon une procedure dechantillonnage aleatoire stratifie. Les resultats indiquent quil ny a pas suffisamment
doccasions de jeu en plein air, y compris de jeu libre, et que le niveau dactivite
physique des enfants est faible. Nous avons trouve des differences significatives
dans la qualite du jeu exterieur parmi les ecoles maternelles des differents lieux
(zones urbaines/non urbaines). Des recommandations ont ete adressees aux praticiens au travers dune discussion qui mettait dabord laccent sur le besoin daugmenter les occasions pour les enfants dacceder a` une large gamme dactivites de
plein air, ainsi que dameliorer les competences professionnelles des enseignants a`
organiser des activites de plein air de qualite. Cela implique pour les professionnels
et les legislateurs quil faut retrecir lecart de qualite entre les environnements
exterieurs des ecoles maternelles afin que le jeu soit soutenu de facon a` ameliorer le
developpement et lapprentissage des jeunes enfants.
Resumen Las ventajas del juego al aire libre para el desarrollo integral de los
ninos se maximizan cuando los ninos se divierten al mismo tiempo que adquieren
competencias fsicas, motrices, cognitivas y socioemocionales. Este estudio analiza
la calidad de los juegos al aire libre en las guarderas chinas, el metodo predominante del programa de educacion para la primera infancia (ECE, por sus siglas en
ingles) a jornada completa que atiende a ninos entre los 3 y 6 anos de edad en China.
Se ha utilizado la escala de valoracion de juegos al aire libre (OPRS, por sus siglas
en ingles) para evaluar la calidad del que es impartido a los ninos. El estudio abarca
un total de 174 clases de 91 guarderas de la provincia de Zhejiang. Se utilizo un
procedimiento de muestreo aleatorio estratificado para seleccionar las guarderas y
las clases. Los resultados muestran que no existen suficientes posibilidades de jugar
al aire libre, incluyendo actividades libres, y que el nivel de actividad fsica de los
ninos es bajo. Hemos encontrado diferencias significativas en la calidad de los
juegos en funcion de cada guardera. Se ha ofrecido recomendaciones a las
guarderas mediante debates que hacen hincapie, principalmente, en solventar la
necesidad de aumentar las oportunidades para que los ninos puedan acceder a una

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amplia gama de actividades al aire libre, y en mejorar las competencias profesionales de los profesores y profesoras a la hora de organizar actividades al aire libre de
calidad para los ninos. Las implicaciones para los profesionales y los legisladores
incluyen la necesidad de reducir las diferencias en la calidad de los entornos al aire
libre que ofrecen las guarderas para reforzar el juego de los ninos de manera que se
mejoren el desarrollo y el aprendizaje temprano de los ninos.

Introduction
Importance of Outdoor Play for Child Development
The importance of outdoor play to childrens physical, cognitive, and social-emotional
development has been well documented in both the medical and educational literature
(Bullard 2012; Frost et al. 2004; NASPE 2002; Shala 2009; Yu 2000). Free play in
outdoor environments is the best way to promote physical development when children
are guided to freely access a broad range of physically challenging equipment and
activities (Bullard 2012; Frost et al. 2004). The outdoor playground also serves as
childrens favorite social area where they can interact, develop friendships, and release
stress (Wells and Evans 2003). Moreover, outdoor play helps children develop an
appreciation of nature, which often offers healing power and mediates stress; helps
children develop a sense of season, and helps them see their personal connections to
nature (Bohling-Philippi 2006). Outdoor play also increases preschoolers classroom
learning (Holmes et al. 2006; Werner et al. 1996) and benefits their cognitively related
performance (e.g., Jarrett et al. 2001). Therefore, these physical activities simultaneously foster childrens communication, social, and cognitive skills (Wardle 1997),
as well as combating obesity (Nelson et al. 2006).
Moreover, young children acquire fundamental motor skills by physically
exploring their environment, especially in a well-designed outdoor setting where
they actively seek challenges and enjoyment (Frost et al. 2004). A crucial task for
early childhood education programs is, therefore, to create an outdoor play space
that promotes effective facilitation of these fundamental motor skills and that
supports whole-child development. Early childhood education and care (ECEC)
scholars who truly understand the benefits of outdoor play have expressed concerns
over decreased outdoor play opportunities, the lack of quality outdoor environments, and teachers ineffective use of instructional support during outdoor play
the three fundamental elements for executing a quality outdoor play program (Frost
et al. 2004; Nelson, 2006). The current study provides a Chinese perspective to this
growing global issue.
Chinese Childrens Outdoor Play and Related Studies
Chinese Childrens Outdoor Play in Historical Contexts
Before the 1980s, Chinese ECEC had traditionally embraced a naturalistic approach
to facilitating childrens outdoor play by utilizing natural resources and creating

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hand-made toys, with the majority of free play taking place outside the classroom
(Liu 2004). Economic reform in the last few decades has not only changed Chinas
sociocultural structure, but also changed the nature of childrens playhow
children play and what they play with. The urbanization (loss of outdoor space
because of construction in growing urban areas) in contemporary China has
deprived young children of opportunities for outdoor play, which has inevitably led
to a lack of physical activity. On a related note, Chinese ECEC scholars have shown
concern for the rapidly increasing rate of child obesity, sensory integration
dysfunction, and related health issues (Ma et al. 2005).
Guiding Policies on Childrens Outdoor Play in Kindergartens
In China, most ECEC programs are called kindergartens (or youeryuan in
Chinese), which usually refer to full-day childcare centers serving children from age
3 to 6. Realizing the significance of physical activity, Chinas National Guideline
for Kindergarten Education (Ministry of Education of the Peoples Republic of
China 2001) stressed, promoting the physical wellness of young children is the
priority mission of any kindergartenimprove their environmental adaptabilities;
use methods that can pique childrens interest in activities that can stimulate their
fundamental motor development, enhancing their flexibilities, dexterities, and
coordination. The Kindergarten Management Bylaw (National Education Committee of the Peoples Republic of China 1989) also emphasized kindergartens role
in ensuring childrens physical fitness through play, pointing out the importance of
promoting childrens well-rounded development in four areasphysical fitness,
cognition, morality, and estheticism. Notably, physical development is listed first.
Previous Studies Concerning Outdoor Play in Chinese Kindergartens
The quality of outdoor play environments among Chinese kindergartens is of great
concern to ECEC scholars who understand the importance of child-initiated outdoor
free play to childrens fundamental development (Hu and Szente 2009; Zheng 2010;
Zhou 2009). The dominant practices in Chinese kindergartens, however, have
favored morning group exercises and physical education (PE) lessons (structured
physical activities in which children mimic demonstrated gross motor movements)
over outdoor free play. Overall, the design of outdoor play space lacks diversity in
the design of play areas and equipment and adequate cushioning under climbing
equipment, as well as clear boundaries between different types of play (Hu and
Szente 2009; Zheng 2010). For instance, an investigation in 1999 found that 45 %
of kindergartens used concrete floors for outdoor play (Leng 2000).
When comparing the quality of equipment for outdoor physical activities among
kindergartens, Leng (2000) reported a significant gap among kindergartens with
different quality levels and funding resources. Similar findings were reported later in
many large cities, such as Guangzhou (Zhang 2004) and Xian (Zhang et al. 2008).
Moreover, Chinese ECEC scholars also reported a lack of safely designed
equipment that promotes a variety of gross motor development (Miao 2009; Ning
2007; Xie 2010; Zhang et al. 2008; Zhang and Wang 2007; Zheng 2010). For

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example, Zheng (2010) reported four types of frequently used equipment: large
complex climbing equipment (89 %), slides (88 %), swings (56 %), and climbers
(56 %). Zhang et al. (2008) reported that in 110 observed kindergartens, there was
one stationary toy for every 20 children, whereas only 3 children shared one
portable toy. Most equipment was made from plastic, iron, or concrete (Xie 2010;
Zheng 2010) and showed observable safety concerns due to the design, construction
materials, and poor monitoring and maintenance (Ning 2007; Xie 2010). However,
studies examining teachers role in outdoor play, such as how teachers design
environments, arrange time for outdoor play, supervise childrens safety, and
facilitate childrens learning and development, are almost nonexistent.
A Proposed Conceptual Framework for Measuring the Quality of Outdoor Play
in Chinese ECEC Programs
In this study, we aim to provide a deeper understanding of childrens outdoor play in
Chinese ECEC programs by examining the overall quality of outdoor play in both
physical environment and teachers organization and guidance. Based on existing
literature addressing childrens outdoor play (e.g., Bilton 1998; Frost et al. 2011;
Perry 2001) and considering the ECEC context in China, we propose the following
conceptual framework as a foundation for the measurement of the quality of
childrens outdoor play in Chinese early childhood education programs. The key
components, reviewed individually below, are sufficient space and equipment,
adequate time, safety, appropriate level of challenge, opportunities to be physically
active, providing a variety of activities, and responsive interactions.
Sufficient Space and Equipment
Previous studies (e.g., Chen et al. 2013a, b; Leng 2000; Xie 2010) have suggested
that in general Chinese outdoor play environments lack sufficient, well-designed
space, and appropriate equipment, all of which are crucial elements in quality
outdoor play (Department of the Army 1988; Harms et al. 2005; Wike 2006). Here,
sufficient space requires that there is room for a large group of children to freely use
gross motor skills, such as running, climbing, riding tricycles, and playing with
balls, without being restricted by the size of the space or by crowded or clustered
conditions (Cryer et al. 2003). In addition, a good outdoor environment shows clear
visual boundaries between areas with adequate space for various activities and for
different age groups of children to avoid interference between activities.
Meanwhile, sufficient gross motor equipment capable of stimulating a variety of
skills is another essential part of the outdoor physical environment (Harms et al.
2005). There should be enough pieces of popular equipment accessible to children
so that they do not have to compete or wait for a long time; and there also should be
a variety of interesting options so that no one thing is overwhelmingly popular
(Cryer et al. 2003).

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Adequate Time
Many US organizations in the health and early childhood fields have endorsed the
need for adequate time spent in active play daily, including the American Academy
of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association, the National Resource Center
for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education, the National Association
for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and the National Association for
Sport and Physical Education (NASPE). For instance, NASPE (2002) recommends
30 min of structured and 60 min of unstructured physical activity daily for toddlers
(12 months3 years) and 60 min of structured and 60 min to several hours of
unstructured physical activity daily for preschoolers (aged 35 years). In China,
similar policies were issued by the National Education Committee (NEC), Ministry
of Education (MOE), and the provincial Department of Education. The Kindergarten Work Regulations and Procedures (National Education Committee of the
Peoples Republic of China 1996), for instance, specified: Under normal
circumstances, children must have access to outdoor play for a minimum of 2 h
daily in a full-day program, with an additional hour required in a boarding
preschool.
Safety (Environmental and Supervision)
Safety of outdoor activities is a top concern of both teachers and parents (Taylor and
Morris 1996). The outdoor space should be safe (e.g., sufficient cushioning of fall
zones, protective fencing around hazardous areas), well-maintained, easily supervised, and regularly inspected. Although no outdoor areas that challenge children
can ever be completely safe, major safety hazards, such as access requiring a long
walk on a busy street, sharp or dangerous objects, and equipment with entrapment or
entanglement possibilities, should be eliminated (Harms et al. 2005). At the same
time, safety problems may also arise from inadequate instruction and poor
supervision. In addition to teaching children self-protection skills and increasing
their awareness of safety, supervision from responsible adults is crucial to ensuring
childrens safety (Kern and Wakeford 2007). Some noteworthy safety hazards
reported among Chinese kindergartens are: inadequate depth for cushioning
material used in fall zones, inappropriate surfacing for fall zones (e.g., concrete
and grass), and equipment made of poor quality materials (Hu and Szente 2009; Xie
2010; Zheng 2010).
Appropriately Challenging
While outdoor environments must be safe (Harms et al. 2005; Taylor and Morris
1996), safety is not sufficient for high quality outdoor play. Appropriately
challenging outdoor space and activities engage children. Children may quickly
lose interest in a too safe outdoor space or in over-protected physical activities. As
suggested by Staempfli (2009), an adventure-filled playground has more potential
than a traditional playground in terms of offering abundant developmental
opportunities for children to grow cognitively, emotionally, socially, and physically.

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By introducing some novel stimuli, imbalanced and/or unstructured equipment, an

obstacle course, or some physically challenging activities, playgrounds can be more
interesting and inviting to children and the quality of outdoor play would be
enhanced greatly with adequate supervision and appropriate scaffolding strategies
(Griffin and Rinn 1998). Given the typically large class size and low teacher
student ratio among Chinese kindergartens, teachers often feel the need to ensure
safety by minimizing challenging activities that require more supervision (Chen
et al. 2013a, b). In other words, Chinese teachers tend to avoid letting children
explore freely in outdoor environments and/or participate in physically challenging
activities (Hu and Szente 2009).
Opportunities to be Physically Active
Physical activity is also important during outdoor play, particularly moderate to
vigorous activity, which is essential for good health. Physical activity is important
because it guards against obesity, coronary heart disease, hypertension, type II
diabetes, and other chronic diseases (Blair and Brodney 1999; CDC 2012; Lopez
and Murray 1998). Further, participation in regular physical activity helps build
healthy bones and muscles, reduces experiences of depression and anxiety (United
States Department of Health and Human Services 1996) and is related to students
higher test scores and reduced behavioral problems (Donnelly and Lambourne
2011; Texas Education Agency 2009). Physical activity level can be characterized
as sedentary, light, and moderate/vigorous (Brown et al. 2006). When playing
outside, children are expected to be moving around with light to moderate/vigorous
levels of physical activity. Unfortunately, according to Brown et al.s (2009) study,
56 % of outdoor activity were characterized as sedentary and only 17 % were
moderate to vigorous.
Variety in Activities
Providing a variety of activities is also important for quality outdoor play. Children
should have opportunities for free play, as well as structured activities lead by
teachers. In free play, the child is engaged in self-directed activity, which is
beneficial to cognitive and social-emotional development, independence, and
creativity (Frost et al. 2011; Harms et al. 2005). While we know self-directed free
play is essential for child development (Bergen 2009; Russ 1993), research
indicated that physical activity level was lower during free play activities than in
teacher-lead activities in the US context (Alhassan et al. 2013; De Marco et al.
2013). Thus, to combat obesity and promote a healthy lifestyle early on, teachers
should lead well-prepared structured activities to insure that high levels of physical
activity are taking place in addition to offering children adequate time for free play.
However, children in Chinese ECEC programs are usually found to have insufficient
levels of physical activity in teacher-lead large group formats, during which
children either play a passive role or there is limited opportunity and time for
individual children due to limited space, inadequate time, and a large group size
(usually over 30 children; Chen et al. 2013a, b). In general, providing ample space, a

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variety of materials and activities, and encouraging children to move freely without
being limited to a small area for adults convenience are several steps child care
centers can take to increase physical activity.
Responsive Interactions
Teachers involvement and guidance play an important role in childrens outdoor play in
centers (Perry 2001). Teachers can improve, enrich, and extend childrens play through
the use of effective strategies, including suggesting, participating, and redirecting
(Bullard 2012; Davies 1997; Henniger 1993; Kneas 1999). By creating rich, challenging
environments, planning special activities and props to enrich outdoor play, observing
and documenting childrens learning, and identifying strengths and areas needing
support, teachers can help children develop various skills (Hartle 1996; Jones and
Reynolds 1992; Sawyers 1994; Wilford 1996). While teachers involvement can
stimulate childrens play and promote their positive development, research suggests that
excessive involvement can also disrupt the flow of play (Silver and Ramsey 1983), limit
childrens use of language and expression of thought (Tizard and Hughes 1984), lessen
their involvement in social dramatic play (Creaser 1989), and diminish their interactions
with peers (Innocenti et al. 1986). Therefore, effective teacher interaction in childrens
play means sensitively paying attention to childrens individual interests and
developmental needs, being selective about when to get involved, showing appreciation
and respect for childrens point of view, and acknowledging childrens efforts and
abilities (Abbott 1994; Creaser 1989; Frost et al. 2011).
Guided by the conceptual framework for assessing the quality of childrens
outdoor play in Chinese ECEC programs, the Outdoor Play Rating Scale (OPRS;
Hu and Li 2012) was developed and applied in the current study. The OPRS scale
will be introduced in the Method section.
The Present Study
In light of the extensive literature on the importance of outdoor play and physical activity
for young childrens development and learning that has been reviewed, there is an urgent
need for Chinese professionals to understand the overall quality of the outdoor play
provisions for Chinese children in ECEC programs, the largest population in the world in
that age group. However, there is a paucity of empirical studies addressing this question.
This study aims to fill this gap by examining the overall quality of childrens outdoor
play in Chinese kindergartens in order to provide solid evidence and insightful
recommendations for both practitioners and policy makers.
To address the research aim, the Outdoor Play Rating Scale (OPRS; Hu and Li
2012) was used to examine the differences in provisions for childrens outdoor play
and physical activities in two specific areas of practice (i.e., physical environment
and organization and guidance). The following presents findings on OPRS data,
which were collected from 174 classrooms in 91 urban and non-urban kindergartens
of varying governmental quality levels, followed by a discussion of possible
explanations for such results, as well as implications for practitioners and policy
makers.

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Method
Participants
Based on a stratified random sampling procedure, a total of 91 kindergartens were
selected from six regions (i.e., Hangzhou, Ningbo, Huzhou, Jinhua, Lishui, and
Quzhou), which represented different levels of economic development within Zhejiang
Province. According to the Kindergarten Quality Rating System (KQRS) currently used
by the Zhejiang provincial government, all rated kindergartens are classified into three
quality levels: Level 1 (high quality), Level 2 (moderate quality), and Level 3 (low
quality). Of all kindergartens in Zhejiang Province, 4.5 % were rated as Level 1, 12.1 %
were rated as Level 2, and 39.7 % were rated as Level 3. However, there are also licensed
but unrated kindergartens (44 %); we refer to these as basic standards programs, since
they have met all legal requirements for operation (Li 2010). These kindergartens were
combined with Level 3 for sampling. The 91 kindergartens were stratified based on
quality level (within those strata 17 were Level 1, 32 were Level 2, and 42 were Level 3);
location1 (33 were from cities, 23 were from county seats, 23 were from towns, and 12
were from villages); and funding source (44 were public and 47 were private). In each
kindergarten, the researchers randomly selected two classrooms (sometimes one or three
according to the size of the kindergartens) from different age groups for assessments of
the quality of outdoor play environments and teaching. This stratified random sampling
procedure resulted in a total of 174 classrooms: 45 K1 classrooms (3-to-4-year olds), 54
K2 classrooms (4-to-5-year olds), and 75 K3 classrooms (5-to-6-year olds).
Measures
The Outdoor Play Rating Scale (OPRS; Hu and Li 2012) was applied in the current
study. The OPRS was developed based on the conceptual framework described above
for measuring the quality of childrens outdoor play in Chinese ECEC programs. The
relationships between the OPRS and the proposed conceptual framework at item level
are illustrated in Table 1. The OPRS has nine items contained in two subscales. The
Space and Equipment subscale measures the structural quality of the outdoor play
environment, which involves comparatively regulable features such as space,
equipment, safety, and maintenance of outdoor space and equipment. The structural
quality is believed to enable caregivers to provide quality child care but may not have
direct impact on childrens development (Bryant et al. 2010). Meanwhile, the Activity
and Organization subscale measures the process quality of outdoor play, which involves
concepts such as the opportunity and time, form, content and appropriateness of
1

Note Here the term location is not used geographically, but rather refers to type of places at different
levels within Chinese the administrative division system: Generally, a province in China, equivalent to a
state in the US, may have several municipalities (e.g., Zhejiang Province has ten municipalities); a
municipality administers a city and several counties and the city is the capital of the municipality usually
with higher population density and better infrastructure and social resources; a county has many towns
with the capital town referred as county seat in this paper; and a town is the lowest level of government
that administers many villages. In the social and economic contexts of China, urban area usually refers
to cities and non-urban area refers to counties including county seats, towns, and villages.

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Table 1 The subscales and items of Outdoor Play Rating Scale (OPRS) and their relations with the
Conceptual Framework
Subscale

Item

Embedded concept(s)

I. Space and
Equipment

1. Space for Outdoor Play

Sufficient Space and Equipment, Safety

2. Outdoor Space Planning

Sufficient Space and Equipment, Safety

3. Types and Quantity of

Equipment

Sufficient Space and Equipment, Variety

in Activities

II. Activity and

Organization

4. Appropriateness of Equipment

Appropriately Challenging, Safety

5. Safety and Maintenance

Safety

6. Opportunity and Time for

Outdoor play

Adequate Time

7. Form and Content of Outdoor

Activities

Variety in Activities, Physically Active

8. Appropriateness of Outdoor
Activities

Appropriately Challenging, Physically

Active, Safety

9. Supervision of Outdoor Play

Responsive Interaction, Safety

activities, and supervision and interaction. The process quality is believed to capture the
features of actual processes that directly affect children and their early development
(Bryant et al. 2010). The subscale of Space and Equipment has five items (i.e., Space for
Outdoor Play, Outdoor Space Planning, Types and Quantity of Equipment, Appropriateness of Equipment, and Safety and Maintenance) and the Activity and Organization
subscale has four items (i.e., Opportunity and Time for Outdoor play, Form and Content
of Outdoor Activities, Appropriateness of Outdoor Activities, and Supervision of
Outdoor Play). Raters score each item on a 7-point Likert scale: Inadequate (1),
Minimum (3), Good (5), and Excellent (7).
In the current study, the OPRS demonstrated excellent reliability with a total
scale Cronbachs alpha coefficients of 0.91. Furthermore, confirmatory factor
analysis (CFA) revealed the following model fit measures: CMIN/DF (1.82),
RMSEA (0.07), NFI (0.95), CFI (0.97), and NFI (0.97), indicating good model fit
for the two quality constructs (Chen et al. 2013a, b).
Procedure
A total of 28 graduate students majoring in preschool education from a large teacher
education university in eastern China received training to use the OPRS as part of a
larger study for developing a psychometrically sound and socio-culturally relevant
instrument for measuring the overall quality of ECEC programs in China (Li et al.
2014). The training consisted of lecture and field practice. All raters were required
to reach sufficiently high inter-rater reliability (i.e., at least 80 % for exact
agreement at the item level) with the trainer in order to be qualified to conduct
independent assessments. The data collection was completed during Spring 2012.
The 28 raters conducted assessments in 174 classrooms. To maintain reliability,
reliability visits were conducted in which two raters assessed the same classroom for
all of the classrooms and their independent scores were compared to insure

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consistency in scoring (Chen et al. 2013a, b). An average inter-rater reliability of

above 0.8 was achieved for all classroom ratings.
For data analysis, we first employed ANOVA procedures to determine the
differences in the quality of outdoor play across kindergartens of different quality
levels and locations. Then, we conducted post hoc least significant difference (LSD)
tests for the two subscales and the nine items to isolate exactly where the significant
differences lay between kindergartens of different locations and quality levels.

Results
The Overall Quality of Outdoor Play
Figure 1 shows the distribution of the ratings for the outdoor play quality of 174
observed classrooms measured by the OPRS. An approximate normal distribution is
shown of the item scores for both subscales (Space and Equipment and Activity and
Organization), with classrooms most frequently (83.8 %) receiving a subscale
average score of 3 (minimum requirement).
Means (M) and standard deviations (SD) for each subscale and each item is also
provided in Fig. 1. On average, the five items from Subscale Space and Equipment
all scored above a mean of 4. The item Appropriateness of Equipment received the
highest average score (M = 4.41, SD = 1.39). The four items from Subscale
Activity and Organization received relatively lower average scores, all below 4,
indicating that most kindergartens have barely met the minimum standards.
Specifically, 69 % of classrooms (n = 120) received a score of 3 for Opportunity

Fig. 1 Distribution of the rating scores on the nine items of Outdoor Play Rating Scale (OPRS) (N-174
classrooms)

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and Time and 60.1 % of classrooms (n = 106) received a score of 3 for Form and
Content of Outdoor Activities.
Further, very few classrooms met the standards for an excellent rating (i.e., 7) on
the four items from Subscale Activity and Organization. Out of the 174 classrooms 3
(1.7 %) obtained a 7 on Opportunity and Time for Outdoor Play, 3 (1.7 %) obtained
a 7 on Form and Content of Outdoor Activities, 10 (5.7 %) received a 7 on
Appropriateness of Outdoor Activities, and 5 (2.9 %) received a 7 on Supervision of
Outdoor Play.
Finally, t tests showed a significant difference between the two subscales: Space
and Equipment and Activity and Organization (M = 0.79, SD = 1.05, t = 9.998,
p \ 0.01), which indicates that the process dimension of outdoor play quality is
significantly lower than the structural aspect.
Outdoor Space and Planning
We found the following types of outdoor surface in the 91 kindergartens: topsoil,
grass, concrete/tile, plastic, stone, sand, pool, vegetable and flower garden, and hills.
Most frequently, kindergartens equip their outdoor spaces with a combination of
concrete/tile and plastic materials. Fewer kindergartens have floors made of topsoil,
grass, stone, plants/garden, or sand. In only eight occasions did we observe
kindergartens with a pool next to the sandbox. The majority of kindergartens
(83.4 %) offer two to three types of outdoor space. All observed kindergartens have
outdoor spaces with access to sunlight. Yet, most of these kindergartens (83.9 %) do
not have sunshade equipment. A few of them have access to natural shading or have
installed artificial pavilions.
The number of play areas in the outdoor environment is dependent upon the size
of each kindergartens outdoor space. All kindergartens are able to plan for two or
more types of outdoor activities. However, only about 42 % of the kindergartens
can provide ample room for children to spread out and play with sand, large
stationary toys, portable toys, and visits to the garden at the same time without
interfering with each others play. A few kindergartens (8 %) have installed sinks
and toilets in the outdoor space for children and staffs convenience.
Equipment: Type, Quantity, and Appropriateness
All kindergartens have utilized both stationary and portable equipment. Stationary
equipment observed in these kindergartens mainly includes large climbing toys with
slides. Despite the fact that large stationary equipment can promote the development
of multiple skills, only well-resourced kindergartens were able to afford such
equipment because of the high cost. Some kindergartens without adequate funding,
however, purchased stationary equipment of smaller sizes. In some of the worst
situations, typically found in rural kindergartens, children had no access to any large
stationary toys. The most frequently used portable materials by all kindergartens
included balls, hula-hoops, ropes, and toys with wheels. It is noteworthy that rural
kindergartens, although low-resourced, received similar scores as urban kindergartens for equipment and materials. The difference we found between ECEC programs

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65

in the two locations was that rural kindergartens used more hand-made toys,
whereas urban kindergartens used more commercially available toys. Figure 2
shows children enjoying self-made bamboo toys in an innovative rural kindergarten
in Anji County, Zhejiang Province. Finally, although Appropriateness of Equipment
received the highest score in the first subscale (M = 4.41, SD = 1.39), only about
22 (12.6 %) kindergartens met Excellent standards (score = 7) on developmental
appropriateness that triggers childrens motor skills.
Safety and Maintenance
Holding safety as a high priority, Chinese kindergartens received relatively high
scores for Safety and Maintenance (M = 4.26, SD = 1.45). Through observation
and interview, we found that principals, teachers, and staff are all well aware of and
do a good job reporting any potential safety hazards for maintenance and repair in a
timely manner. Out of all observed classrooms, 98 % of them had no obvious safety
problems during the day of the observation. Also, we confirmed that 57 % of the
kindergartens have certified personnel conducting periodic inspections.
Opportunities and Time for Outdoor Play
Results showed that the assessment item of Opportunity and Time for Outdoor Play
received the lowest average score (M = 3.12, SD = 1.20) among all items. This
means that children in most kindergartens only have about 60 min per day to
participate in outdoor activities even under favorable weather conditions. Physical
exercise usually takes up about 40 min, which leaves 20 min per day for other types
of outdoor play. When it is raining, children may have no chance to engage in large
motor activities mainly due to the limited outdoor areas with shielding or indoor
spaces that can accommodate such activities, as well as teachers preferences for
other indoor activities. Surprisingly, among the observed classes, only three classes
(1.7 %) have outdoor activity time for 120 min, with at least 50 min daily for
outdoor free play and 60 min for indoor activity during rainy days.
Form and Content of Outdoor Activities
The Form and Content of Outdoor Activities item mainly assesses outdoor activities
in different formats, including whole group, small group, and individual free play
during outdoor play time throughout the day. According to raters reports, teacherlead large group play in addition to group morning exercise, was the most
prevalently utilized outdoor activity used by teachers at the observed kindergartens.
This was due primarily to the safety and management-related considerations by the
teachers. Furthermore, teachers fail to provide children with variety of outdoor
activities and equipment, instead utilizing an area with limited choices due to scarce
resources and/or safety concerns. Subsequently, other outdoor activities, especially
child-directed free play, such as walking or running freely, making naturalistic
observations, gardening, conducting dramatic play, and playing with blocks, sand or
water happen sporadically, especially in rural kindergartens where only one teacher

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B. Y. Hu et al.

Fig. 2 Examples of innovative play materials in a rural kindergarten in Anji County, Zhejiang Province,
China

typically looks after all the children in addition to cleaning and making the beds for
nap.
Appropriateness, Supervision, and Guidance of Outdoor Activities
Results show that 83.3 % of teachers provide children basic safety supervision during
outdoor play. However, due to the large class sizes (usually over 30 children) and the
limited number of teachers, we found 16.7 % of teachers did not provide adequate
supervision. For instance, they were not paying attention to childrens risk-taking
behaviors when playing on large stationary toys. Although teachers play dual roles of
ensuring safety and providing guidance during outdoor play, less than 5 % of teachers
tried to make the play more challenging and fun for children through thoughtful planning
(such as building obstacle courses) and increasing childrens social interactions through
encouraging, scaffolding, and setting up cooperative play activities.
Group Differences on the OPRS
ANOVA analysis detected statistical differences among kindergartens with different
quality levels and geographic locations in both the two subscale scores and the
individual nine item scores. Differences in outdoor play quality were starker for
centers with different quality levels than for centers in different regions (see
Table 2). For kindergartens of different quality levels, the greatest differences were
found in the subscale Space and Equipment. In comparison, the differences were
much smaller in Supervision of Outdoor Play and Opportunity and Time for
Outdoor Play.
The quality of outdoor space and equipment in urban kindergartens is much
higher than that of the rural kindergartens (especially those located in towns and
villages). In Fig. 3, the photo on the left shows a Level 1 (high quality) kindergarten
in an urban city equipped with a large stationary toy for complex play and a
climbing wall in the corner, as well as different types of portable toys. On the right,
a Level 2 (low quality) rural kindergarten, by contrast, has a smaller outdoor space,
and children are restricted to playing in a constricted area without enough portable
toys or large or small stationary equipment.

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Quality of Outdoor Play in Chinese Kindergartens

67

In Table 3, results first showed that all items successfully differentiated

kindergartens of different quality levels, with Level 1 scoring higher than Level 2
programs, and Level 2 scoring higher than Level 3 programs on both subscales and
all nine items. Next, for kindergartens of different locations, results revealed that all
significant group differences (for the nine items) were found when we compared
kindergartens in urban and non-urban (including county seats, towns, and villages)
locations. The differences between county seat, town, and village kindergartens
were relatively small. Specifically, no differences were found between county seat
and town kindergartens on any of the items except for Supervision for Outdoor Play.

Discussion
The goal of the current study was to examine the quality of outdoor play provision
for children in Chinese kindergartens, as outdoor play is the foundation for
childrens active exploration and motor development. Findings from this study
suggest a worrisome situation in terms of outdoor play quality in these settings. In
this section, we discuss in detail findings on the quality of outdoor play and their
implications for ECEC practitioners and policy makers in China.
Increasing Time for Outdoor Play
Outdoor space and facilities are necessary but alone insufficient ingredients for
childrens development. Thus, opportunities and time provided for outdoor play
have a significant role in childrens development, especially large motor development (Clark et al. 2002; NASPE 2002). Unfortunately, results of the current study
showed that the item Opportunity and Time for Outdoor Play received the lowest
score among the nine assessment items. Specifically, our findings indicated that
children in most kindergartens have only about 60 min of outdoor play per day,
which is far from adequate.
In recent years, ECEC experts from many countries including the United States,
Canada, and England have shown growing concerns regarding the reduced time for
childrens outdoor play (ATL 2001; Clements 2004; Dietze and Crossley 2000).
Findings from the current study echoed these concerns. According to the Chinese
publications Kindergarten Work Regulations and Procedures by the National
Education Committee (NEC 1996) and Guidelines for Kindergarten Education by
the Ministry of Education (MOE 2001), under normal circumstances, kindergarten
children must have access to outdoor play for a minimum of 2 h daily in a full-day
program, with an additional hour required in a boarding program. The Zhejiang
Department of Education (2008) requires kindergartens of all quality levels to
assure a minimum of 120 min for outdoor play daily under suitable weather
conditions, out of which large motor movement activities should take up more than
60 min. However, according to the results of this study, based on scores from the
Opportunity and Time for Outdoor Play item, very few kindergartens met these
mandated criteria. Time for outdoor play may be limited for several reasons.
Nowadays, more and more kindergartens favor indoor teacher-lead activities over

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5.32

5.68

5.74

5.58

5.61

Item 2. Outdoor Space Planning

Item 3. Types and Quantity of

Equipment

Item 4. Appropriateness of Equipment

Item 5. Safety and Maintenance

Total

4.26

4.84

4.73

4.43

Item 7. Form and Content of Outdoor

Activities

Item 8. Appropriateness of Outdoor

Activities

Item 9. Supervision of Outdoor Play

Total

* p \ 0.05; ** p \ 0.01

N = 174

4.00

Item 6. Opportunity and Time for

Outdoor play

Subscale Two: Activity and Organization

5.74

Item 1. Space for Outdoor Play

Subscale One: Space and Equipment

0.97

1.26

1.26

1.27

1.29

0.94

1.22

1.08

1.34

1.19

1.50

3.43

3.93

4.01

3.57

3.18

4.46

4.49

4.61

4.52

4.28

4.37

1.02

1.15

1.22

1.14

0.97

0.97

1.06

1.22

1.48

1.14

1.31

SD

2.83

3.38

3.12

2.77

2.59

3.17

3.32

3.49

2.94

3.00

3.12

0.84

0.95

1.02

1.06

1.06

0.91

1.22

0.99

1.14

1.33

1.18

SD

35.38**

16.84**

28.51**

22.22**

20.78**

86.07**

48.43**

52.35**

57.08**

46.49**

50.55**

3.80

4.40

4.27

3.73

3.43

4.84

4.92

5.05

4.73

4.62

4.86

1.09

1.21

1.31

1.26

1.11

1.26

1.38

1.36

1.63

1.43

1.63

SD

SD

City

Level 2
(moderate)

Level 1
(high)

Level 3
(low)

Location

Quality level

3.24

3.83

3.67

3.14

2.86

3.93

3.95

4.19

3.86

3.71

3.95

County
Seat

1.03

1.11

1.14

1.03

1.28

1.13

1.34

1.09

1.47

1.31

1.48

SD

3.13

3.29

3.62

3.31

3.09

3.79

3.80

3.98

3.80

3.62

3.76

Town

1.10

1.00

1.40

1.35

1.20

1.19

1.31

1.32

1.83

1.47

1.30

SD

2.67

3.17

2.69

2.69

2.38

2.85

3.15

3.00

3.00

2.69

2.38

0.81

1.03

0.75

1.38

0.96

0.87

0.99

0.82

1.15

1.38

1.26

SD

Village

Table 2 Descriptive scores and F statistic for differences in quality of outdoor play among 91 kindergartens of different quality levels and locations

6.95**

9.47**

7.15**

3.82**

4.20**

15.22**

11.61**

14.10**

6.49**

10.19**

13.03**

68
B. Y. Hu et al.

Quality of Outdoor Play in Chinese Kindergartens

69

Fig. 3 Examples of outdoor environment from a Level-1 (high quality) urban kindergarten (left) and a
Level-3 (low quality) rural kindergarten (right)

outdoor play because it is easier for teachers to manage safety issues during play in
the former setting (Chen et al. 2013a, b). In the increasingly competitive educational
system in China, kindergartens are likely to substitute outdoor play with indoor
academic learning activities as much as possible so children can acquire more
knowledge and skills. In this way, the kindergartens are meeting parental
demands to better prepare children academically for the primary grades and a
promising future. In addition, due to unique weather conditions in Zhejiang
Province, it rains continuously from May to June (the data were collected from
March to June in 2012), which has a significant impact on children who have little
access to outdoor activities during this time. Hence, it is highly recommended that
kindergartens in Zhejiang Province (or regions with similar weather conditions in
South China) have sufficient outdoor areas with shielding or indoor spaces that can
accommodate children to conduct outdoor play or indoor physical activities.
Another issue may be that the Department of Education, which monitors the
quality of these programs, is not conducting follow-up visits to assess on-going
quality, especially process quality. The Department of Education should strengthen
their monitoring system to include subsequent quality supervision after the initial
quality rating in order to ensure childrens adequate access to outdoor play.
Providing Ample Opportunities for Outdoor Free Play
As noted in the literature, during outdoor free play with a variety of choices children
experience joy in addition to attaining comprehensive growth physically, mentally,
and social-emotionally (e.g., Bullard 2012; Frost et al. 2004). However, results from
this study demonstrated the paucity of outdoor free play for children in Chinese
kindergartens because the dominant form of physical activity in these settings is
teacher-lead whole-group activities (e.g., morning exercises, games, or other gross
motor activities), which often take up the majority of outdoor play time. Even when
free play is offered, children have very limited choice of activities and equipment
and are often restricted to a small area of space.
Outdoor free play rarely takes place in Chinese kindergartens due to a number of
practical and cultural factors (Hu and Szente 2009). First, teachers, who are overly
concerned about safety issues, tend to have the misconception that the risks for

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123

County

-2.48**

-1.57**

-1.37**

County

Town

0.47

0.47

0.45

0.47

0.32

1.37**

-0.20

City

Village

0.28

0.47

0.32

0.29

0.45

0.28

0.29

0.22

0.26

0.22

0.27

0.26

0.27

SE

-1.11**

1.57**

Village

City

0.20

Town

2.48**

Village

-0.91**

1.11**

Town

City

0.91**

-1.26**

Level 2

County

-2.62**

1.26**

Level 1

-1.36**

Level 1

Level 3

* p \ 0.05; ** p \ 0.01

N = 174

Village

Town

County
Seat

City

Level 3

Level 2

1.36**

2.62**

Level 2

Level 3

Level 1

Space for
Outdoor Play

-0.93*

-1.02*

-1.93**

0.93*

-0.09

-1.00**

1.02*

0.09

-0.91**

1.93**

1.00**

0.91**

-1.28**

-2.32**

1.28**

-1.03**

2.32**

1.03**

0.44

0.45

0.42

0.44

0.30

0.27

0.45

0.30

0.27

0.42

0.27

0.27

0.21

0.25

0.21

0.25

0.25

0.25

SE

Outdoor Space
planning

-0.80

-0.86

-1.73**

0.80

-0.06

-0.93**

0.86

0.06

-0.87**

1.73**

0.93**

0.87**

-1.58**

-2.74**

1.58**

-1.16**

2.74**

1.16**

Types and
Quantity of
Equipment

0.51

0.51

0.49

0.51

0.35

0.31

0.51

0.35

0.31

0.49

0.31

0.31

0.23

0.27

0.23

0.27

0.27

0.27

SE

-0.98**

-1.19**

-2.05**

0.98**

-0.21

-1.08**

1.19**

0.21

-0.86**

2.05**

1.08**

0.86**

-1.12**

-2.24**

1.12**

-1.12**

2.24**

1.12**

0.40

0.40

0.38

0.40

0.27

0.24

0.40

0.27

0.24

0.38

0.24

0.24

0.19

0.22

0.19

0.22

0.22

0.22

SE

Appropriateness
of Equipment

-0.65

-0.80

-1.77**

0.65

-0.15

-1.12**

0.80

0.15

-0.97**

1.77**

1.12**

0.97**

-1.17**

-2.26**

1.17**

-1.09**

2.26**

1.09**

0.42

0.42

0.40

0.42

0.29

0.25

0.42

0.29

0.26

0.40

0.25

0.26

0.20

0.23

0.20

0.24

0.23

0.24

SE

Safety and
Maintenance

-0.70

-0.47

-1.05**

0.70

0.23

-0.34

0.47

-0.23

-0.58**

1.05**

0.34

0.58**

-0.58**

-1.41**

0.58**

-0.82**

1.41**

0.82**

0.37

0.37

0.35

0.37

0.25

0.22

0.37

0.25

0.23

0.35

0.22

0.23

0.19

0.22

0.19

0.22

0.22

0.22

SE

Opportunity
and Time for
Outdoor Play

Table 3 Post hoc LSD tests for the nine items between kindergartens of different locations and quality levels

-0.62

-0.45

-1.04**

0.62

0.17

-0.42

0.45

-0.17

-0.59*

1.04**

0.42

0.59*

-0.80**

-1.50**

0.80**

-0.70**

1.50**

0.70**

Form and
Content of
Outdoor
Activities

0.39

0.39

0.37

0.39

0.27

0.23

0.39

0.27

0.24

0.37

0.23

0.24

0.20

0.23

0.20

0.23

0.23

0.23

SE

-0.93*

-0.97*

-1.58**

0.93*

-0.04

-0.65**

0.97*

0.04

-0.60**

1.58**

0.65**

0.60**

-0.90**

-1.73**

0.90**

-0.83**

1.73**

0.83**

0.40

0.40

0.38

0.40

0.27

0.24

0.40

0.27

0.24

0.38

0.24

0.24

0.20

0.23

0.20

0.24

0.23

0.24

SE

Appropriateness
of Outdoor
Activities

-0.13

-0.67

-1.24**

0.13

-0.54*

-1.11**

0.67

0.54*

-0.57*

1.24**

1.11**

0.57*

-0.55**

-1.35**

0.55**

-0.80**

1.35**

0.80**

0.38

0.38

0.35

0.38

0.27

0.24

0.38

0.27

0.23

0.35

0.24

0.23

0.21

0.23

0.21

0.24

0.23

0.24

SE

Supervision of
Outdoor Play

70
B. Y. Hu et al.

Quality of Outdoor Play in Chinese Kindergartens

71

safety increase as childrens opportunity for outdoor free play increases because of
the lack of staff to monitor the activity of a large class. Also, traditional Chinese
culture views a child as someone who carries on the family name and thus, does not
support free outdoor activity, as both teachers and parents have become overly
protective of children, often at the expense of promoting childrens optimal motor
development (Leng 2000). In a typical Chinese family, six adults (two parents and
four grandparents, two from each side) care for one child and protect him or her
from being injured during any type of activity on a daily basis. This overprotection
inevitably sends a warning message to the school about families expectations that
school staff will take equal care with the safety of their children. Teachers,
therefore, may forgo outdoor play as they are afraid of taking responsibility for and
try to avoid accidents which are viewed as more likely to happen during outdoor
risk-taking free play.
This is a worrisome finding and future studies must examine the process of
outdoor free play among Chinese kindergartens and the underlying contributing
factors, in addition to seeking culturally sensitive strategies for promoting safe
outdoor free play where children can learn about and enjoy taking risks. Further,
kindergartens should figure out effective ways to collaborate with families to build
enriched outdoor play environments with a variety of activities and ample
opportunities and time for outdoor free play. Some good solutions include using
parent volunteers and other support staff during outdoor play periods to adequately
supervise children and encourage their free exploration of the outdoor environments
(Chen et al. 2013a, b).
Improving Physical Activity Level
One of the fundamental purposes of outdoor play is to foster childrens physical
health and development through stimulating physical activity, particularly moderate
to vigorous activity (Blair and Brodney 1999; CDC 2012; Lopez and Murray 1998).
Based on results from the current study, there is doubt that Chinese kindergartens
can achieve this goal. As discussed above, inadequate space, limited time, lack of a
variety of equipment and activities, large class size and high studentteacher ratio,
dominant teacher-lead group activities, lack of child-directed active free play, and
overprotective supervision, conspire to limit the level of physical activity, which
may not be sufficient to make a positive impact on childrens physical development.
This inference is supported by evidence from new studies examining ECEC
program quality (including the outdoor play environment) and child outcomes in the
context of China. Li et al. (2014) found that the quality of ECEC programs in China
as measured by Chinese Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (CECERS) had
little association with childrens physical development (i.e., gross and fine motor
skills). More specifically, the quality of the outdoor play environment was not
significantly associated with childrens physical development (Chen et al. 2013a, b).
Both ECEC practitioners and parents need to reflect on these alarming findings and
take effective countermeasures to improve Chinese childrens physical activity
levels during outdoor play. For instance, Chinese ECEC practitioners can look into
developing age-appropriate and effective curriculum for moderate to vigorous

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B. Y. Hu et al.

structured play in order to increase childrens level of physical activities. Such

structured outdoor activities are expected to be well-supported by the cultural and
contextual features of Chinese programs (e.g., large class size and limited outdoor
space), as well as their predominant use of group-teaching methods, influenced by
the underlying collective culture.
Improving Teachers Professional Competence in Providing Quality Outdoor
Activities
As described above, the process dimension of outdoor play quality (as indicated by
the score of the Activity and Organization subscale) was found to be significantly
lower than the structural quality of outdoor play (measured by the Space and
Equipment subscale). This result may suggest that kindergarten teachers professional competence in providing quality outdoor activities needs to be greatly
improved. First of all, teachers should be well informed about the value of outdoor
play and physical activities for childrens well-rounded development. They may
then have a more positive attitude toward providing enough opportunities and time
for childrens outdoor play and physical activities. Due to cultural traditions (e.g.,
preferring academic learning to physical exercises; Hu 2014; Tobin et al. 2009) and
some contextual constrains (e.g., limited outdoor space and facilities, high childteacher ratio, etc.), Chinese kindergarten teachers used to be reluctant to provide
children with ample opportunities and time for outdoor play. Secondly, training
programs could focus on developing teachers skills in effective scaffolding and/or
responsive interactions with individual or small groups of children, as previous
studies have shown that Chinese teachers who are acquainted with whole-group
instruction lack the skills to scaffold childrens learning and build close
relationships with them during free play (Hu and Szente 2009). Additionally,
Chinese kindergarten teachers must find effective ways to overcome the aforementioned contextual constrains, such as increasing staffing to provide better
supervision and interactions with children, working out a better schedule for
classrooms to take turns utilizing limited outdoor areas and developing new
strategies (e.g., play-zone-based, not classroom-based, and supervision/guidance)
for organizing outdoor activities so as to provide more choices (including areas and
equipment) for childrens outdoor free play.
Enhancing Outdoor Play Quality for Disadvantaged Kindergartens
Significant differences in outdoor play quality were found among kindergartens of
different quality levels and locations. Due to the long-standing urbanrural gap in
allocation of educational resources in China (Wu et al. 2012), Level 1 (high quality)
or Level 2 (moderate quality) programs are more likely to be located in urban areas.
Equipped with better resources, these kindergartens may have better outdoor
facilities and better-qualified teachers. Conversely, kindergartens with lower quality
levels are more likely to be located in rural areas without appropriate facilities and
tend to hire teachers with fewer credentials (Hu and Roberts 2013).

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Quality of Outdoor Play in Chinese Kindergartens

73

One way to combat this trend is for the government to intervene by strengthening
policy and financial supports for lower quality kindergartens and those located in
rural areas. Policymakers should increase governmental investment on the outdoor
play environments of disadvantaged kindergartens, and effectively improve the
quality of outdoor play by strengthening existing quality rating and monitoring
systems. These systems may benefit from embedding quality indicators of the OPRS
into existing evaluation criteria to promote related quality concepts.
Another method is for rural kindergartens to be proactive in taking full advantage
of their local natural resources when designing and organizing outdoor environments and activities. The kindergarten in Anji County (as Fig. 2 illustrated) is one
successful case. By utilizing local resources (e.g., bamboo), the kindergarten has
harnessed its unique local culture, created a strong sense of community and
belonging for participating children and staff, as well as provided a variety of
appropriately challenging equipment for childrens outdoor play.

Implications for Future Studies

Based on findings from the current study, Chinese researchers are encouraged to
continue to investigate what constitutes a high quality outdoor environment in
Chinese kindergartens, taking into consideration the unique local cultures and
economic levels. Future studies should continue to explore the quality of outdoor
play with a larger national sample to follow childrens physical wellness and
other outcomes longitudinally. Findings from such studies will enable us to
identify evidence-based prevention and intervention strategies to promote
childrens optimal development through quality outdoor play. In addition, case
studies of successful kindergartens can provide meaningful guidance to other
programs by sharing their experiences in developing a high quality outdoor play
environment and teaching in various contexts. Most importantly, researchers need
to alert parents and ECEC practitioners to the necessity of promoting childrens
physical development by increasing their access to a wide range of outdoor
activities including well-prepared structured play that stimulates high level
physical activity and child-directed free play in a culturally sensitive and
developmentally appropriate outdoor environment which is both safe and
challenging.
Acknowledgments The research and preparation of this manuscript is supported by the following
grants: (a) A Multidimensional and Integrated View Approach to Chinese Preschool Evaluation from the
National Social Science Foundation for Young Scholars of China (Grant No. CHA110131); (b) A
National Mechanism and Policy Study to Ensure Every Age-qualifying Child a Basic and Quality Early
Education (Grant No. AHA110004); (c) Establishing a Quality Evaluation and Monitoring System for
Preschool Education in Zhejiang Province from Zhejiang Provincial Social Science Foundation (Grant
No. 11JCJY12YB).

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