Determinants Of Quality Outdoor Play Environment In Early Childhood Development Centres In Ng’enda Zone, Kiambu County, Kenya

ABSTRACT

Quality childcare include providing children the opportunity for outdoor play. In Kenya even though play is recognized as critical in children development, research in children’s play environment appears inadequate. The purpose of this study was thus to establish the quality of outdoor play environment in early childhood development centres in Ng’enda Zone of Gatundu South Sub-County. The study was also to determine the key factors influencing outdoor play environment in ECD centres. The study findings may be of significance to early childhood teachers, ECD managers and policy makers of early childhood programmes in that the results may help them to develop skills on school-based safety programmes that assist in promoting, protecting and improving the safety status of pre-school children while in the playgrounds. The study was based on Piaget Developmental Theory of Play. The study employed the descriptive survey research design targeting all the 31 ECD managers/head teachers and 112 teachers in the 31 ECD centres in Nge’nda Zone. Stratified random sampling was used to sample 10 ECD centres according to type of ECD centre. Ten head teachers and zonal education officer were selected purposively while simple random sampling was used to select the teachers. An interview schedule designed for managers/head teachers, a questionnaire for teachers and an observation checklist were used for data collection. Before actual analysis was done, a pilot study was conducted in 2 ECD centers which were not included in the actual analysis. The importance of carrying out a pilot study was to determine the reliability and validity of the research instruments. Data collected was entered in the computer for analysis using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Qualitative data was first coded by organizing it into similar themes and then tallying all similar responses of each item. Descriptive statistics such as percentages, means and frequencies were used to report the quantitative data. Data was presented in form of tables and figures. The study established that the most available play materials in public ECD centres were small balls and tyres while in private ECD centres, swings, fixed tyres, small balls, and ropes were available. On the other hand, swings, climbing ladders, slides, fixed tyres and balancing frames were not available in public ECD centres as opposed to the private centres where balancing frames, hoops and see saw were unavailable. The study also found out that the most adequate playing materials in both public and private ECD centres were small balls, ropes and tyres. However, the most inadequate outdoor facility from all the sampled public pre-schools were;bar beams, followed by climbing ladders, slides and then fixed tyres. Most of the private ECD centres had inadequate playground compared with the number of children registered and therefore they did not facilitate effective children play activities. The study recommends that; government, parents and other education stakeholders should offer their support through funding of ECD centres and also provision of playing materials; Pre-school teachers in both public and private ECD centres should support children during outdoor activities especially in planning play activities. They should also give children time to explore and discover on their own through play activities. Ministry of Education should ensure that all the private ECD centres have adequate play space to ensure that children are engaged in outdoor activities; among other recommendations.