The Outdoor Environment: Children’s Views and Preferences

• In Event: Roundtable Session 3
  In Roundtable Session: Environments: Indoors and Outdoors

Abstract

The study aims at enhancing awareness of young children’s views and preferences about their outdoor environment, and emphasizing the importance of children’s participation in decisions relating to outdoor environment. Socio-cultural theory and seeing children as capable of participating in decisions concerning themselves constitute the theoretical background of the study. Data was gathered mainly through interviews and observations. The findings show that the children preferred natural phenomena and variation in landscape as well as play equipment, and outside they wanted to play, create own places, collect and explore, challenge themselves and create. Children appreciated participating in decision-making about their outdoors. Involving children in the decision-making process can increase the quality of their outdoors and offer opportunities for children’s participation in society.

Authors

• Kristín Norðdahl, University of Iceland

• Johanna Einarsdottir, University of Iceland

• Ingolfur Asgeir Johannesson, University of Iceland