Child-Parent Outdoor Play and Social Emotional Development: Understanding Culturally Sustaining Play

• In Event: Relationship-Based Instruction for Children

Abstract

This research examines how low-income Black and Hispanic families with young children (birth to age 8 years) use outdoor play to form relational bonds within a family unit, across family units and with project facilitators in order support social-emotional development. Outdoor play positively impacts young children’s knowledge and skills to manage emotions, set goals, have empathy, create positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. Using Video-Cued Multivocal Ethnography, this research questions include: (1) How do parents and children form relational bonds within a family unit, across family units? (2) What role does family interaction and parent modeling in outdoor play provide for young children’s social and emotional development? (3) How do family interactions co-construct culturally sustaining play?

Author

• Sara Michael-Luna, University of Central Florida
  Presenting Author