Abstract


Background
Most physical activity (PA) during school occurs at recess; however, recess PA may be influenced by children’s thermal comfort and interaction with nature, neither of which have concurrently been measured reliably in previous studies. This study tests the reliability of SOPLAY-SN, an adaption of the validated System for Observing Play and Leisure Activity in Youth (SOPLAY) to measure Shade and Nature (SN) alongside PA and associations between children’s PA and interaction with shade and nature during recess to highlight the utility of the tool.

Methods
Interactions with shade and nature were measured using systematic direct observation at two playgrounds (primary-grade_=_ages 5-8, upper-grade_=_ages 9-12) during recess at an elementary school in Phoenix, Arizona (USA). Pairs conducted observations over four warm days (primary_=_29-34 ¡C, upper-grade_=_32-36 ¡C) in May 2021 (N_=_179 scans). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were used to calculate inter-rater reliability. Mean counts, frequencies, and Kendall rank correlation coefficient tests were used to assess relations between PA level and interactions with shade and nature.

Results
Reliability was good for sedentary behavior (ICC_=_0.98); light PA (LPA; ICC_=_0.80) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA; ICC_=_0.94); shade interaction (ICC_=_0.95); and nature interaction (ICC_=_0.80) and average agreement was good (86% overall PA, 88% shade, 90% nature). Most (60%) primary-grade children were observed in the shade, with 64% under a covered play structure where children were mainly (47%) sedentary. Of the 11% of primary-grade students observed interacting with nature, 90% occurred in a grass field with trees. Among upper-grade children, 23% were observed in the shade with 53% in grass fields where 48% of play was light. Few (7%) upper-grade children were observed interacting with nature, with most instances (76%) in a grass field with trees. Among primary-grade children, shade was correlated with sedentary behavior (_b_=_0.63, p_<_.05); LPA (_b_=_0.39, p_<_.05); MVPA (_b_=_0.56, p_<_.05); and nature interactions with sedentary behavior (_b_=_0.16, p_<_.05). Among upper-grade children, shade was correlated with sedentary behavior (_b_=_0.27, p_<_.05) and LPA (_b_=_0.21, p_<_.05).

Conclusions
SOPLAY-SN is a reliable tool for measuring children’s interaction with shade and nature and participation in PA. Understanding how shade and nature impact movement during recess can inform playground design for children’s health and well-being.

Authors: Allison Poulos, Kylie Wilson, Kevin Lanza and Jennifer Vanos

Journal: International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity

Year: 2022

Similar Articles



Projects

Explore our institute’s active engagement in developing playgrounds’ future through innovative research and current projects.


Briefs

We are dedicated to sharing valuable insights from research studies and reviews through concise and accessible publications.


Articles

Explore our article database for a comprehensive array of global research and insights, offering diverse perspectives and knowledge.


News

Stay up-to-date and engaged through the latest news, project updates, events, and activities specific to playground research.

Hi there 👋

We would love to get to know you better! Please take a moment to answer a few quick questions so we can improve our website.