School Playgrounds for Well-Being

Introduction and aim

Research has highlighted how school playgrounds can impact kids’ social and mental well-being. However, there’s a gap in understanding the exact effects of these spaces on children’s mental health, calling for more comprehensive and evidence-based research.

Our aim

The aim is to investigate if re- or new-build playgrounds in the schoolyard (build age-appropriate and in accordance with knowledge on what children want) can improve social and mental health in 6-12-year-old children.

Our study

The study is an intervention study in four schools – two in the UK and two in Denmark. Systematic observation and survey will be used to measure social interactions, well-being, and enjoyment of activity and play during recess before and after intervention. The follow-up measurement will be conducted 12 months after the baseline measurement.

What we expect

We expect the study to have a direct effect on more children in the target group using the schoolyard with their peers and thus improve children’s physical, social, and mental health.

Funding

This study is funded by KOMPAN and specifically includes public KOMPAN playgrounds.

Research Team

Research Team

Research Partners

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.