Factors parents use in selecting play spaces for young children
J. F. Sallis, T. L. McKenzie, J. P. Elder, S. L. Broyles and P. R. Nader
Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, USA.
BACKGROUND: The amount of time children spend in play spaces (ie, physical
locations that are appropriate for children's physical activity) near their
homes is correlated with their level of physical activity. OBJECTIVE: To
examine factors used in parents' decisions about the selection of play
spaces for their children. SUBJECTS: Parents (primarily mothers) of 178
Mexican American and 122 white children who were a mean age of 4.9 years
old at the first measurement. MEASURES: In individual interviews, parents
rated 24 factors on their importance in selecting for their children a play
space that is away from their home or yard. Decision factors were rated
from 1 (ie, not important at all) to 5 (ie, very important). RESULTS: The
most important factors, with ratings ranging from 4.8 to 4.2, were safety
and availability of toilets, drinking water, lighting, and shade. Mexican
American parents rated 8 of 24 items significantly higher than did white
parents, including lighted at night, organized activities, play supplies,
and drinking water. White parents rated 5 of 24 items significantly higher
than did Mexican American parents, including distance from home, cost of
admission, and child's friends go there. The rated importance of 7 of 24
items increased during 1 year, including play supplies, drinking water,
distance from home, and parents' friends or relatives go there.
CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that parents can identify factors they
use in selecting places for their young children to play, and selection
factors differ somewhat by ethnicity or socioeconomic status. Further
studies are needed to determine whether improvements on the most important
selection factors might be effective in increasing the use of play spaces
by children and their parents. Clinicians may be able to use the most
highly rated decision factors to help parents assess the acceptability of
play spaces in their areas.
