An investigation of the status of outdoor play
Open accessAbstract
This study discusses the extent to which children in the USA today participate in active, outdoor play, compared with the previous generation. Eight hundred and thirty mothers nationwide were surveyed regarding their active, outdoor play experiences as children, as well as their children's play experiences today. The mother's play experiences, compared with the child's, clearly indicate that children today spend considerably less time playing outdoors than their mothers did as children. The study reveals several fundamental reasons for this decline, including dependence on television and digital media, and concerns about crime and safety. The study also conveys findings related to the frequent use of electronic diversions and discusses several suggestions for early childhood professionals, classroom teachers, and parents for fostering the child's enjoyment for outdoor play.
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Children are spending less time playing in natural environments compared to previous generations.
“For instance, children are spending less time playing in natural environments compared to previous generations (Clements, 2004; Louv, 2005; England Marketing, 2009)”
From The relationship between nature connectedness and happiness: a meta-analysis (2014) · cites this paper as Clements, 2004
Cites
Childhood obesity: public-health crisis, common sense cure
Ebbeling, C. B., Pawlak, D. B., & Ludwig, D. S. (2002) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(02)09678-2 · Cited by 2,980 · see citing works
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Nature and mental health: An ecosystem service perspective
Bratman, G. N., Anderson, C. B., Berman, M. G., Cochran, B., de Vries, S., Flanders, J., Folke, C., Frumkin, H., Gross, J. J., Hartig, T., et al. (2019) · Science Advances · doi:10.1126/sciadv.aax0903 · Cited by 2,001 · see citing works
Nature Contact and Human Health: A Research Agenda
Frumkin, H., Bratman, G. N., Breslow, S. J., Cochran, B., Kahn Jr, P. H., Lawler, J. J., Levin, P. S., Tandon, P. S., Varanasi, U., Wolf, K. L., et al. (2017) · Environmental Health Perspectives · doi:10.1289/ehp1663 · Cited by 1,237 · see citing works
The relationship between nature connectedness and happiness: a meta-analysis
Capaldi, C. A., Dopko, R. L., & Zelenski, J. M. (2014) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00976 · Cited by 1,183 · see citing works
“For instance, children are spending less time playing in natural environments compared to previous generations (Clements, 2004; Louv, 2005; England Marketing, 2009) and, in general, individuals from developed nations are spending almost all of their time indoors (Evans and McCoy, 1998; MacKerron and Mourato, 2013).”
BackgroundDoes access to green space impact the mental well-being of children: A systematic review
McCormick, R. (2017) · Journal of Pediatric Nursing · doi:10.1016/j.pedn.2017.08.027 · Cited by 467 · see citing works
- Authors
- Clements, R.
- Affiliations
- Hofstra University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Clements, Rhonda
- Venue
- Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2004-03
- Volume
- 5
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 68-80
- ISSN
- 1463-9491 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2070336670
- Cited by
- 645
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 25 · 2025: 35 · 2024: 34 · 2023: 48 · 2022: 64 · 2021: 65 · 2020: 40 · 2019: 39 · 2018: 47 · 2017: 34 · 2016: 34 · 2015: 46 · 2014: 36 · 2013: 32 · 2012: 23
- FWCI
- 2.32
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Outdoor and Experiential Education
- Social Sciences › Education › Child Development and Digital Technology
- Social Sciences › Education › Child Development and Education
- Keywords
- outdoor play, children's physical activity, electronic media use, generational comparison, early childhood education
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