• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.209-225
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to research the actual condition of environment and management of outdoor play at child care centers in Seoul, and to present a planning guideline for outdoor play environment. For this purpose, data were collected by a structured questionnaire and subjects were 164 directors of child care centers located in Seoul. The contents of the questionnaire were composed of general facts about the respondent and facility, environmental condition, managerial condition, and director's understanding about outdoor play. The data were then analyzed using the frequency, percentage, mean and crosstab. The major results have shown the following: 1) Most child care centers in Seoul had some space for outdoor play. 62% of them used front yard and 11 % a rooftop. 2) The space usually included fixed play instruments such as slide and complex unit structures, sand play area, and open area. It also had many natural elements as shrubs and earth. 3) 78% of the centers had a schedule for outdoor play. The schedule operates flexibly according to each center's own day schedule. Generally, a time for outdoor play was 21 to 30 minutes. 4) The directors of child care centers thought highly of outdoor play for it contributes to the balanced development of children. They answered that equipments and spaces, program devices, and teacher's understanding are some of the important factors for active outdoor play. 5) Most of them wanted wood-working area (construction activity area), water play area, and cages.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.309-322
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to investigate actual environment and operation of outdoor play at day care centers in Jeju area and differences in recognition of outdoor play among teachers and provide basic data to develop an outdoor play program for infants. For this purpose, data were collected from 207 teachers form about 100 day care centers in Jeju area. The results of this study can be summarized as follows: first, there were statistically significant differences in the actual environment of outdoor play mostly by the types of establishment and national, public, or corporate centers had better environment than private ones did. Second, the majority of day care centers in Jeju area were including and operating outdoor play in a daily schedule. Third, there were no significant differences in recognition of outdoor play among teachers.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.45 no.10
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• pp.97-111
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• 2007

This study examined the actual conditions of outdoor facilities and evaluated safety evaluations levels in playgrounds based on types of kindergartens. The samples for the survey were 100 kindergartens in Seongnam city Gyeonggi-Do province. Most outdoor facilities consisted of playgrounds with sand area and complex playing equipments, while wood-working area, sensory playing area, and mud playing area were less equipped than other facilities. In the case of outdoor playing facilities there were meaningful environmental differences within kindergartens. The public has less diversity in play areas and equipments and providing safety guidelines in playgrounds than privates. The score for the safety evaluations in the outdoor play environment was higher than average. As the range outdoor playing facilities increased, safety was dually considered, while kindergartens with a higher ratio of child-teacher numbers exhibited less consideration to playground safety.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.775-794
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• 2010

This study is to provided a basic model to encourage environment and outdoor play programs. The study was based on the analyses of actual activities performed in two child care centers in Daejeon area and the way in which the programs for outdoor play were related to the environment of the centers. Data were collected through 'The Daily Report of the Outdoor Play Programs: Plan and Evaluation' paper conducted at each center performed from 2007 to 2009. Following Mockwha Choi et al., (2007), the play observed and described by teachers was analyzed to classify play areas and play activities within each area. The places, equipment and, playthings using in each play period were also examined as well as the limitation and inspiration caused by the environment. The results of the study are as follows: 1) Empty and unfilled space tended to generate more types of non-structural play and role-pretend play 2)Adventurous play was rarely observed. More thoughtfully designed physical environments need to be provided for children to experience challenge and adventure through physical activities 3) Outdoor play environment should be suitable for the overall developments of infants and toddlers depending on their activities. A child care specialist should support the design such environment 4) Naturally, the programs of outdoor play will not be identical for all child care centers. Rather, they should go along with the programmatic characters and environmental attributes of each center. Therefore the awareness of teachers and parents as to the importance of must realize of outdoor play should be further increased.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.855-875
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• 2007

The purpose of this study is to suggest a guideline for outdoor play settings in child care centers. From March to July, 2005, data were collected from 223 directors at child care centers through a structured questionnaire, field measurement survey and non-participatory observation in seventeen child care centers in Seoul and Daejeon. The statistical methods for analysing data were frequency, percentage, mean, $X^2$ and F-test. The results showed as follows: 1)the existing outdoor playground area in child care centers should be expanded more than $4\;m^2$ per child. 2) Outdoor play facilities should be equipped with two structured play sets, a play facility for unstructured play and an adventure facility to make child's various activities possible and to promote child development. 3)flooring materials for outdoor playground should be required to use more than three kinds such as solid coverings (cf. asphalt, standard concrete), wood, lawn, soil or sands. 4)to let children enjoy various activities, outdoor playground area should be composed of various play facilities like indoor play gyms and should be independent but have good connections between play facilities depending on characteristics of play activities. 5)Play spaces of outdoor playground should be composed of physical play space, unstructured and dramatized play space, rest space, space for nature and adventure space. In addition, appropriate play equipments should be provided in respective play space.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.91-102
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between outdoor play environments and child's play behaviors. The data were collected by this study included field measurement survey, and non-participatory observation from 8 child care centers in Seoul. The field measurement survey were conducted from February 20 to March 20, 2005, whereas non-participatory behavior observation were conducted from June 15 to July 10, 2005. The major results showed the following. 1) Most of child care centers were too small, did not use the adequate surfacing to play various activities, and were made of play equipment setting. 2) Child's play behavior focused on functional play activity and construction play activity. 3) The relationship between outdoor play environments and child's play behaviors showed that small outside play environment with monotonous construction of play setting produced functional play behaviors on children. However, in some cases, despite the small and monotonous play area, diverse play behaviors were observed. These playgrounds at least differed from others in that they provided the place where multi purpose play was possible. This finding shows that multi purpose play areas can be an alternative in small playground environment.

• Proceeding of Spring/Autumn Annual Conference of KHA
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.432-437
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between outdoor play environments and child's play behaviors. The data were collected by this study include field measurement survey, and non-participatory observation from 8 child care centers in Seoul. The field measurement survey were conducted from February 20 to March 20, 2005, whereas non-participatory behavior observation were conducted from June 15 to July 10, 2005. The major results showed the following. 1)Most of child care centers were too small, did not use the adequate surfacing to play various activities, and were made of play equipment setting. 2)Child's play behavior focused on functional play activity and construction play activity. 3)The relationship between outdoor play environments and child's play behaviors showed that small outside play environment with monotonous construction of play setting produced functional play behaviors on children. However, in some cases, despite the small and monotonous play area, diverse play behaviors were observed. These playgrounds at least differed from others in that they provided the place where multi purpose play was possible. This finding shows that multi purpose play areas can be an alternative in small playground environment.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.919-935
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between outdoor play environments and child's play behaviors. The data were collected by field measurement survey, and non-participatory observation from 9 child care centers in Daejeon. The field measurement survey were conducted from June 20 to July 20, 2004, whereas non-participatory behavior observation were conducted from September 2 to October 10, 2004. The major results showed the following. 1) The characteristics of outdoor play environment in child care centers showed that most of them were too small and did not use the adequate surfacing to play various activities. In many cases, outdoor play settings was made of play equipment setting, play props and manipulative settings, and tree/vegetation. 2) Child's play behavior has been focused on functional play activity and construction play activity. 3) The relationship between outdoor play environments and child's play behaviors showed that small outside play environment with monotonous construction and multi-complex play equipments produced functional play behaviors on children. On the other hand, where various play areas were put together, we could observe relatively diverse play behaviors. However, in some cases, despite the small and monotonous play area, diverse play behaviors were observed. These playgrounds at least differed from others in that they provided the place where multi purpose play was possible. This finding shows that multi purpose play areas can be an alternative in small playground environment.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.661-677
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to develop the playground environment model for child care center by analyzing user needs of playground environment. To systemize the playground environment design factors and guidelines, we reviewed the previous research, actual measurement and observation were used as the research methodology. And to recognize the needs of users, the survey and picture survey was conducted to the staffs and children. The scope of survey included child care centers in Seoul and Daejeon, ultimately selecting 12 places in Seoul and 13 places in Daejeon. In terms of the survey period, actual measurement was conducted from June of 2006 to February of 2007, survey and picture survey was conducted from August to September of 2006. For analysis, we used SPSS 10.0 to check the frequency and percentage, as well as to perform cluster analysis. The findings of research can be summarized as below: 1. In playground environment, we observed the area of play ground and ground cover, the independence of play area, play equipment, and the composition of play area. The result of observation showed that while playground area varied widely, ground cover, play equipment, and the composition of play area turned out to be identical, regardless of the playground's area. Therefore, in order to classify various playground environments, we categorized them into 5 types, using the number of children and the area of play ground as a category. Type A had large facilities and small playground area. Type B had small sized facilities and large playground area. Type C had medium sized facilities and small playground area. Type D had medium sized facilities but large playground area. Type E had large sized facilities and large playground area. 2. On the other hand, staffs wanted a tunnel, playhouse, comprehensive play equipment, and a maze to be installed as play facilities, and there were requests for adventure play area and carpenter play area. The picture survey to children showed that they wanted equipments that can provide more thrill, adventure and challenge to them than the ones they see now. Therefore, existing child care center play environments must change from the monotonous and identical environments to the ones that can provide diversities, challenges, and adventures. In the contexts of 5 playground types suggested by this research, type B and D, E where the area of playground were larger than the legally required, should include various play areas and install appropriate play equipments and facilities. Type A and C where the area were small, should provide multipurpose play area to attract the various play behaviors of children.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.1-12
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to investigate the outdoor space of the recent built apartment complex in Ulsan and to provide the basic information for planning and apartment outdoor space. Multiple methods were utilized such as questionnaire, observation, behavior-mapping, and photography. The sample consisted of 382 residents living in four apartment complex in Ulsan. data were analyzed by frequency and percentage using SPSS PC+. The observation was performed in seven outdoor space, i.e., green area, road area, exercise area, play area, parking area, and approach area. According to the findings of this study, residents did not actively involve in outdoor activities and seldom use the outdoor space. Various changes and erosions were observed as a trace, especially near fence and grass area because of unplanned location of entrances. Finally this study suggested several planning guidelines for outdoor space in apartment complex.