An Investigation in the Playgrounds of Public and Private Preschools in Ankara

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the current status of 17 public and 17 private preschool playgrounds in Ankara, Turkey. The “Playground Rating System” was used to evaluate the playground environment and their equipment. According to the results, it is concluded that maintenance and safety issues were of the utmost importance. Unfortunately, the current status of the playground environment and equipment in the public and private schools as covered in this study were incapable of enhancing children’s play. It is recommended that policies be developed to improve the outdoor physical environment of schools and further research be conducted to determine the optimum playground environment by analyzing children’s play behaviors in different types of playgrounds.