Abstract

Playing and spending time in natural environment is part of important component in

health and development of the human mind. Nature can also inspire the curiosity and sense of
freedom, therefore by playing with surrounding of natural environment, provides an opportunity
in the progress of development of creative mind and sensory experience, which cannot be
obtained in the classroom as well as in the traditional playground. This is because traditional
playgrounds restrict certain activities which restrict the creativity of children to play. As such
"natural playscape" will be more profound impact on the development of skills that are important
in social skills, physical, cognitive and growth of a healthy body.

Unfortunately, at present more children spend less time with outdoors playspace
comparing with previous time. Without doubt this is because the child is more fun to play at
home playing video games, and also the scheduled activities provided by their parents which
will limit the time with children to play outdoors. In fact the fear factor in term of safety is one of
the main factors that cause the parent to restrict their children to play outside. Besides, the
parent itself should have ample time to company their children during play time.

Moreover, this research will help to address these concerns, while promoting the
physical and cognitive development, to replicate the experience in the natural environment and
provide an opportunity to explore more natural environment as natural playground. Furthermore
this research will cover the natural playground as direct exposure to natural as vital part of
childhood development as it relate to obesity, depression and attention disorders.
 Hisyamuddin bin Nasser 2008283922

Playscape reconnect children with nature - Natural Playground

 The importance of natural environments in children’s play, physical activity and motor
development. Focus on exposure to natural as a vital part of childhood development as it
relate to obesity, depression and attention disorders.

 The developmental benefits of natural playspaces are especially important for young
children.

 This indicates that children have a desire for more complex, challenging and exciting
play environments than the traditional playgrounds usually offered them.

 Play activities have proved to increase with the complexity of the environment and the
opportunities for play (Frost and Strickland 1985, Wilkinson 1980).

 Children’s play also is more vigorous outdoors than indoors (Henninger 1980),

 Play forms take different group and gender constellations outdoors than indoors
(Baranowsky et al. 1993; Kirkby 1984; Rivkin 1990).

Issue

1. According to Malaysia official Ministry of Health, the child obesity rate is 15 percent
of the country, but the number is believed higher now, especially in Kuala Lumpur
and Selangor is reached between 30 to 40 percent.

2. Children are increasingly spending less time in natural settings because of TV,
video games, scheduled activities and the fear parents have of leaving kids outside
unattended, children spend far less time outdoors than their parents did (Richard
Louv 2005.

3. Through urbanization, rapid development, and pollution, it has become increasingly

difficult for youth to experience unguided encounters with nature.

4. Traditional playgrounds design does not meet children’s needs for exploring their
environment.

5. Such playgrounds have not been found to be very challenging and even very
young children or those with motor behavior deficits do not explore their potential
on these playgrounds (Frost 1992).
 6. Natural playspaces have slowly been replaced by urban sprawl and the
development of traditional playgrounds.

Objective

1. How the natural playscapes affords possibilities and challenges for children to
explore their own abilities for exercise, playing and skill mastery.

2. Directed on learning effects from the natural environment as playscapes and its
impact on children’s development.

3. How Natural environments can represent different play opportunities for children

Potential

1. The ecological approach to development stresses the interrelationships between

the individual and the environment (Haywood 1993).

2. Cooperating systems include musculo-skeletal components, sensory systems,

and central sensor-motor integrative mechanisms resulting movement emerges
from self-organization of body systems, the nature of the performer’s
environment and the demands of the task (Haywood 1993; Vereijken, Whiting,
and Beek 1992)

3. This development pattern could be explained by growth in body height which is a

common feature in the age group, followed by decreasing flexibility in knee and
thigh joints (Gallhue and Ozmun 1998).

4. The interactive nature of motor learning was demonstrated by the interaction of

the self-organization of body systems, the tasks performed and the
environmental structures that afforded such performance (Vereijken et al. 1992).

As communities grow and develop, it is important to consider what is being lost in the process of
children development and make efforts to preserve and built more natural spaces for youth to
explore, investigate, and be creative with their play.
References

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