Hay bales and milk crates better for creative play than
conventional school playgrounds
by Wes Hosking
Conventional adult-designed school playgrounds might be getting in the way of
creative, more energetic play.
Hay bales and milk crates appear to be better at getting children moving. A two-year
research project has shown that introducing simple everyday objects into the
playground can reduce sedentary behaviour among primary-aged students by half.
Social skills and creativity improved. RMIT University researcher Brendon Hyndman
said the results, published in the Australian Journal of Teacher Education, showed
stimulating play at schools need not be expensive.
“Schools are putting all this money into designing playgrounds, and requiring all this
funding,’’ Mr Hyndman said. “This is a very cost-effective, simple idea and it’s just
showing a range of benefits that have been even better than your fixed, conventional
playgrounds.”
The study, conducted between 2010 and October last year (2012), gauged the impact
of movable recycled materials on about 120 students at Emmaus Catholic Primary
School in Ballarat. Hay bales, milk crates, tarpaulins, swimming noodles, buckets,
cardboard boxes and tyre tubes were among items introduced. The newly built school
had only a grass field, a hard-surfaced play area, and no fixed equipment.
Sedentary behaviour - defined as sitting or standing around the playground - fell from
61.5 per cent of children to 30.5 per cent in 2½ years. Moderate physical activity such
as walking and climbing increased over the period while vigorous activity such as
skipping and running also rose. Girls, especially, were more active.
“There was also a range of social inclusion benefits which can counteract bullying-type
behaviours,’’ Mr Hyndman said. “The students were playing with students they
wouldn’t normally play with. “Conventional playgrounds are designed by adults – they
don’t actually take into consideration how the children want to play, how the children
actually direct their play. “This whole intervention was based around the students
showing us.”
Emmaus principal Brendan Maher said children playing with the objects tended to
have fewer disagreements than in traditional games like football and cricket. “When
we have kids in invented and creative play, we barely hear from them,’’ Mr Maher
said. “Yard duty is just a stroll in the park.” There was “no question” students were
more settled for class, he said.
Accessed 17th December 2013 at www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/hay-balesand-milk-crates-betterfor-creative-play-then-conventionalschool1226779174394?goback=.gde_4139778_member_5815869403752857602
Play Pods can be set up in any play provision. For more information on how to set up
a Play Pod as above, including FAQs, go to www.playpods.co.uk/