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Affordances of outdoor settings for children in preschool: revisiting heft’s functional taxonomy

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  • Inger Lerstrup
  • Cecil Konijnendijk van den Bosch

Abstract

Heft’s functional taxonomy for children’s outdoor environment based on the concept of affordances was applied and investigated in a Danish preschool context. Affordances here refer to the meaningful action possibilities of the environment. Two groups of children (3–6 years) enrolled in preschool were observed during times for ‘free play’ in their usual outdoor settings: traditional playground and forest (12 visits, respectively). Modified classes of outdoor features are suggested along with new practical class names: open ground, sloping terrain, shielded places, rigid fixtures, moving fixtures, loose objects, loose material, water, creatures and fire. Each class is specified by distinctive and attractive key activities found by observation. Examining each class indicated that important characteristics apart from availability were variation, sizes and change. The concept of affordances emphasises the ongoing user–environment–activity relationship important for planning with children in mind, but clarification is needed when using the term.

Suggested Citation

  • Inger Lerstrup & Cecil Konijnendijk van den Bosch, 2017. "Affordances of outdoor settings for children in preschool: revisiting heft’s functional taxonomy," Landscape Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(1), pages 47-62, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:clarxx:v:42:y:2017:i:1:p:47-62
    DOI: 10.1080/01426397.2016.1252039
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    Cited by:

    1. Misagh Mottaghi & Maria Kylin & Sandra Kopljar & Catharina Sternudd, 2021. "Blue-Green Playscapes: Exploring Children’s Places in Stormwater Spaces in Augustenborg, Malmö," Urban Planning, Cogitatio Press, vol. 6(2), pages 175-188.
    2. Thomas Morgenthaler & Christina Schulze & Duncan Pentland & Helen Lynch, 2023. "Environmental Qualities That Enhance Outdoor Play in Community Playgrounds from the Perspective of Children with and without Disabilities: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-30, January.
    3. Ellen Beate Hansen Sandseter & Ole Johan Sando & Rasmus Kleppe, 2021. "Associations between Children’s Risky Play and ECEC Outdoor Play Spaces and Materials," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-15, March.
    4. Chiara Garau & Alfonso Annunziata, 2020. "Supporting Children’s Independent Activities in Smart and Playable Public Places," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-23, October.
    5. Janet Loebach & Adina Cox, 2022. "Playing in ‘ The Backyard ’: Environmental Features and Conditions of a Natural Playspace Which Support Diverse Outdoor Play Activities among Younger Children," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-35, October.
    6. Avril Johnstone & Anne Martin & Rita Cordovil & Ingunn Fjørtoft & Susanna Iivonen & Boris Jidovtseff & Frederico Lopes & John J. Reilly & Hilary Thomson & Valerie Wells & Paul McCrorie, 2022. "Nature-Based Early Childhood Education and Children’s Social, Emotional and Cognitive Development: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-30, May.
    7. Chiara Garau & Alfonso Annunziata, 2019. "Smart City Governance and Children’s Agency: An Assessment of the Green Infrastructure Impact on Children’s Activities in Cagliari (Italy) with the Tool “Opportunities for Children in Urban Spaces (OC," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-24, September.

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