Abstract
A descriptive study was conducted to examine the effects of arrangement of play space within a family day care home. Subjects were 6 four year old children who were videotaped playing under three different environmental conditions. In Condition 1-a, they were taped at the beginning and end of a month in a randomlyarranged play setting which was not partitioned into distinct play centers. In Condition 2, they were taped in a similar manner within a spatially defined area arranged in accordance with previous research. In the final condition, 1-b, the play environment was returned to an undefined state. As before, subjects were observed in this environment at the beginning and end of the month. A novelty effect was discovered—under any condition, subjects were more engaged and displayed more curiosity and enthusiasm at the beginning of the month than at the end. By the end of the month in Conditions 1 and 3, subjects were significantly less engaged and more boredom, daydreaming, confusion, and clashes with peers were observed. In the defined space, in contrast, this decline in engagement was not observed. Recommendations for design of family day care environments are considered.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cohen, U., Moore, G.T., & McGinty, T. (1978).Case studies of child play areas and child support facilities, Milwaukee: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Clarke-Stewart, A. (1987). Predicting child development from child care forms and features: The Chicago study. In D. A. Phillips (Ed.),Quality in child care: What does research tell us? (pp. 57–79) Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Field, T.M. (1980). Preschool play: Effects of teacher/child ratios and organization of classroom space.Child Study Journal, 10(3), 191–205.
Gaunt, L. (1980). Can children play at home? In P.F. Wilkinson (Ed.),Innovation in play environments (pp. 194–205). London: Croom Helm.
Golbeck, S.L. (1985). Spatial cognition as a function of environmental characteristics. In R. Cohen (Ed.),The development of spatial organization, Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Golbeck, S.L., Rand, M., & Soudy, C. (1986). Constructing a model of a large-scale space with the space in view: Effects of guidance and cognitive restructuring in preschoolers.Merrill-Palmer Research Quarterly, 32, 187–203.
Hutt, C. (1976). Exploration and play in children. In J.S. Bruner, A. Jolly, & K. Sylva (Eds.),Play—Its role in development and evolution. New York: Basic.
Johnson, L., & Dineen, J. (1981).The Kin Trade. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson.
Kinsman, C.A. & Burke, L.E. (1979). Joining the block and housekeeping area: Changes in play and social behavior.Young Children, November, 66–75.
Kritchevsky, S., & Prescott, E. (1969).Planning environments for young children: Physical space. Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Loo, C. (1972). The effects of spatial density on the social behavior of children.Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 2, 372–381.
Mangurian, W. (1975). A celebration of space.Day Care and Early Education, 3, (November-December), 14–16.
Moore, G.T. (1983a). Some effects of the organization of the socio-physical environment on cognitive behavior in child care settings. Paper presented at the meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Detroit.
Moore, G.T. (1983b). Effects of definition of behavior settings on children's behavior. Paper presented at the meeting of the American Psychological Association, Anaheim, California.
Moore, G.T. (1986). Effects of the spatial definition of behavior settings on children's behavior: A quasi-experimental field study.Journal of Environmental Psychology, 6, 205–231.
Moore, G.T., Lane, C.G., & Lindberg, L.A. (1979).Bibliography on children and the physical environment. Milwaukee: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Moore, G.T., Lane, C.G., Hill, A.H., Cohen, U., & McGinty, T. (1979).Recommendations for child care centers. Milwaukee: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Nash, B.C. (1981). The effects of classroom spatial organization of four- and five-year old children's learning.British Journal of Educational Psychology, 51, 144–155.
Neill, S.R. St.J. (1982). Preschool design and child behavior.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 23(3), 309–318.
Neill, S.R.St.J., & Denham, E.J.M. (1982). The effects of preschool building design.Educational Research, 24(2), 107–111.
Osman, F.L. (1971).Patterns for designing children's centers. New York: Education Facilities Laboratories.
Pellegrini, A.D. (1984). The social cognitive ecology of preschool classrooms: Contextual relations revisited.International Journal of Behavioral Development, 19, 443–452.
Phillips, D.A., & Howes, C. (1987). Indicators of quality in child care: Review of research. In D.A. Phillips (Ed.),Quality in child care: What does research tell us? (pp. 1–20). Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Phyfe-Perkins, E. (1980). Children's behavior in preschool settings: A review of research concerning the influence of the physical environment. In L.G. Katz (Ed.),Current topics in early childhood education (Vol. 3). Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing Company.
Prescott, E., Jones, E., & Kritchevsky, S. (1972).Day care as a child-rearing environment. Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Rahaim, J.S., & Moore, G.T. (1982). Selecting a location for an early childhood development center.Day Care Journal, 1(2), 31–34.
Sheehan, R., & Day, D. (1975). Is open space just empty space?Day Care and Early Education, 3, 10–13, 47.
Shure, M.B. (1963). Psychological ecology of a nursery school.Child Development, 34, 979–992.
Smith, P.K., & Connolly, K.J. (1980).The ecology of preschool behavior, Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.
Weinstein, C.S. (1979). The physical environment for the school: A review of the research.Review of Educational Research, 49(4), 577–610. Weinstein, C.S., & David, T.G. (1987).Spaces for children: The build environment and child development, New York: Plenum.
Wohlwill, J.F. (1980). The confluence of environmental and developmental psychology: Signpost for an ecology of development?Human Development, 23, 354–358.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Trawick-Smith, J. A descriptive study of spatial arrangement in a family day care home. Child Youth Care Forum 21, 263–276 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00757194
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00757194