Abstract
Background. Outdoor spaces offer physical activity (PA) opportunities for young children which promotes confidence, self-regulation, and risk taking. Supporting PA for children with disabilities outdoors may lead to children’s increased autonomy in active play, affecting PA throughout life. The purpose of this study is to compare how PA participation of children with and without disabilities compare in an outdoor environment. Methods. This study occurred in a naturalized outdoor childcare centre which promotes outdoor play by providing daily access to play sites, within a forest, designed by early childhood educators. Children’s play was observed using a chest harness GoPro-camera. Observation time was varied (7-64 mins of play time) due to personal or psychological needs (e.g., bathroom use). Six children with disabilities and six age matched peers without disabilities wore cameras during the same play session. A modified OSRAC-DD protocol was applied to video data to classify the PA levels as: (1) stationary, (2) trunk and Limbs, (3) slow/easy movement, (4) moderate movement, (5) fast movement. Videos were coded in duplicate and analyzed in SPSS. Results. Both groups of children took part most in trunk and limbs PA (35.9% and 43.8% of the time, respectively), and least often in fast movement PA (2.9% and 1.5%, respectively). There were no significant differences in PA levels between groups. Conclusion. Results suggest that outdoor play may create similar PA opportunities for children with and without disabilities. These findings will inform a qualitative analysis of play experiences across PA levels in natural spaces.
