Identifies behaviors of young children during play on swings that may be consistently observed as evidence of their construction of the physics principles related to pendulums. Findings indicate that children's activities on swings demonstrate their interest in experimenting with balance, force, gravity, resistance, and resonance. Discusses…

Examined playground use of six- to 12-year-olds with behavior problems. Found that play structures encouraged solitary motor activity and that social play concentrated in areas without equipment. Children with better social skills played in more playground areas than aggressive or withdrawn children. Negative moods were related to playing in…

Interviews with 174 11-year olds in London schools determined that playtime was very popular, but concerns were expressed about bad weather, not knowing what to do, and disruptive behavior. Unacceptable playground behavior was taken too much for granted. Football seemed to dominate other activities. (SK)

A study compared physical activity levels of 17 typical elementary school children and 17 with mental retardation in inclusive recess settings. Boys with mental retardation demonstrated higher activity counts and heart rates than boys without mental retardation while no group differences were apparent on an observational checklist. (Contains…

It was concluded that children do not voluntarily engage in sufficient aerobic activity during recess to significantly increase their cardio-respiratory fitness. (MM)

An exception to most observational studies examining sex differences is Ladd's (1983) study of popular, average, and rejected children, which reported sex differences within as well as across groups. Like Ladd's research, the present study looks at sex differences within and across subsamples of boys and girls, comparing the playground behavior of…

A study examined the effectiveness of a 10-week social skills instruction program for seven students (ages 8-9) at risk for antisocial behavior who were unresponsive to a schoolwide primary intervention program. Results indicated lasting decreases in both disruptive behaviors in the classroom and negative social interactions on the playground.…

Examines school recess playground activities of second and fifth graders. A one-year follow-up assessment also measured logical reasoning, interpersonal understanding, and understanding of game rules. Both grade and gender differences were found in the complexity of children's activities. Discusses results in terms of social and sex role…

The benefits of recess are examined. Observation of recess and playground behavior provides insight into children's social adjustment and competencies. (SI)

A study of the games played by children in Brisbane, Australia was conducted to provide information for physical education curriculum development and to compile a descriptive record for the period from 1975 to 1976. Attention was given to physical activities in which two or more children proceed with observable rules of conduct toward a…

Discusses research and theory of play in children's development and factors reducing the amount of play time children experience. Surveyed teachers' attitudes toward play, and provision of play for children in grades one through six. Teachers from rural areas provided more play time than teachers from suburban areas, who in turn provided more play…

This study discusses the patterns of social interaction that develop when black and white children play together during the school day in free play periods. Observations were made of the regular sixth grade classrooms in two public schools. Both schools, one in a university town and one in a rural county, had approximately two thirds white…

Measured the food intake and observed the playground behaviors of Kenyan school-age children. Well-nourished children were more active and happier, showed more leadership behavior, and were less anxious on the school playground than poorly nourished children. Amount of time spent in school was related to decreases in children's solitariness. (BC)

A study examined the differences in what boys and girls choose, or are free to choose, to do on the playground during recess. Given the apparent problem that boys dominate the playground area, leaving girls on the perimeter, it was hypothesized that girls engage in passive, non-competitive, small group activities, whereas boys engage in…

Children's relationships with their peers become more intimate as they grow older, with girls tending to experience intimacy in their friendships at an earlier age than their male counterparts. The size, friendship composition, and activity of elementary school children's play groups were recorded in an attempt to identify probable environmental…