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Development and Testing of a Brief Play Space Audit Tool
Journal of Physical Activity & Health
|November 8, 2019
Summary
A new tool reliably assesses playground features and conditions, helping communities evaluate play spaces. This instrument aids in identifying areas for improvement to enhance children's play environments.
Area of Science:
- Child Development
- Urban Planning
- Public Health
Background:
- Play spaces are crucial for children's physical, social, and psychological development.
- Public playgrounds serve as vital venues for children's play.
- A need exists for a simple tool to evaluate playground features and conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and validate a simple play space audit instrument.
- To assess the reliability and utility of the audit tool in evaluating playground features.
- To develop a scoring method for summarizing playground playability.
Main Methods:
- A play space audit instrument was tested on 70 playgrounds in Chicago, IL.
- Duplicate observations were conducted on 17 playgrounds to assess reliability.
- Reliability was evaluated using percent agreement and kappa statistic; scores were created for playability.
Main Results:
- The audit instrument demonstrated acceptable reliability with high kappa values (.79–.90).
- Scores were generated for overall playability, general overview, and play equipment/structure.
- Overall and specific domain scores correlated with mean playground usage.
Conclusions:
- The instrument provides a reliable method for assessing playground features and conditions.
- The scoring system facilitates playground comparison and resource allocation.
- This tool can assist communities in evaluating and improving their play spaces.
