Play Equipment, Physical Activity Opportunities, and Children's Activity Levels at Childcare
Table 1
Physical activity facilities at childcare centers () and corresponding activity levels children ().
Equipment
Indoor (Obs. = 710)
Outdoor (Obs. = 689)
Not present
Present
Not present
Present
Frequency
Mean activity level (sd)a
Frequency
Mean activity level (sd)a
Frequency
Mean activity level (sd)a
Frequency
Mean activity level (sd)a
Balls
0
—
9
2.36 (.61)
0
—
9
2.82 (.72)
Climbing structures
1
2.36 (.68)
8
2.36 (.60)
7
2.80 (.74)
2
2.87 (.64)
Floor play equipment
0
—
9
2.36 (.61)
7
2.79 (.72)
2
2.96 (.69)*
Jumping equipment
4
2.26 (.49)
5
2.40 (.85)**
4
2.71 (.71)
5
2.93 (.71)**
Portable
Push/pull toys
6
2.29 (.55)
3
2.44 (.66)**
0
—
9
2.82 (.72)
Riding toys
7
2.39 (.63)
2
2.30 (.57)
0
—
9
2.82 (.72)
Slides
8
2.29 (.55)
1
2.70 (.76)**
6
2.80 (.71)
3
2.89 (.76)
Sand/water toys
4
2.45 (.67)
5
2.29 (.55)**
0
—
9
2.82 (.72)
Twirling equipment
4
2.32 (.59)
5
2.38 (.62)
9
2.82 (.72)
0
—
Structured track
9
2.36 (.61)
0
—
3
2.71 (.71)
6
2.93 (.71)**
Merry-go-round
9
2.36 (.61)
0
—
9
2.82 (.72)
0
—
Climbing structures
1
2.29 (.40)
8
2.36 (.62)
1
2.67 (.69)
8
2.86 (.72)**
See-saw
8
2.36 (.62)
1
2.34 (.51)
5
2.79 (.72)
4
2.87 (.72)
Fixed
Slides
8
2.29 (.55)
1
2.70 (.76)**
1
2.67 (.69)
8
2.86 (.72)**
Tunnels
9
2.36 (.61)
0
—
5
2.76 (.70)
4
2.94 (.74)**
Balancing surfaces
2
2.18 (.49)
7
2.38 (.63)**
0
—
9
2.82 (.72)
Sandbox
9
2.36 (.61)
0
—
1
2.67 (.69)
8
2.86 (.72)**
Swinging equipment
9
2.36 (.61)
0
—
6
2.84 (.73)
3
2.78 (.70)
Obs.: number of observations.
*, **.
aActivity level assessed on a scale from 1 to 5. Significance levels of t-tests comparing the activity levels in centers with the equipment being present or not.
