Monkey bars, noodles and hay bales: a comparative analysis of social interaction in two school ground contexts

The school playground is recognised broadly in the literature as a crucial setting for children to develop social behaviours by engaging in a diverse range of physical and social activities. In this study, we examined children’s social interactions in two distinctly different primary school playgrounds – a school playground with fixed equipment, and a school playground with moveable play equipment. The aim of this research was to explore how primary school children’s social behaviours in schoolyard activities vary in two different playground contexts. Through field notes and observation scheduling, descriptions of the range of children’s social behaviours in the two school playgrounds emerged. This study provides some insights into how the development of schoolchildren’s social and emotional well-being can be supported, or hindered, by the physical design of playgrounds made available to children.