The demise of recess in many elementary schools--and of outdoor play in general--is an issue of great concern to many members of the Play, Policy, and Practice Interest Forum. Most people remember recess as an important part of the school day. It was a time to be outdoors; to organize games; to play on the swings, slides, and other playground…

Describes use of play crates, containers holding items that connect activities to a particular theme, in the outdoor classroom. Describes using crates to plan more creatively, enhance children's independence, and build spontaneous and individual interests. Provides direction in assembling and implementing play crates, and extending outdoor…

Describes broad objectives of outdoor play. Resources for improving outdoor play environments and a playground improvement rating scale are provided. (AS)

Advocates the use of recess meetings to help children succeed socially. Describes case studies of use of recess meetings in a first- and third-grade class, showing how teachers got to know each child better, and detailing how children were better able to express ideas, share experiences, voice concerns, solve problems, and laugh. (Author/SD)

Adding plastic gutters to the nursery school's sand area began as a science curriculum enhancement and evolved into a whole curriculum that stimulated cognitive exploration, cooperative dramatic play, language enhancement, and general fun. The children manipulated the gutters and materials such as sand, water, buckets, and tennis balls in a…

Staff at the Frank Porter Graham (FPG) Child Care Program developed the zone model of playground supervision (ZoMPS) to ensure a safe environment for outdoor play and enhance playground time for all children. In addition to the social and free-play elements of outdoor play, they wanted to provide activities that support learning and development.…

Warns about a potential epidemic of obesity among children in the United States and urges early childhood practitioners to provide outdoor play that increases children's physical activity, muscle strength, and coordination. Maintains that playgrounds should offer a variety of equipment that challenges children at different ability levels. Asserts…

At Kansas State University Child Development Laboratory, an outdoor play space has been imaginatively designed to provide varied physical experiences for young children. (Author/AJ)

Notes that most playgrounds for young children fail to encourage children's respect for or interaction with the natural environment, and offers a rationale and some ideas and guidelines for playground improvement. Focuses on how to use the outdoor play area to foster an understanding and appreciation of the natural environment. (Author/SD)

Lists 21 films and two filmstrips available on infant development, exceptional children, and play areas. (AJ)

Describes the variety of play spaces found in urban areas in Denmark: in banks, stores and individual businesses, neighborhood parks and small pocket playgrounds, specialized adventure and traffic playgrounds with supervised activities, and commercial amusement parks. (CM)

Reviews "Gender Play: Girls and Boys in School" (Barrie Thorne), which, using ethnological methods, analyzes children's gender differences in playground and classroom behavior. (ME)

Notes that recess in elementary education is filled with struggles and crises; presents suggestions for playground education and guidance. Suggests that teachers can implement children's prosocial playground behavior by presenting a repertoire of acceptable games to play and tools for game organization, providing support on the playground, keeping…