Development of A Playground Model Applying Thai Wisdom to Enhance Motor Fitness of Preschool Children

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop a playground model with the application of Thai wisdom to enhance motor fitness of preschool children, and to investigate the effects of a playground with the application of Thai wisdom on fitness components.

During phase one a sample group was used to construct the playground model with the application of Thai wisdom to enhance motor fitness of preschool children and an initial sketch of the 'Playground Using Thai Wisdom' was constructed. Nine experts were asked to verify the validity of the content by using the Index of Congruence (IOC). Phase two of the research was the actual construction of the Playground Using Thai Wisdom for the actual use of the playground with the participants. The participants were selected using purposive sampling. The participants came from Wat-Khampang municipal school from the Chonburi province in Thailand and were in Kindergarten 3 (2 classrooms/ 21 children per class). The two groups were divided using simple random sampling and put into an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group had the freedom to play on their own in the Playground using Thai Wisdom, while the Phase two of the research was the actual construction of the Playground Using Thai Wisdom for the actual use of the playground with the participants. The participants were selected using purposive sampling. The participants came from Wat-Khampang municipal school from the Chonburi province in Thailand and were in Kindergarten 3 (2 classrooms/ 21 children per class). The two groups were divided using simple random sampling and put into an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group had the freedom to play on their own in the Playground using Thai Wisdom, while the control group has the freedom to play in the regular multi-play structures. The experiment was conducted over an eight-week time. Motor fitness of the participants was tested three times over the eight-week period, pre experimentation, after four weeks, and after eight weeks. Data was analyzed using two-way repeated measures comparing the results of the motor fitness test of the two groups and their interaction with the three tests conducted.

During the first phase of developing a playground model using Thai wisdom the researcher found that the playground model could be broken into five major parts. The five parts include: 1) Movement Activity, 2) Designation of Area, 3) The Use of Thai Wisdom, 4) Safety and 5) The Appropriate Use of the Playground. The final model of "The Playground Using Thai Wisdom" consisted of seven parts. Phase two is currently being conducted and the results will be reported at the completion of phase two.