Playspace Exploration by Alexandra Vlahakis

What do you like best about this play space? Why did you chose it? Where is this space? What did you notice about it?

avlahakis3 — 2023-09-15 22:14:35 UTC

I chose to go to Stewart Park in Ithaca. The location is right on the lake, and I chose to go to it because I have been there previously to do homework and remembered they have a play area. I loved how modern the playgrounds were and was excited to examine it further. This play area had two distinct playgrounds. One for older children and one for younger children. I noticed that the big playground was bigger and had more advanced slides and climbing features. The ground was soft and comfortable enough for when a kid fell, and they had it surrounding all the playgrounds. The space was very interactive and welcoming. I saw the playground and immediately wanted to go play on it. One of my favorite aspects was they included sensory items, such as a rolling slide, to touch on all the senses. Overall, this play space was great to examine because of how big it was and what it had to offer.

Provide a full detailed description of the physical properties of the play space and ages of children you think it is appropriate for

avlahakis3 — 2023-09-15 22:14:52 UTC

I took pictures of two distinct play spaces. The larger one, intended for older children, was a playset composed of brown and green features. There were multiple access points to get onto the playground including 2 accessibility ramps! The other access points included stairs and different ladders. Embedded in this playground were many interactive games, music, and sensory items. One of my favorite aspects that they had was a board of sign language letters. This was so cool to me because for children who are more into learning than exploring on a playground, they have a fun activity to do as well. Outside of the main space was a spinning object, seesaw and swaying device. This playground offered many different aspects for all types of children to explore, regarding what type of vestibular input they seek. This older playground was made for ages 5-12. Since it was a newer playground, age was included. I agree with this because there were many features that required kids to have sufficient strength and coordination that they don’t have at a younger age. Also, the playground got tall at some points, which can be dangerous for younger kids who don’t have self-awareness yet. The smaller playground incorporated more colors, and less risky activities. There were bridges and “stepping flowers”. This playground had its own slide, which was very wide. I think it was nice to have this because many kids could still want their parents to go down the slide with them. This playground also had lower to the ground features, making it safer for younger kids. This play space was designed for ages 2-5. There were minimal activities, but they were safe for younger children to explore. This playground also had a “house” and “train” to allow the younger kids to participate in imaginative play, which was awesome.

What are the societal or cultural norms/expectations you think are important to understand about this space?

avlahakis3 — 2023-09-15 22:15:03 UTC

In any play space, it is important to be a good citizen and respect the space at hand. This space was very modern and offered many ways to make others feel included. There were many safety standards included in this space. There were warnings on each playground about all the different things that could go wrong, that you are expected to read as a parent and adhere to. Respecting the play space and using it for its intended purposes is the most important aspect, especially in a public space. Going off the idea that this is a public space, a child needs to understand the concept of playing fairly and taking turns with others. As a parent you should be comfortable with the fact that your child will interact with others, so they should be able to do so. Another expectation that should be adhered is watching your children play. Kids get hurt very easily and watching your kid is expected to ensure safety. Also, because it is a public space, there should be the expectation that you are cleaning up after yourself to make sure the space is the same for others who come after you. This space had many opportunities of inclusivity, such as the accessible ramps and others should respect that.

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avlahakis3 — 2023-09-18 23:31:52 UTC

Eriksons Psychosocial Development theory stands out to me the most while imagining play take place at this park. This theory is composed of 8 different stages and talks about how personality is developed at this stage. The playing that takes place at the younger playground at Stewart Park allows for lots of independent play. With low features and little room for injury, the younger skids can explore this space without having parents behind them at every move. In Erikons second stage Autonomy vs. Shame he describes that toddlers begin to explore their world and are in a very “me do it” stage. This play space allows for exploration and allows kids to seek that independence that they are earning for. In his 3rd stage, Initiative vs. Guilt, Erikson highlights that kids initiate activities through social interactions and play. This stage is perfect to see in action at a playground! There are many opportunities for social interactions with other kids, means of interactive and independent play, as well as putting together activities to play with others. Being at a playground and being able to play independently allows children to develop self-confidence. His theory relates to the idea of Social Expectations which was talked about before. There are many expectations when playing at a playground that need to be followed. If not, you can see the lack of social cues and development in a child. Playing on playgrounds is an amazing opportunity for young kids to explore all stages of development, and allows for them to be physically active, in order to hit the milestones that Erikson proposes. These elements of his theory stood out to me because they were relevant to the ages of children that were playing at the playground. This playground had the important features such as low risk play space, high means for imagination, and means of social interactions, for young minds to be able to proser in the space. These elements also stand out to me because a child needs to be able to learn social skills, and this playground allows for that to happen. Erikson’s theory of Psychosocial Development shows us how playing at a playground allows children to gain the personality that they are meant to.

Autonomy vs. Doubt

avlahakis3 — 2023-09-18 23:34:42 UTC

Children playing on playground, in their "me do it stage" and playing independently

avlahakis3 — 2023-09-18 23:50:42 UTC

Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory plays a huge role when it comes to playing in a playground. His theory highlights the influence of social environments on human development. His theory is like an onion, as it has many different layers that influence children. The first part of his theory is the Microsystem, which refers to a child's immediate environment. While playing on a playground, it is important that a child has an immediate source of trust if they get hurt. This includes the family or friends that might have taken them to the playground. Also this can include the playgroup that the child has come with to the playground. In addition, the playground could be in a child specific neighborhood and that influences the microsystem as well. Another aspect of his theory is the Exosystem. A child who is at the playground has to have a parent or caregiver who is willing to take them to the playground. The father and mother have to have a workplace that is flexible with them making time for their child and focusing on their development. Another aspect of this is the funding that has gone into the playground. There are many playgrounds that don't have the sufficient aspects because they simply don't have the funding or backing that it needs. Another aspect of this theory is the Macrosystem. This aspect talks about the cultural norms. At a playground, there are many beliefs that the child has instilled in them from their education or their parents. That goes into how they play at playgrounds. If they value the importance of taking turns and sharing, they will be able to succeed more in that play space. Finally, we will talk about the Chronosystem. A child goes through many different stages of development in their life and at each stage it is important to explore their limits. Being at a playground, puts imaginative play into perspective. It shows that although time changes, a child should always be able to have play and as they grow older, new milestones will be hit. We can also talk about Covid here. children playing on playgrounds now have all been affected by Covid and we will see a change in social interactions. This theory shows how children have many different supports, and aspects of their life that allows them to play at a a playground.

avlahakis3 — 2023-09-18 23:51:47 UTC

Microsystem- the immediate environment (parents at playground with their child)

avlahakis3 — 2023-09-18 23:53:52 UTC

Macrosystem- the type of education a child receives will determine how well their imaginative skills are and how they participate in imaginative play

avlahakis3 — 2023-09-18 23:54:01 UTC

Initiative vs Guilt- this stage is all about social interactions and play!

avlahakis3 — 2023-09-18 23:55:57 UTC

This shows kids taking turns, as highlighted in Eriksons idea of Social Theory

avlahakis3 — 2023-09-19 00:00:52 UTC

This pictures highlights the importance of the Exosystem. If a mother is able to work from home, then they can take their child to the playground!

avlahakis3 — 2023-09-19 00:02:47 UTC

Chronosystem- this plays a huge role when it comes to playing on the playground. Covid was a significant time in everyones lives, especially when it comes to interactions on a playground.

Walking

avlahakis3 — 2023-11-27 15:23:03 UTC

One gross motor skill that children in this play space need to use is walking. Walking starts around age 1 and progresses to other advanced gross motor skills such as running. Walking is needed in this play area because there are many steps and platforms that in order to get up and down and travel all around, the child needs to be able to walk to get everywhere. Walking requires many elements such as symmetry and alignment as well as antigravity movements. Symmetry helps ensure equal weight distribution in every step and allows for balance to make sure you don’t fall over, by promoting stability. When walking alignment is required to ensure that the body parts are positioned in the correct places to minimize strain and facilitate efficient movement. Without these elements there can be insufficient movement which can create unneeded stress when walking. Antigravity movements help working against gravity to control body posture, balance, and movement when walking. When walking you need to be able to work against the force of gravity, so keeping yourself upright is crucial.

Cylindrical Radial Palmer Grasp

avlahakis3 — 2023-11-27 20:33:33 UTC

Another motor skill that is needed in this play area is the fine motor skill of grasping, specifically the radial palmer grasp. A radial palmer grasp, specifically a cylindrical radial palmer grasp, is needed since all the handrails are cylindrical and the child will be gripping the whole pole. At this play space, there are many bridges that have handrails, which require this grasp. Additionally, there is a Merry-go-round at this playgroup where children need the radial palmer grasp in order to hold on, so they don’t fall off. Climbing up and down the ladders and holding on to the swings, you also need to have this skill. Grasping requires many elements such as refined movement and accurate and graded movement. Refined movement aids in a child's ability to grasp an object more effectively, which contributes to safe playground interactions, knowing that the child can grab onto a handrail if needed. Refined movement also involves a certain level of mastery in fine motor skills which allows a child to grasp an object more accurately. Accurate movement is needed to grab onto the playground objects because it requires precision to adjust the grip. If a child is falling or gets off balance, they need to be able to adjust their grip accordingly. Graded movement refers to the amount of force needed to grab an object. When using the merry-go-round- a child will need to have a firmer grasp, so they don’t fall off in comparison to walking on a bridge a looser grip can be used.

Parallel Play and Associative Play

avlahakis3 — 2023-11-27 23:15:13 UTC

In this play space, I would expect a child to participate in parallel play as well as associative play. Parallel play is when a child plays separately from others, but they are doing the same actions. At Stewart Park, there is a large playground which gives children the opportunity to watch others and mimic their actions. At a playground, there are a lot of observations going on, which children can do and then copy what they see themselves. Starting around the age of two children can participate in this type of play. Stewart Park is a large playground where kids can climb side by side or use different areas of this large playground without actively engaging in each other but being aware that they are not by themselves. I would also expect children to participate in associative play at Stewart Park. Associative play refers to when a child plays with other children and acknowledges them. This tends to deal with social skills and interactions as well as learning to take turns. Another key aspect of associative play is there is no organization around the activity. In a playground setting it tends to be a free-for-all. Children decide what they want to play and how they want to play it and there are no strict rules. An example of this is when children are in a play area, they can negotiate or talk to others about which part of the playground they want to use if somebody else is using it.

Vestibular System- Slides

avlahakis3 — 2023-11-27 23:57:02 UTC

In the slide area of this play space the vestibular system would be activated. The vestibular system's main goal is to help maintain balance and orientation. This also includes awareness in a person. When using the slide, the child experiences different vestibular sensations. One of these sensations is acceleration and deceleration because sliding involves changes in speed and the vestibular system helps in processing the acceleration and deceleration experienced during the slide. Balance is also needed as the child needs to climb up the ladder of the stairs to reach the top of the slide and the vestibular system is used to maintain balance and the movements. The vestibular system is activated during a sudden change in direction and speed like going down a slide. Vestibular input is provided by the orientational changes a child experience while navigating a slide. A child seeking vestibular input would gravitate towards going down a slide as it provides a lot of motion but also a calming sensation.

What do you notice now about this play space?

avlahakis3 — 2023-11-28 00:19:20 UTC

Now looking back at this play space, I am noticing more than I would before. Before, when I went to the play space, I noticed more of the environmental factors that took place in the play setting. Now I am noticing how children interact with each other using their social skills and how their stages of development are influential to participating in certain areas of the play space. I noticed how there are two distinct play areas of Stewart Park, and I could distinctively tell which play space is made for what ages based on the complexity of each area. The structures as well as the colors that were used to create the play space were big determinant in making that decision. The younger play space had multiple different colors, more interactive things, and the larger play space had more challenging activities that allowed for different types of play.

How has your view of this play space changed since your first observation of the space? What do you notice differently? What do you notice more or less?

avlahakis3 — 2023-11-28 00:21:04 UTC

When I first viewed this play space, I saw it as a really advanced playground for children and was excited to get to explore it. I noticed more than I did before looking at the play space a second time. When looking back at this place space a few weeks later I noticed at the younger place space there is a more functional and lower hand railing to walk up the ramp whereas the bigger and older children playground you need to have a developed cylindrical grasping pattern to walk up and down. Before I noticed the advanced climbing structures at the older play space, now looking back I noticed the different grasp patterns needed to be developed to climb up as well the gross motor skill of climbing, which was different than before. I noticed less of the playground as a bigger picture and really looked at it piece by piece. In my mind, I was able to play out what types of play children could exhibit in certain areas, how they need to have a good, controlled stance of walking, and maybe even able to run across the playground which I didn't notice before. Taking in all that I've learned this semester I can see how different areas of child development are needed to proactively play at a playground such as this one.

How could this space be used to support child development?

avlahakis3 — 2023-11-28 00:23:35 UTC

This space can support child development by putting children in social situations to interact with others. The key aspect of child development is mimicking and observing. If a child were to only be around their parents, they would only mimic their behaviors instead of children their own age. Being at a playground can support this social sense of development by learning how to interact with others, learning how to take turns and learning how to use the playground equipment, which cannot be learned by yourself. Children need to be in an environment where they are with people and learn from others. Also being in a play space can promote fine motor and gross motor skill development. This is made possible by introducing new areas to explore the different grasp patterns you have, promoting running, sitting to stand, and how to climb which are crucial milestones. Playgrounds also promote diverse play experiences which are crucial to a child's social/emotional development. Overall playgrounds are an important way for a child to hit certain milestones and be immersed in their neighborhood to support their child development.