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Indoor and outdoor play in kindergarten- (Master thesis)

Καρκάντζαλου, Ιωάννα-Μαρία/ Karkantzalou, Ioanna-Maria/ Στελέχη Εκπαίδευσης στις Επιστήμες της Αγωγής/ Educational Leadership, Management and Administration

In the contemporary school environment of early childhood education, play is recognized as a fundamental pedagogical process that contributes decisively to the holistic development, socialization, and learning of young children. The design and organization of the physical environment, both in the indoor and outdoor spaces of the kindergarten, function as dynamic pedagogical tools that directly influence children's choices, interactions, and the quality of their activities. This postgraduate thesis investigates the views, experiences, and pedagogical practices of kindergarten teachers regarding the utilization, suitability, and safety of the classroom and the schoolyard for children's play. The research focuses on the way in which physical infrastructure and pedagogical flexibility co-shape the daily framework of children's action. The study was based on qualitative methodology, specifically employing semi-structured interviews with ten active kindergarten teachers serving in school units of Kavala and Thassos. The analysis of the research data revealed that the classroom is utilized more frequently and systematically for implementing playful activities, as it offers greater control, safety, and an adequacy of materials through organized learning centers. Conversely, the outdoor schoolyard, although recognized as a valuable field for physical expression and social development, is significantly restricted by inhibitory factors such as adverse weather conditions, material deficiencies, safety issues, and co-location with primary school units. At the same time, the findings highlighted the decisive role of the kindergarten teacher in balancing free and organized play, as well as the need for targeted recommendations to upgrade outdoor infrastructure. Overall, the results demonstrate that the classroom and the schoolyard must be treated as a unified pedagogical ecosystem, where the complementarity of spaces maximizes the benefits of play.