Sandpits, swings and cubby houses are the key to increasing the amount of time pre-school aged children spend in the backyard, according to new research.
The study, led by The University of Western Australia, examined home-based outdoor play in nearly 1600 preschoolers on days when they were not in childcare.
The researchers clocked the time children spent playing outdoors against factors including backyard size, outdoor features, fixed play equipment and portable play items.
Lead researcher Associate Professor Hayley Christian said when not in childcare, kids spent little more than an hour a day playing in their backyard.
“The main factor associated with increased playtime in the yard was the number of fixed play structures with each additional piece of equipment adding an average of five minutes to a child’s daily playtime,” she said.
“The home yard is crucial for providing an opportunity for kids to be active, as they are so dependent on their parents and don’t have the independent mobility to get out and about on their own.”
Federal government guidelines recommend preschoolers spend at least three hours a day being physically active, but UWA researchers say this is only achieved by a third of children.
