Effect of School Yard Playgrounds on Development and School Attachment Levels of Children

The aim of this study is to examine the impact of playgrounds drawn in school yards on development and school attachment levels of the children. Sample of the study consisted of 319 students. 164 of them are female students while 155 are male students studying in the 3rd and 4th grades in Dr. Ferdi Koçel Elementary School, Yarbay Refik Cesur Elementary School and Saraybahce Elementary School located in the district of Izmit in Kocaeli. As for data collection tools, personal information questionnaire, school attachment scale (Savi, 2011) and school yard playgrounds questionnaire (Basaran, 2017) were employed. The data obtained from the questionnaires were analysed in the SPSS 18 package program and frequency and percentage distributions. Cronbach Alpha, Paired Sample T-Test and Independent T-Test were used (p<0.05). At the end of the study, statistically significant differences were found between pretest/posttest scores of the school attachment scale, while no statistically significant difference was found in the playgrounds questionnaire. Differences were detected among some items of both scales and between pretest and grade in the playgrounds questionnaire. Diverse colourful drawings in the school yards of all elementary schools will be helpful in terms of development and school attachment in children.