Exploring the Causal Effects of Outdoor Play on School Readiness of Preschoolers in the Klang Valley, Malaysia

Mal Kong Sia, Wong Chin Yew () and Xin Wei Low
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Mal Kong Sia: Faculty of Built Environment, Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology, Kuala Lumpur 53300, Malaysia
Wong Chin Yew: Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, National University of Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia
Xin Wei Low: Faculty of Built Environment, Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology, Kuala Lumpur 53300, Malaysia

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 2, 1-25

Abstract: According to research, preschool physical environments (PPE) that promote outdoor play have a positive impact on children’s overall wellbeing, as well as their total developmental competence and academic learning, which then directly affects their school readiness prior to entering primary school. This study analyses the causative impacts of outdoor play on preschoolers’ school readiness for primary school in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Additionally, we attempted to extend a prior research conceptual model on outdoor play in studying the link between PPE and preschoolers’ school readiness. From June to August 2022, 84 private preschool operators from the Klang Valley took part in the survey to offer their viewpoints; however, only 72 completed questionnaires could be used for PLS-SEM analysis using SmartPLS 4. It has been discovered that outdoor play does, in fact, have a favorable, considerable impact on academic learning and school readiness. Other findings offer more proof of the causal links between outdoor play and children’s development. Important stakeholders, such as preschool providers, preschool designers, preschool educators, as well as parents, should make sure that appropriate outdoor play yards are provided in preschools for children’s full development and academic learning, as well as for preschoolers’ readiness for school.

Keywords: early childhood; outdoor play; play yard; preschool; school readiness; PLS-SEM (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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