Table 3 Select Director and teacher survey responses for intervention satisfaction

Stencil Use

Do providers use the playground to teach academic concepts through movement? If yes describe how?

Yes, they teach colors, numbers and letters using items on the playground.

Yes, especially now they have the stencils to be able to teach shapes, colors, numbers. Before they would play games outdoors that would teach counting, animals, colors, letters, and other concepts that sometimes went along with that week’s lesson.

Have you seen any change in students’ physical activity since the playground stencils were painted? If YES, describe how?

No.

Yes, they use them to bike or run or jump across regularly. Even if a teacher is not available to lead an activity, the children will make up their own games or will use the lines to run back and forth across the stencils or will hop, jump, skip, run from box to box.

Do teachers use the playground stencils to infuse physical activity into the school day outside of recess and lunch breaks?

No

No, but I like that idea and could see teachers doing this.

Which playground stencils have generated the most interest and/or activity?

All of them. The children play on them equally.

The teachers encourage them to all be used and the children love them. The bullseye may get used just a bit less because they have to have something to throw whereas the other two can be played on without a rock or bean bag, etc. If a teacher leads the activity, they have something to throw but if the kids play on it alone, we do not let them throw things on the playground.

Future Directions

Do you have any recommendations for future training?

Provide the accessories needed for each activity (like bean bags). Maybe meet with teachers before school starts so it can be a group activity.

Our teachers liked that they all got their own book and could watch the video when they had the chance. Maybe a training where a child could be present to go through the activities to show the best way to instruct them on the different movements.

Do you have recommendations for future playground stenciling?

Paint stencils that do not need other equipment or provide the equipment.

We are interested in having more stencils painted now that we see how they can be used. We have tons of tricycles and push toys so having a bike path would be great. We would also like to do an agility course to help promote more motor skill development.

Additional Comments or Feedback

Staff was prepared each time they came and worked well with the teachers. The children were excited to have an addition to the playground. We are re-finishing our playground this Summer and may want to re-paint them once we are done. They will come in handy to use with our motor skills curriculum.

Wonderful job. The teachers and kids love the stencils.