Sustainable availability and use of out door play materials and equipment for instruction in public early childhood development and education centres in Sotik Sub-County, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate availability, adequacy, use and maintenance of outdoor play materials and equipment in public Early Childhood Education & Development (ECDE) Centers in Sotik Sub-County, Bomet County. This study was guided by the following research objectives: to find out the availability of play materials and equipment in the schools; to investigate the use of existing play materials and equipment; to examine the maintenance/sustainability of existing plays materials and equipment. To achieve these objectives, the study used a descriptive survey design with a mixed methods methodology for collecting the primary data. Public ECD Centers in Sotik Sub-County were sampled through stratified and simple random sampling techniques. The major findings were that different kinds of play materials are available to different public ECDE Centers. Some of these materials included; slides, swings, see-saw, ladders and platforms, climbers, balls, beam balance, tyres, beanbags and hoops. On use, the study found that the available play materials were in use although significant numbers were not available or not in use due to their poor working conditions. The study also found that the use of outdoor play materials was helpful to the children‟s holistic development. On availability, the study found that although majority of the play materials and equipment were available they were not adequate. On maintenance, the study found that almost all the respondents indicated that play materials with moveable parts such as swings and sea-saws were being maintained by greasing and lubrication, while others were being maintained by washing. The study recommended that the school stakeholders such as school administration, government and parents should examine the various ways of ensuring adequacy of play materials in ECDE Centers. More essentially, the government through the Ministry of Education should come up with programs and policies of providing adequate equipment and encourage the use of play materials in ECDE Centers.