The Outdoor Classroom: Problem Solving and Play
By Eric Strickland

The classic studies in problem solving relied heavily on providing young children with an artificial task to accomplish in order to get something they wanted. Children were given a brief period of time to play with sticks or blocks and clamps or rubber bands and then were presented with a problem to solve. Typically, children had to assemble a tool, such as a few sticks to form a longer stick, in order to retrieve a “lure.” The lure, usually a toy or candy or similar desirable object, was used to sustain the children’s efforts. In other words, because children were interested in getting the lure, it was thought that children would play (work?) harder to get it.

Now, right away, those of us in early childhood education recognize that children would view the retrieval as work, rather than play. Any child will tell you play is something you get to choose to do. “Work” is something someone tells you to do. Granted, as children get older, they recognize that some work has elements of “fun,” but they also know that it is “work” and not “play.” For example, children may enjoy building a model volcano in the classroom, but they recognize it as “work” and not “play” since it is usually to fulfill a purpose set by someone other than themselves. Those same children might, however, build a volcano as part of playing in the sand, and then it would be “play” and not “work.”

In other words, it is play if children are in control; it is something else if they are not.

Given the above, how do we get from play to problem solving without involving work? The answer, I believe, is that no one is exactly sure how this happens. In other words, we recognize when children are playing, and we recognize for the most part when children are working, but we don’t always recognize when they are using what they have learned from play in work or in problem solving when we provide the problem. Nevertheless, having spent more than 20 years in the field of play, I’m going to make some observations about play and problem solving that I think hold merit, even if they haven’t been “proven.”

First, we have to recognize that play is generated internally. I am playing because I chose to do what I’m doing, I enjoy it, I can stop when I want, and it meets very personal needs at that moment. Children know when they are playing based on how it “feels.”

We have all had the experience of seeing two kids roughhousing together with both seeming to enjoy the play. At some point, the balance shifts, and one child says, ‘’Stop it! I’m not playing.” He means, “You’re not playing, and I’m quitting.” He no longer enjoys it. He is no longer “playing” because of how it feels, not because there is necessarily any overt change in the behavior itself. It is no longer fun, he no longer wants to do it, he is not in control, it no longer meets a need – it is no longer play.

The same, I think, can be said for play that we, as well-intentioned adults, try to turn into a problem-solving activity. It then becomes something other than play because all the essential characteristics of play fall outside of the child’s control. She is no longer playing, although the task may have elements of fun; she is working. More than mere fun, the essential element that is missing, I believe, is an innate joy: a sense of personal pleasure that has very specific personal meaning.

So, how then does play contribute to problem solving? In a nutshell, I think it is because this sense of joy during play binds children to the things they do in a very unique way, a way that is only accessible to children and not to adults. As adults, we have all but lost the ability to play for the joy of play. We play for exercise, to solve a puzzle in a work-related training activity, to spend quality time with our kids, or to beat someone in a contest (note that “play” is the term used to describe what professional athletes do when they are paid to go out and pound the opponents into the ground!). That is how adults “play.” We may enjoy these activities, but they don’t capture the essence of what children do when they play. Their purpose lies outside of the activity itself.

Because we have come to see play as utilitarian (in the sense that we can use it for “our” purposes), we quickly move from letting children “play” in the purest form to “playing” for the purpose of learning something new or developing a skill. We then structure the use of materials so that children have fun, but accomplish our purposes. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this, I don’t think this is how play relates to problem solving; I think this is how play relates to work, which relates to problem solving.

To get to play and problem solving, we have to let children play. Now, I know that may sound contradictory, but I think true problem solving in connection with play derives from a “felt need” and is a response to a personally perceived problem, challenge, or obstacle that arises during play. These, plus the act of play itself, give children an underlying body of concepts, strategies, and understandings, which can then be applied to solving problems during adult-selected “fun activities for the purpose of learning something also called “work.” In other words, they gain experiences that supply information about unique and creative ways to do things. This information can be used to meet their needs during play, but it also provides an underlying body of skills, knowledge, and understandings for use later with other problems.

So problem solving and play are linked, but indirectly. We help children with problem-solving strategies by giving them opportunities to play with open-ended materials for their own purposes. 

Let me give you an example that shows two kinds of “problem solving” in one episode. I once saw children busily engaged in building a sand construction. They formed the walls and then needed to put a roof on them. They looked about and found straws left over from outside snacks and immediately saw the materials they needed. They laid the straws across the walls and filtered sand onto the straws to form a roof. They solved two problems: “how to make a roof” (the felt need) and “what to use to solve it.” Note that the straws were not used as straws, but as long things to span a space. Voila – problem solving and play linked directly. Did those children grow up to be architects or structural engineers? I don’t know, but if they did, you can almost bet they use lightweight structural elements in their buildings!

When children play in a “finished” and static play environment, most problem solving is directed at how to make the environment fit their needs. Most playgrounds are “finished static environments” in that they typically have fixed equipment that children play “on” and not portable things children can play “with.” Play environments that provide loose or movable elements for play are providing for constructive play: blocks, sand, cardboard boxes, etc. Note how many of these kinds of elements are provided in our classrooms, but how few are provided on playgrounds. Recognize, too, that when we don’t provide movable materials, children will scrounge them: sticks, leaves, paper, bits of glass or rocks, and other items that can be used to create with.

Here is another example. When children are playing chase with each other, they solve the problem of “how to evade being caught” (or, for some children, “how can I get caught so I can be “it”). Children use skills related to speed, balance, and agility, plus the strategies of twisting away, using others as shields for their purposes during the game, and ducking under the “it.” I’m sure children don’t think, “These skills will be useful later when I play soccer,” but they are, in fact, useful.  Children learn them through play and apply them later.

So, now we can answer the question about how problem solving and play relate where children are concerned. They relate through the experiences children have during play, which result in felt needs that give rise to satisfying those needs. The other stuff we want children to do in a fun way is “work” – not play. Some of the solutions they have to the problems we want them to solve, however, may have their roots in playful activities.

What we can do then is provide children with opportunities to mess about with materials in their own ways and for their own purposes – and we need to give them time to do this. We need to provide access to all kinds of materials: sand, boards, boxes, blocks, water, sticks, rocks, cable spools, plastic crates, and so on, so children can play!

We need to let children have recess back so they can play, for it is through play that children embed in their brains the solutions to problems.

Eric Strickland, PhD, is the founder and chairman of Grounds For Play, www.groundsforplay.com.

Product Roundup

Pow’r Load’r Ultimate Playground Digger
Good engineering begets good design. The Pow’r Load’r Ultimate Playground Digger from Natr’l Choice Playground Co. exceeds ASTM and CPSC standards and eliminates all pinch, crush, and shear points. Notice the boy’s shirt and pants creases. They indicate tremendous kinetic energy that transfers into muscles. The intensity of his facial expressions indicates this toy plays to multi-levels of a child’s brain, such as left brain/right brain activity and problem solving. The unit is virtually indestructible, backed by an 18-month limited warranty.
www.powrloadr.com

EnduraSafe from Advanced Ground Care
Jumping from the top of the slide, falling off the monkey bars – when children play, there will always be injuries, but using EnduraSafe rubber ground cover will reduce both the number and severity of those mishaps. It is non-toxic, has no splinters, and won’t stain skin or clothing. It won’t blow away or wash away, and it is warranted against fade and total color loss for eight years. Whether you choose natural or bright colors, Endura is a long-lasting, low-maintenance choice that is cost effective in the long run.
www.advancedgroundcare.com

A-Turf Louisville Slugger
A-Turf, a leading synthetic turf field builder, has introduced A-Turf Louisville Slugger, a synthetic grass system ideally suited for baseball and softball. By slightly modifying the rubber and sand infill ratio and fiber pile height, the A-Turf Louisville Slugger surface delivers a high-performance field that matches the unique ball roll and bounce of natural grass during play. A-Turf’s dense systems have more fibers, which mean less movement of the infill components and greater consistency and durability. 
www.aturf.com

SofTILE from Sof Surfaces
SofTILE has been developed, engineered, and thoroughly tested to offer superior fall protection for any play environment. SofTILE features a unique 10-year fall protection guarantee. Their patented KrosLOCK edge is an exclusive SofTILE design feature. Each safety tile has a built-in locking mechanism that attaches to the adjacent tile, providing a unitary surface that is secure and vandal resistant. Contact them for a free interactive guide to safety surfacing available on CD.
www.sofsurfaces.com

Play On! from GameTime
The purpose of Play On! is to help educators and programmers use playgrounds to promote physical activity, develop wellness habits, and meet national standards for physical fitness – all in the context of fun. GameTime is committed to developing healthy habits in America’s youth because we know the most reliable way to become a healthy adult is to be an active and healthy child. The program captures the expertise of many, reflects current thinking and practice, and represents the most comprehensive list of playground activities for elementary-aged children available. 
www.gametime.com

Playground Grass by ForeverLawn
Playground Grass by ForeverLawn is lush, beautiful synthetic grass that is safe for kids to play on, soft to fall on, and cost-effective. This revolutionary playground surface is safety rated to fall heights of 12 feet, with antimicrobial protection available for a cleaner, safer environment. No more complaints about dirt on the kids and their clothes. No more abrasive sand tracked into the facility. No more raking of mulch, sand or rubber to ensure the proper depths at all times for your safety rating. No more costly, ugly repairs on pour-in-place surfaces. 
www.playgroundgrass.com

Detailed Play PRO
Detailed Play PRO offers a complete line of playground equipment play structures for schools, including plastic play structures, early childhood play structures, and larger metal play systems. These world-class units have punched steel decks and stairs with PVC finish, galvanized 3.5" diameter steel tubing with powder-coated finish in your choice of color and rotationally molded plastic slides, hoods, roofs, and polyethylene wall panels, all in your choice of color. The products are designed for constant use by children ages 2-12.
www.detailedplaypro.com

International Play Company
International Play Company researched the outdoor market exhaustively prior to introducing its new “heavy duty” line of outdoor play structures. IPC reviewed countless designs and numerous installations before deciding on a product line that is challenging, safe, and built to last. IPC’s Outdoor Products include heavily reinforced decks. The product line also includes redesigned heavy duty clamping systems, oversized uprights, and engineered metal structural elements. 
www.iplayco.com

Electra Tarp
Electra Tarp has been providing protective field coverings to schools throughout the country for 33 years. The company’s athletic mound and plate covers, as well as field covers and football sideline tarps, protect competition fields and surrounding areas. Electra Tarp offers numerous sizes and weights to fit specific needs. Mound and plate covers are grommetted every two feet for secure and easy installation. All covers are custom fabricated to a school’s specific needs. 
www.electratarp.com

Evos by Landscape Structures
Kids can’t resist the new shape of play—Evos—where the spherical design provides a completely new play experience for kids of all ages. Evos offers endless physical, mental and creative challenges for kids as they navigate through its unique play components. With 25 versatile Evos components to choose from—and more on the way—this playsystem is great for phased projects. Start with four arches, a few of your favorite components and keep adding to your Evos as space or budget allows.
www.playlsi.com

Progressive Design Playgrounds
Progressive Design Playgrounds designs and manufactures state-of-the-art and environmentally friendly commercial children's play structures and recreation site furnishings. With a strong commitment to providing fun and safe play environments for children as well as to the preservation of the earth's natural resources, Progressive Design Playgrounds uses 100% recycled plastic to create bright and colorful play structures and other site amenities that are safe and durable.
www.pdplay.com

Pilot Rock Benches
Pilot Rock benches provide team seating for all outdoor recreation. Benches are available with or without backrests. The all-welded frame is hot-dipped galvanized for maximum protection from the elements. The athletic benches can have either portable or stationary installations, and they come in several lengths. The seat/back material can be wood, aluminum, recycled plastic, or vinyl-coated steel in team colors.
www.pilotrock.com