Table 5 Director attitudes regarding physical activity, staff, parents and children in the childcare center
From: The food and activity environments of childcare centers in Rhode Island: a directors’ survey
Question | All centers (%) | CACFP (%) | Non-CACFP (%) | p value* | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SA | A | D | SD | SA | A | D | SD | SA | A | D | SD | ||
Directors | |||||||||||||
ᅟI am concerned about the children’s safety outside | 13.1 | 7.5 | 39.3 | 40.2 | 16.7 | 5.6 | 41.7 | 36.1 | 11.6 | 8.7 | 37.7 | 42.0 | .8101 |
ᅟI believe children’s active play should not be shortened as a punishment. | 61.7 | 27.1 | 4.7 | 6.5 | 63.9 | 22.2 | 8.3 | 5.6 | 62.3 | 27.5 | 2.9 | 7.3 | .6279 |
ᅟI believe it is important to communicate with parents regarding physical activity | 46.7 | 52.3 | -- | 0.9 | 58.3 | 41.7 | -- | 0.0 | 42.0 | 56.5 | -- | 1.5 | .2026 |
ᅟI believe the outdoor space at my center is adequate to support physical activity | 55.1 | 39.3 | 4.7 | 0.9 | 55.6 | 38.9 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 55.1 | 39.1 | 5.8 | 0.0 | .6313 |
ᅟI believe the indoor space at my center is adequate to support physical activity | 26.4 | 54.7 | 14.2 | 4.7 | 22.9 | 51.4 | 17.1 | 8.6 | 29.0 | 55.1 | 13.0 | 2.9 | .5264 |
ᅟI believe children behave better when they are given plenty of activity. | 66.4 | 32.7 | 0.9 | -- | 72.2 | 25.0 | 2.8 | -- | 65.2 | 34.8 | 0.0 | -- | .2517 |
ᅟI believe it is important to strictly limit the amount of time children spend watching television or playing on the computer. | 81.3 | 18.7 | -- | -- | 77.8 | 22.2 | -- | -- | 82.6 | 17.4 | -- | -- | .6047 |
ᅟI believe it is important to strictly limit children’s access to television or movies regardless of the content. | 75.7 | 21.5 | 2.8 | -- | 72.2 | 25.0 | 2.8 | -- | 76.8 | 20.3 | 2.9 | -- | .8299 |
Staff | |||||||||||||
ᅟOn average, my staff has very limited or no training or education in physical activity | 0.9 | 22.9 | 61.0 | 15.2 | 0.0 | 20.0 | 71.4 | 8.6 | 1.5 | 24.6 | 55.1 | 18.8 | .3379 |
ᅟPhysical activity training (other than playground safety) is offered to child-care staff | 8.6 | 48.6 | 40.0 | 2.8 | 8.3 | 63.9 | 25.0 | 2.8 | 8.8 | 39.7 | 48.5 | 2.9 | .0809 |
ᅟOn average, my staff is physically unable to participate in active play with the children | 3.7 | -- | 39.3 | 57.0 | 2.8 | -- | 52.8 | 44.4 | 4.4 | -- | 30.4 | 65.2 | .0647 |
ᅟThere is a shortage of staff to engage children in structured physical activities | 0.9 | 0.9 | 39.3 | 58.9 | 0.0 | 2.8 | 55.6 | 41.7 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 29.0 | 69.6 | .0089 |
ᅟThe staff members at my center enjoy joining in with the children in play | 40.6 | 50.9 | 7.5 | 0.9 | 31.4 | 57.1 | 11.4 | 0.0 | 46.4 | 46.4 | 5.8 | 1.4 | .3290 |
ᅟThe staff encourages children to go outside when it is cold out. | 41.1 | 51.4 | 6.5 | 0.9 | 30.6 | 52.8 | 13.9 | 2.8 | 47.8 | 49.3 | 2.9 | 0.0 | .0359 |
ᅟIt would be difficult to make sure the children are active for at least 1 h per day | 1.9 | -- | 40.2 | 57.9 | 2.8 | -- | 44.4 | 52.8 | 1.5 | -- | 36.2 | 62.3 | .4705 |
Parents | |||||||||||||
ᅟParents demand that their children are physically active. | 8.7 | 40.4 | 46.1 | 4.8 | 0.0 | 40.0 | 51.4 | 8.6 | 13.4 | 41.8 | 41.8 | 3.0 | .0547 |
ᅟParents dress their children appropriately for outdoor physical activity | 11.2 | 51.4 | 33.6 | 3.7 | 5.6 | 41.7 | 47.2 | 5.6 | 14.5 | 58.0 | 24.6 | 2.9 | .0670 |
ᅟParents do not want children to go outside when it gets cold. | 7.7 | 33.7 | 51.9 | 6.7 | 14.3 | 54.3 | 28.6 | 2.9 | 4.5 | 22.4 | 64.2 | 9.0 | .0006 |
Children | |||||||||||||
ᅟChildren go outside every day (not including days when extreme weather conditions don’t allow for outdoor play time) | 79.4 | 17.8 | 2.8 | -- | 63.9 | 30.6 | 5.6 | -- | 87.0 | 11.6 | 1.4 | -- | .0149 |
ᅟChildren go outside during the winter months as often as they do during the summer months | 29.2 | 30.2 | 39.6 | 0.9 | 33.3 | 25.0 | 41.7 | 0.0 | 27.9 | 32.4 | 38.2 | 1.5 | .8393 |
ᅟDuring child-led (or unstructured) active playtime, children who are not moving are prompted to be active | 50.0 | 45.3 | 4.7 | -- | 48.6 | 45.7 | 5.7 | -- | 50.7 | 44.9 | 4.4 | -- | 1.000 |
ᅟAs a reward, we often allow children extra time for physical activity | 17.3 | 41.3 | 30.8 | 10.6 | 12.1 | 57.6 | 18.2 | 12.1 | 18.8 | 34.8 | 36.2 | 10.1 | .1242 |
ᅟWhen bad weather prevents the children from going outside, it is difficult to keep the children physically active indoors | 0.9 | 16.8 | 54.2 | 28.0 | 0.0 | 13.9 | 50.0 | 36.1 | 1.5 | 18.8 | 55.1 | 24.6 | .6476 |
ᅟParents are encouraged to provide children with appropriate clothing for going out in the snow | 69.8 | 25.5 | 2.8 | 1.9 | 62.9 | 28.6 | 5.7 | 2.9 | 73.9 | 23.2 | 1.5 | 1.5 | .3573 |