Characterizing the Available Outdoor Spaces and Their Use in South Australian Public Primary Schools

Purpose-built nature play spaces are popular in schools around the globe; however, little is known about their distribution and use in South Australia. School staff representing 52 South Australian public primary schools participated in an online survey. Half (56%) of included schools were metropolitan. Half (52%) were economically advantaged. Purpose-built nature play spaces were present, planned or in construction in 88% of schools in the study. No significant associations were found between the presence of a purpose-built nature play or natural space and school characteristics. These findings show widespread uptake of purpose-built nature play spaces and suggest most South Australian schools have facilities to provide nature-based play and learning.