Table 1.
Description of physical activity physical environment variables
| Exposure Variable | Score (range) | Items (response options) |
|---|---|---|
| Indoor Physical Activity Environment | ||
| Media devices available | Sum of total number of media items (0–4) | TV, DVD/VCR, computer, video game system (yes/no) a |
| Indoor play space | Single item (1–5) | Rate the home in terms of the space available for active play games/gross motor activities (1 = no room to 5 = room for all activities) |
| Physical activity promotion materials | Sum of total number of physical activity promotion materials (0–3) | Physical activity books, physical activity posters, screen time posters b (yes/no) |
| Portable Play Equipment (PPE) | ||
| PPE variety | Sum of different types of portable play equipment (0–6) | Sand water toys, jumping toys, push-pull toys, twirling toys, throwing toys, crawling toys (yes/no) a |
| PPE availability | Sum of the number of times PPE was available for outdoor play c (0–2) | Children had to take turns playing with outdoor toys because not enough were available (yes/no) a |
| PPE accessibility | Sum of the number of times PPE was offered divided by the number of play periods observed c (0–2) | While outside, children could easily get out PPE and toys (balls, tricycles, large trucks, wheel barrow, etc.) without help from the provider (yes/no) a |
| Outdoor Physical Activity Environment | ||
| Outdoor space | Single item (1–4) | Which statement best describes the area outside the home where children are allowed to play? (1 = no space for running games to 4 = space for large group running games) b |
| Active fixed play equipment | Sum of total number of activity promoting fixed play equipment structures (0–11) | Balancing surface, basketball hoop, climbing structure, merry-go-round, swimming pool, water play area, see-saw, slide, swinging equipment, tricycle track, tunnels (yes/no) |
| Active landscape features | Sum of total number of activity promoting landscape features (0–5) | Trees children can climb, variation in ground, grassy area, rocks large enough to climb, a hill for rolling down or climbing up (yes/no) |
| Creative fixed play equipment | Sum of total number of fixed play equipment structures that contribute to the quality of the outside environment (0–5) | Sandbox, benches, picnic table, small stage or raised deck, play house (yes/no) |
| Attractive landscape features | Sum of total number of landscape features that contribute to attractiveness of outside environment (0–4) | Large trees, small trees, shrubs, flowering plants |
a
data was collected during both days of observation and was averaged in order to create the summary score
b
item reverse coded;
c
item answered once in the morning and once in the afternoon