Motivation Through Outdoor Play

Summary of Yu & Shen (2024)

Background & Existing Knowledge
Outdoor play has long been recognized for its benefits to physical health—but its role in student motivation and learning, especially in rural contexts, is underexplored.

New Insights from This Study
✔ A rural school pilot in China found that daily outdoor play increased students’ initiative to explore academic concepts.
✔ Enjoyment during playtime translated into greater participation in class discussions and curiosity in project work.
✔ Teachers reported higher attendance and fewer behavior issues, attributing this to increased intrinsic motivation sparked outdoors.

Practical Applications: How Educators Can Use This Research
Behavior Management
📌 Use short outdoor exploration sessions before academic tasks to reset attention.
Teacher Support

📌 Train teachers to integrate playful prompts that align with curriculum themes.
Inclusive Teaching
📌 Use free play spaces to support divergent thinking across ability levels.

Conclusion
Regular, structured outdoor play in rural schools nurtures motivation, curiosity, and improved classroom engagement—making it a low-cost, high-impact strategy.

Key Words
outdoor play, rural education, student motivation, classroom engagement, curiosity

Reference
Yu, L., & Shen, X. (2024). The impact of outdoor play on student motivation in rural schools. Asia‑Pacific Journal of Education, 44(2), 112–129.

Suggested Citation
Ross, E. M., & Malar, D. B. J. (2025). Motivation Through Outdoor Play. Excellent Educator, 2(14), 7.