<![CDATA[This study examined preschool teachers’ perceptions of inadequate outdoor play provision in Aba, Abia State, Nigeria, focusing on availability, developmental implications, and implementation constraints. A descriptive survey design was employed. The population comprised 453 teachers in registered public and private preschools. Using multistage sampling informed by Yamane’s formula (5% margin of error), 212 questionnaires were distributed, and 200 valid responses were analyzed. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. Results indicate that outdoor play provision is generally inadequate, characterized by limited space, restricted daily access, insufficient time allocation, and safety concerns (cluster mean = 2.26). Teachers agreed that constrained outdoor play adversely affects children’s physical activity, peer interaction, classroom behaviour, and attention regulation (cluster mean = 3.47). No significant subgroup differences were found. The findings highlight a gap between teachers’ recognition of outdoor play’s developmental importance and structural conditions shaping practice, underscoring the need to strengthen facility standards and reinforce play-based pedagogy.]]>
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