• Architectural research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.57-65
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• 2012

This study was focused on the new town residential complex in suburban Hefei, China, which was carried out a survey on the present conditions of children's play space. The residential complexes and play spaces in Hefei, regardless of installation, the standards for the installation of play facilities were not provided legally, and the types of installation of the play facilities also were not standardized. For the play space in residential complexes in China to carry out original functions under the condition and become a place of everybody's activities not just for children, the following should be improved:(1) There is no provision and standard for the size of play space, so the standards for installation of play space with safety like Korea, Japan and the US are necessary. (2) The location of the play space should be able to guarantee maximum play activities to children, and the independence of the space should be secured by putting it in a place far from a footpath or pass way. (3) Since children's play space has different properties from those of green space and resting spaces, separate environmental planning is necessary.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.32 no.4 s.91
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• pp.249-253
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• 2006

This survey study was performed to evaluate the pollution level of playgrounds for children at 49 different sampling sites in Seoul metropolitan. Results were as follows. 1. Soil pH ranged from 6.0 to 9.2. 2. Average concentrations of heavy metals were 0.101 mg/kg of Cd, 4.470 mg/kg of Cu, 0.10 mg/kg of As, 5.35 mg/kg of Pb, 0.017 mg/kg of $Cr^{6+}$ 0.0051 mg/kg of Hg, which were lower than Korean soil precaution level. 3. The SPCs of all areas were below 100, which is 1st grade. In conclusion, the pollution level of playgrounds for children was safe.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.855-875
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• 2007

The purpose of this study is to suggest a guideline for outdoor play settings in child care centers. From March to July, 2005, data were collected from 223 directors at child care centers through a structured questionnaire, field measurement survey and non-participatory observation in seventeen child care centers in Seoul and Daejeon. The statistical methods for analysing data were frequency, percentage, mean, $X^2$ and F-test. The results showed as follows: 1)the existing outdoor playground area in child care centers should be expanded more than $4\;m^2$ per child. 2) Outdoor play facilities should be equipped with two structured play sets, a play facility for unstructured play and an adventure facility to make child's various activities possible and to promote child development. 3)flooring materials for outdoor playground should be required to use more than three kinds such as solid coverings (cf. asphalt, standard concrete), wood, lawn, soil or sands. 4)to let children enjoy various activities, outdoor playground area should be composed of various play facilities like indoor play gyms and should be independent but have good connections between play facilities depending on characteristics of play activities. 5)Play spaces of outdoor playground should be composed of physical play space, unstructured and dramatized play space, rest space, space for nature and adventure space. In addition, appropriate play equipments should be provided in respective play space.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.133-140
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• 2008

In order to evaluate the possible environmental lead hazard in children's playground and to test the practicability of field portable x-ray fluorescence(FPXRF) for environmental lead measurement, authors investigated lead concentration of lead-based paint on the surface of children's playing equipments in the playground of 13 apartments using FPXRF at the site in city A, Choongnam province. 93 spots were determined surface lead concentrations 3 times each using a FPXRF. Out of 93 spots, 83 spots (92%) were revealed to have lead in paint and mean concentration was $1.12{\pm}1.76mg/cm^2$. The mean concentration of lead on the surface of playing equipments at the apartments near the main street was $1.20mg/cm^2$ and higher than those at the apartments far away from the main street($0.81mg/cm^2$)(p<0.05). The mean concentration of lead on the surface of playing equipments painted with yellow color was $3.23mg/cm^2$ and the highest among all colors, whereas equipment painted white color was non-detectable. PVC and etc materials for construction of playing equipment showed higher surface lead concentration than other materials. The result suggests that it is necessary to be taken caution of the lead exposure in the playground of apartment and it should be taken any kind of confirmative action to prevent unwanted lead exposure from surface lead source of playing equipment. Authors found that FPXRF was very reliable and useful for field measurement to detect lead on the painted surface.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.47-53
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• 2002

The purposes of this study actually measure to the dimension and the quality of material play equipment's examine whether they meet safety standards or not, and intend to offer basic data to present proper safety standards concerning the dimension of play equipment in the end. The subjects for this study were 59 outdoor playgrounds, 30 among them located in apartment sites and the remainder did in residential districts. The time of actual measurement was in June 1999, and June 2000. Data were analyzed into frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation by using SPSSWIN program. The main results were as follows.: First, more than half of playgrounds were assessed for being traffic hazards due to the adjacent streets. And they were hardly equipped with the toilet and drinking water facilities, but were almost equipped with the shade of a tree and benches. Second, it was caused in inconvenience of children's use and difficulty of play equipments'management, since the quality of play equipments materials was consisted of wood or metal. Third, the standards for swing and slide were established in detail and actual measurement's results were suitable to standards'value as well, whereas the standards for seesaw and climber were not in detail and they did not design or install suitably.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.919-935
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between outdoor play environments and child's play behaviors. The data were collected by field measurement survey, and non-participatory observation from 9 child care centers in Daejeon. The field measurement survey were conducted from June 20 to July 20, 2004, whereas non-participatory behavior observation were conducted from September 2 to October 10, 2004. The major results showed the following. 1) The characteristics of outdoor play environment in child care centers showed that most of them were too small and did not use the adequate surfacing to play various activities. In many cases, outdoor play settings was made of play equipment setting, play props and manipulative settings, and tree/vegetation. 2) Child's play behavior has been focused on functional play activity and construction play activity. 3) The relationship between outdoor play environments and child's play behaviors showed that small outside play environment with monotonous construction and multi-complex play equipments produced functional play behaviors on children. On the other hand, where various play areas were put together, we could observe relatively diverse play behaviors. However, in some cases, despite the small and monotonous play area, diverse play behaviors were observed. These playgrounds at least differed from others in that they provided the place where multi purpose play was possible. This finding shows that multi purpose play areas can be an alternative in small playground environment.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.366-378
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• 2023

This study analyzed the impact of securing nature-friendly public spaces on the healthy growth of children. Additionally, it examined the case of Germany to extract implications for Korea. The natural environment enhances children's play, physical activity, cognitive abilities, and overall happiness. Therefore, it is generally considered a necessary space that must be provided for domestically, especially for children who experience high academic stress and low levels of happiness. However, as evidenced by Germany's "Nature Experience Area Project," creating nature-friendly spaces for children requires legal support at the national level. Additionally, such projects should be integrated with key national policies. Furthermore, beyond interdisciplinary collaboration, caregivers must have a positive perception of the natural environment.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.443-456
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• 2019

Objectives: Children are exposed to various environmental pollutants through contact with children's products. We investigated the KC mark, certification number, and contained substances labeled on children's products through market research and collected the toxicological data on these substances. Methods: The environmentally hazardous substances labeled on children's products (n=6576), including toys (n=2812), personal care products (n=2212), stationary/books (n=1333), and playground equipment (n=219) were examined. For the components that could be identified by CAS number, toxicological data on oral, inhalation, and dermal routes, cancer slope factor, and reference dose were collected. Results: Among the investigated products, KC marks or certification numbers were found for 4557 products (69.3%). Except for cosmetics and cleansers, the material information was labeled on most of the products. The frequency of labeling substance information in toys and stationary/books was low since this information could be omitted if KC certification was obtained. In the target products, 617 substances were identified by CAS number, and polypropylene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, and polyester were the most frequently displayed. Chronic toxicity data was found for only 32.4% of individual components, and information on toxicity through the dermal route was also highly limited. Conclusion: Our study suggested that labeling guidelines should be required to identify the environmentally hazardous substances contained in children's products. In addition, the toxicological data on many ingredients in children's products were insufficient. The data gap for toxicity data should be filled for future risk assessment.

• Journal of the Korea Furniture Society
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.70-78
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• 2013

Indoor air quality control has been strengthened within childcare facilities and welfare communities for the elderly and infirm. I have researched the indoor air quality of kids caf$\acute{e}$s. The quality was determined by the measurement of $CO_2$ and HCHO, and the result was used in understanding of the current status of indoor air quality control. The higher level of $CO_2$ and HCHO were found in the playground area where children use compared to the area for guardians in kids caf$\acute{e}$s. And the more people in the caf$\acute{e}$s, the more $CO_2$ and HCHO were generated. It is judged that kids furniture produce harmful substances for children. Hence, the government regulations for kids caf$\acute{e}$s should be improved by reinforcing the indoor air quality control, considering that the main customers are children not adults.

• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Planning & Design
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.73-81
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to draw safe environmental project factors for enhancing the safety of children in peripheral space around children's park and suggest environmental project measures for peripheral spaces around children's parks, based on the survey of children's park users' consciousness on peripheral spaces. Physical space range for this study was limited to low-rise housing area wihtin the radius of 250m, as peripheral spaces around children's parks in which children's playgrounds were built. In addition, the target areas for examining users' consciousness on peripheral spaces around children's parks were selected according to following criteria. 1)areas with highter portion of children; 2) those with higher portion of single-family houses/multi-housing/tenement houses, which constitute low-rise housing areas; and 3) those with higher safety accident rate of children, which was measured based on criminal and traffic accidents. The finding are as follows: first, users' consciousness on safety accidents that are likely to occur in peripheral spaces around children's parks was examined to show that there is most prominent difference between satisfaction and necessity. This result suggests that users are clearly conscious of the necessity of environmental improvement rather than the satisfaction with the current peripheral environment around children's park.; second, for the difference between satisfaction with and necessity of environmental project factors for access/boundary spaces around children's pakrs, there is most significant difference between the satisfaction with and the necessity of establishment of facilities against illegal parking for clear visibility of community roads, for access spaces, and the separate establishment of bicycle racks around main entry into parks, for boundary spaces. Users' necessity of the establishment of them is judged to be derived from the fact that the safety of children and even adults is threatened, because bicycles invaded into the deep inside of children parks. This study analyzed a correlation between satisfaction and necessity through factor and IPA analysis, and should be initially considenred if the future environmental improvement project would be conducted to promote safe environment in peripheral spaces around children's parks in the future. It will be necessary to provide practical environmental project factors through a field investigation.