Preschool children's indoor and outdoor playground HSV color preferences

Abstract

Proper use of colors, as an essential element of children's playground, can result in a more appropriate environment for children. Therefore, the current study evaluates the impact of Hue, Saturation, and Value (HSV) colors on preschool children's preferences at the ages of 5 and 6. 16 color palettes and 2 playground scenes were presented to children in order to identify their preferences. Results demonstrated that cool colors with a Saturation of 75 and a Value of 75 for indoor playground and warm colors with a Saturation of 75 and a Value of 50 for outdoor playground were the most preferred colors. Moreover, to investigate the impact of socioeconomic status on children's environmental color preferences, Mann-Whitney U test was conducted and the results revealed a significant difference between the Value preference of children living in the lower class and upper class neighborhoods. However, no significant differences were observed in terms of HSV preferences between boys and girls and also between children at the ages of 5 and 6.