Analysis of injuries among children in kindergartens during physical activities

Abstract

Objective. The aim of this study was to analyze the opinions of educators about the occurrence of injuries in children of different ages during organized and non-organized physical activities in kindergarten. Methods. Our sample included 322 teachers from 53 kindergartens in Slovenia. We calculated the frequencies and performed a chi-square test. Results. Most of the children have organized physical activity in kindergarten 1 to 2 times per week; for children in the first age group, it usually lasts for 20 minutes or less; for children in the second age group, it lasts for 20 to 30 minutes. Most physical activities take place in the playroom, where the majority of injuries also occur. Injuries most frequently occur when running and jumping and less frequently during other physical activities. During free play, children are often injured in the outer court between 9 and 12 a.m. Boys are more often injured than girls. Educators indicate unforeseen situations as the most common cause of injury. The most common injuries are bumps on the head, especially in younger children, who stay at home for a few days as a result of these injuries. Parents of younger children are not as satisfied with the actions of educators when injuries occur as parents of older preschool children. Educators rehabilitate the children's injuries themselves and inform parents about it. Only one third of the educators make a record of injuries, and half of them only when a serious injury has occurred. Conclusions. The analysis results showed statistically significant differences between children of different ages according to the cause of injury, time of injury, the place where the child was injured during organized physical activity, type of activity at the time of injury, injured part of the body, and parental satisfaction with the action of the educator. Based on the results, we proposed some actions to reduce injuries in preschool children in kindergarten.