180 Indonesian Journal of Sport Management Original Article Primary School Playground and Pupils Physical Skill Acquisition Authors’ contribution: A. Conception and design of the study B. Acquisition of data C. Analysis and interpretation of data D. Manuscript preparation E. Obtaining funding Article History: Received: July 8, 2022 Revision: September 20, 2022 Accepted: October 18, 2022 Published: October 24, 2022 Hafees Tosin Sulyman1A-D* Akinola Sgun Olaosebikan2BC Jawad Olayemi Olosunde3BD Ebenezer Oladipupo Oladoye4CD 1*Department of Early Childhood and Primary Education Faculty of Education, Kwara State University, Malete, Nigeria 2Department of Early Childhood and Primary Education Faculty of Education, Kwara State University, Malete, Nigeria 3Department of Early Childhood and Primary Education Faculty of Education, Kwara State University, Malete, Nigeria 4Department of Early Childhood and Primary Education Faculty of Education, Kwara State University, Malete, Nigeria Corresponding author: Hafees Tosin Sulyman, Department of Early Childhood and Primary Education Faculty of Education, Kwara State University, Malete, Nigeria; E-mail: htsulyman@gmail.com How to Cite: Sulyman, H. T., Olaosebiken, A. S., Olosunde, J. O., & Oladoye, E. O. (2022). Primary School Playground and Pupils Physical Skill Acquisition. Indonesian Journal of Sport Management, 2(2), 180-193. https://doi.org/10.31949/ijsm.v2i2.2875 Abstract. Primary school playground and pupils’ physical skill acquisition is a crucial issue that needs urgent attention because empirical studies have shown that primary school playground can go a long way in influencing pupils’ holistic development and pupils’ physical skill acquisition need to be fully involve in the educational setting. The instrument used was checklist titled primary school playground, material, qualities and activities (PSPMQA); another instrument used was rating scales named pupils physical skill acquisition (RSPA); T-test was used to determine the reliability and index obtained from the instrument were 0.75. The findings revealed that the Primary school playgrounds in Ilorin West Local Government Area, Kwara State have enough space for children to play, it is free from dangerous object, it is safe and secure and also it has grasses. Activities that are always done on playground includes running, hide and seek, passing of ball and kicking of ball. Available playground materials are swings, play sand and natural grass. The level of pupils’ physical acquisition is low (weighted mean= 1.57), Primary school playground qualities have significant influence on pupils’ physical skill acquisition (F (1,375) = .719, P < 0.05), Primary school playground activities have significant influence on pupils’ physical skill acquisition (F (1, 375) = 0.11, P < 0.05), There was no significant difference in pupils’ skill acquisition in Ilorin west Local Government Area, Kwara State based on gender (t = -2.698; df = 374; P > 0.05), The finding revealed that there was no significant difference in pupils’ skill acquisition in Ilorin west Local Government Area, Kwara State school type (t = -2.444; df = 374; P > 0.05). Teacher should allow the pupils to make use of playground to develop their holistic development. It was recommended that the ministries and other concerned agencies should set workshop, seminar and conference on the important of playground on physical skill acquisition on the development of the pupils’. Keywords: primary school; playground; physical skill acquisition Copyright ©(2022) Hafees Tosin Sulyman, Akinola Sgun Olaosebikan, Jawad Olayemi Olosunde, Ebenezer Oladipupo Oladoye mailto:htsulyman@gmail.com https://doi.org/10.31949/ijsm.v2i2. Indonesian Journal of Sport Management Sulyman et al., 2(2), 2022, 180-193 181 INTRODUCTION Playground by nature is capable of stimulating all areas of children development and improve their senses and emotions as much as their skills. During playground activities some physical skill might be acquire which may help the child to grow and develop holistically, playground may develop children's for social life and give them opportunities to cooperate among themselves. Research has demonstrated that regular playground activities by children make them healthier, stronger and happier than those who do not (Meckison, 2014). Playground activities are essential in childhood as it give young children opportunities to use their whole body when they are playing among themselves. Children that are more physically engaged in school are likely to explore energetic activities at home, unlike those that are not physically active who mostly engage in sedentary activities like computer games and watching television (Dale et al., 2000). Brown (2001) suggests that as children interact with the playground equipment, they experience different opportunities to stimulate age appropriate physical development. The physical interaction of children in playground will improved their physical skill and will enable them to take turns and exercise self-control. As they play on playground facilities they converse and imitate one another (The voice of play, 2016). When children play with peers they improve oral skills, deal with feelings and ideas (Hernandez, 2001). According to Marie, as cited in landscape structure incorporated (LSI, 2022), 75 percent of the brain develops after a baby is born in the years between birth and early 20s and play is needed for healthy brain development. Play stimulates the brain connections between nerve cells helping a child develop both gross motor skills like walking, running, jumping and coordination along with fine motor skills like writing, manipulating small tools and detailed hand work. According to World Health Organization (WHO) (2014), physical skill is any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure including activities undertaken while working, playing, carrying out household chores, travelling, and engaging in recreational pursuits. A playground, well-designed and administered, gives the children opportunity to improve their motor senses, social development, learning, giving decision, fantasy games (Alqudah, 2003). There has been an enduring and widespread expectation that pupils will improve or expand their movement capabilities in much performance and skill acquisition are context dependent (Smith, 2011; Tinning, 2010). However, Smith (2011) points out that skill performance and skill acquisition are context dependent and as much a social act as a physical activities. Playground provide the opportunity for children to practice skills that will ultimately play a role in adult competencies such as the ability to collaborate with others, develop decision making skills and successfully take on leadership roles, preserve in the face of distractions and generate creative ideas (LSI, 2022). When children are physically active at school playground, they are building critical development skills, playgrounds provide them with a perfect opportunity to explore different things and express their creativity without fear of being reprimanded (LSI, 2022). According to Kate Townshend 2009 most primary schools remain havens of childhood innocence; skipping ropes, clapping games and a sense of gender blind comradery. Traditionally, physical development has been considered from maturational theory perspective; This view point is based on information about when children reach development milestones in such functions as sitting, standing, and walking, tasks that are largely determined by the maturation of the nervous system (Shonkoff & Phillips, 2000). But in more recent years, Piaget’s theory has led to the perpetual motor model of physical development, a more integrative view proposing that motor behaviours are a prerequisite for and lead to cognitive abilities (Williams & Monsma, 2006). Physical activities in childhood is important for many reasons and a variety of sources indicate a direct relationship between physical activity and children’s health (Hope, 2007). Indonesian Journal of Sport Management Sulyman et al., 2(2), 2022, 180-193 182 Playground has been seen to be space for children to develop their skills, parent, and school owner should working hand in hand for their children holistic development not only the government. It will be of great opportunity if teacher can focus more on playground and physical skills in the academic performance of children in public and private schools in the state, particularly in Ilorin west Local government. Research has being carried out on primary school playground and pupils physical skill, still there is no enough playground equipment that will develop their physical skill and for this reason the researcher carried out the influence of primary school playground and pupils physical skill acquisition in ilorin west local government area of kwara state and whether or not there would be difference in primary school pupils physical skill acquisition in ilorin west local government based on gender (male and female) and school type (private and public). According to a study carried out by Maksimović and Osmanovic (2019) on physical education accomplishments in secondary schools. The study emphasizes on the important place that physical education and sport have in the system of education, as well as the significance of health, physical and functional abilities and interests for physical activities. This research examines the attitudes of secondary schoolchildren towards sport and physical activities. The methods used are descriptive and the Likert-type scale (SASS-FAS) containing 28 items. The research was conducted with the sample of 1013 secondary schoolchildren on the territory of the Nišava District. The obtained results show that school children have positive attitudes towards physical education and sport. However, their responses prove that they spend their free time doing some other, non-physical activities. The secondary schoolchildren’s responses are characterized by a high level of consistency with no statistically significant difference evident regarding the school grade they attend, p>0.05. Statement of the Problem In Nigeria, pupils’ physical skill acquisition has been on a dwindling fall as a result of lack of playground and physical skill not been properly handle in school. Poor pupils’ physical skill acquisition has been a serious problem for both the pupils’ and teacher right from preschool. Most school doesn’t have playground and if they do, the playground may not have been equipped with necessary equipment that will develop the pupils’ physical skill acquisition. The researcher observed from literature that pupils are left to wander around and there is no single resemblance of any physical activities in the class, if not for pupils’ picking balls and playing around while they are on playground. Pupils are left during break time to play on the playground. Based on these, this study intends to check primary school playground, playground activities and pupil’s physical skill acquisition. Research Questions: 1. What are the Qualities of Primary school playgrounds in Ilorin west local government Area, Kwara State? 2. What are the playground activities in Ilorin west Local Government Area, Kwara State? 3. What is the Level of pupils’ physical skill in Ilorin west Local Government Area, Kwara State? THEORETICAL REVIEW Affordance Theory by James Gibson (1977) This study was guided by Affordance Theory. According to James Gibson, affordance is the possibility of an action on an environment. This theory is on the relationship between an environment and an organism. The environment affords the opportunity for the organism to perform an action. It is independent of an individual’s ability to recognize them. This is dependent on the meaning given to the object by the person who perceives them. It is also dependent on their capabilities of the agents. In this case the agents are preschool children. Preschool children develop a perceptual understanding of the world with a focus on the Indonesian Journal of Sport Management Sulyman et al., 2(2), 2022, 180-193 183 functional use of space and objects. The affordance of an environment is what the equipment offers the children. The playground gives an opportunity of a relationship between the preschool children and the playground facilities. For instance, a monkey bar affords climbing, swinging, jumping off, and hanging while a swing affords swinging, pumping legs and propelling. This makes a well-equipped playground a rich play environment for young children to learn as they play on. 9 In this study, the theory brings a link between action and perception. The theory further illustrates that the action is related to perception of what the physical environment furnishes. The behavior of one depends on their perception of the environment. Children’s involvement in outdoor play activity is a graphic enactment of this theory. Actions like balancing, jumping, climbing sliding, and swinging need attention. One has to pay attention on the environmental elements in this case the playground facilities. For instance, the preschooler perceives the structure of the climber such as a monkey bar and notes its important features: like height, is the facility too high, too short or of manageable height. The nature of the ladder in terms of presence of side barriers and angle of inclination is it steep or a gentle slope. Presence of hanging bars and the surfacing beneath it does it give a safe landing. This information gives them a basis of making a decision on whether to anchor on the bars or not. This important information gives meaning to the children about affordance of the playground facilities. Affordance theory is appropriate for this study because it gives an understanding on children’s participation in outdoor play activities. The teacher who is also a supervisor on the playground guides young children on the correct use of the playground facilities. Learners may use the potential of the playground facilities to determine their participation. Upon seeing playground facilities, a child will interact and play on it. Concept of Education The term education as a concept is quite elusive and not easy to define. The complexity of the discipline is necessitated by the functions education has to perform in society as one of its institution. For the purpose of this paper, we shall therefore have a look at few definitions of education. From the etymological point of view, the word ‘education’’ is derived from two latin words “educere” which means “to lead out” and “educare” which means ‘to bring up’’. This means that education bring out skills in someone and build them up. Okoorosaye-Orubite (2019) defined education as a social creation, designed to meet the specific needs of the society at any particular point in time. Its form, content, methodology and clientele are determined by the society. Structure of Educational System in Nigerian The Nigerian educational system comprises of four levels of organization. The first is informal and the remaining three make up the formal system of education. They includes: 1. Pre-primary Education: This is regarded as early child care and development education, although informal, this level of education is meant for children of the age range of 2 to 5 years. These schools were established under degree No.16 of 1985 (National minimum standards and establishment of institutions) It is being run as day care centers and nursery/kindergarten schools by private agencies and individuals. The major objectives are to cultivate and inculcate appropriate schooling attitude and awareness into the young child. 2. Primary Education: This is the first level of the formal system of education. It provides a six-year course for children of age range of 6-12 years. This level is regarded as the officially recognized starting point of education, as the key to success or failure of the entire system. The objective includes the preparation for a broad-based education with Indonesian Journal of Sport Management Sulyman et al., 2(2), 2022, 180-193 184 emphasis on the attainment of permanent and functional literacy, numeracy and effective communicative skills. 3. Secondary Education: This is the type of education that children receive after primary school. The secondary school has two stages covering six years duration. The first stage run classes from J.S.S 1 to J.S.S 3. At the end of J.S.S 3, the students are required to sit for and pass the junior secondary school certificate examination (JSSCE). Most of the students are within the age range of 12-15 years. Those that could not cope with formal education are expected to acquire some vocational skills. 4. Tertiary Education: Here, a post-secondary education is given to successful students into either university, college of Education, polytechnics and other related institutions. a. University Education: The university is the highest level of tertiary education in Nigeria. Two sets of university exist-namely, the federal and state. Admission is open to all student that passes Joint Admission and Matriculation Board Examination, with a minimum of five (5) credit passes in O-level examination. The student’s age range is between 18-22 years. The university award first degree, Master’s degree and Ph.D degree in various disciplines as well as diploma in education and other professional courses. b. College of Education: the colleges of education form part of teacher training institutions which are attached or afflicted to universities. They offer three years programme for the award of Nigerian certificate in Education. Some of them are degree awarding institutions. c. Polytechnics Education: The polytechnics provides middle level manpower and vocational skills in different areas of specialization. Polytechnics courses are in two phases, each of two years duration leading to the award of National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND), respectively for another two years. We also have inter university centres, monotechnic , specialized institutions such as school of Health Technology, Colleges of Agriculture, National Teachers Institutions (NTI) etc. Concept of Primary Education Primary education is one of the tripods of Nigeria education system, the others, are the secondary and the tertiary levels of the three, the primary level is the most critical being the base of the whole system and the key to the success or failure of the whole system. The National Policy on Education (2004:14) describes primary education as '"the education given in institutions for children aged 6 to 11 plus" stipulating 6 years to be the duration. Goals of Primary Education The Federal Government of Nigeria in the NPE (2004:14), identified seven goals which form the basis of the six year primary education in a!! the states of" the federation, The goals as identified are: a. Inculcate permanent literacy and numeracy and ability to communicate effectively; b. Lay a sound basis for scientific and reflective thinking; c. Give citizenship education as a basis for effective participation in and contribution to the life of the society; d. Mould the character and develop sound and morals in the child; e. Develop in the child the ability to adapt to the child's changing environment: f. Give the child opportunities for developing manipulative skills that will enable the child function effectively in the society within the limits of the child's capacity; g. Provide the child with basic tools for further educational advancement, including preparation for trades and crafts of the locality. Indonesian Journal of Sport Management Sulyman et al., 2(2), 2022, 180-193 185 In pursuance of the identified goals, primary education shall be tuition free, universal and compulsory. These arc lofty propositions that would be cost-intensive in terms of infrastructure, instructional equipment/materials, leaching staff in quality and quality, sustained payment of salaries and allowances, provision of educational services, sustained routine supervision/inspection etc. the main focus of this discussion would be on public schools or government schools established and managed by the federal, state and local governments in Nigeria. Reference would however be made to schools established and managed by voluntary agencies, communities and private individuals and all other such schools that meet the minimum standards laid down by the federal government. Concept of Playground Playground area is a place designed to provide an environment for children that facilitates play, typically outdoors. While a playground is usually designed for children, some are designed for other age groups, or people with disabilities. A playground might exclude children below a certain age (Wikipedia 2022). Importance of primary school playground Schools are not only tasked to prepare kids for their future careers but also teach them essential life skills, attitudes, and habits that may help them overcome adulthood challenges; To achieve this objective, teachers and learners must think beyond the classroom and incorporate outdoor play into the curriculum has identified by CrossFit (2022) are: Social and emotional development, Physical benefits, School Playgrounds promote imagination and creativity, Learning through play. a. Social and emotional development: The numerous interactions that happen at a school playground help kids develop emotionally and socially. These interactions usually take many different forms and are uncontrolled. In most cases, children will engage each other when playing group games such as tag or simply talk to each other as they enjoy swinging side-by-side. Other collaborative tasks they may engage in include pushing one another on the swing sets or working together to rotate playground equipment such as the spinner. There may also be several instances where the older kids help the younger ones navigate playground equipment both physically and psychologically. b. Physical benefits: Whenever you watch kids at a playground, you may think they are having fun and enjoying themselves. While this is true, one thing you may not know is that they are also getting a workout. Child development experts recommend that children have at least one hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day. The school playground remains the perfect place to get this exercise. When children get into the habit of working out and see it as a fun experience, it encourages them to remain physically active even as they get older. When kids spend quality time at a school playground and test their limits, they learn diverse skills by trying out different playground equipment. Swings, slides, climbers, and even monkey bars encourage children to develop their strength, agility, balance, coordination, and speed. c. School Playgrounds promote imagination and creativity: School children do much more than sliding, swinging, and climbing while at the playground. If you listen to their conversations keenly, you will realize a wide range of other make-believe games taking place. Imaginary play is always at the center stage whenever children are at a playground. When their imaginative and creative skills are triggered, they become superstars and learn a lot of things. They learn their social roles and put their problem-solving skills to practice. They develop great personalities in the process and become better individuals. By using their creativity, kids can also try out different ideas and analyze the outcome critically. This helps them develop a strong sense of self-esteem and self-confidence and discover their likes, dislikes, and beliefs. Indonesian Journal of Sport Management Sulyman et al., 2(2), 2022, 180-193 186 d. Learning through play: Typically, you can’t have a school playground without play. In simple words, play is a spontaneous activity that kids engage in to enjoy themselves and have fun together. Experts in different fields, including biology, psychology, education, and even health sciences, have conducted a wide range of studies on the concept of childhood play, and they all agree on one thing- play is an essential part of learning. When kids play, they develop a wide range of skills, including cognitive abilities, social awareness, motor skills, coordination skills, language skills, teamwork, and much more. Good play is usually fueled by a kid’s curiosity. As the kid grows, their play activities become more complex. Without good play, a child’s ability to learn and develop is hugely impeded. Just as a good diet and enough sleep are essential to a kid’s health, so is natural play. Qualities of playground According to (Kaboom, 2007) indicated that playground should possess some qualities, motion play space should encourage kids to run, jump, toss, throw, hop, slide, swing, climb and move; playground equipment should have moving parts: swings, activity panels and balance activities with movable parts. A great play space should incorporate the natural world around it, a lot of green space is key for activity and elements such as sand and water give kids a dynamic environment that allows them to use their manipulative skills (Kaboom, 2007). According to Kaboom (2007) the local playground should look, sound and feel interesting, sound, colorful and texture excite the senses and ignite your child's imagination; this is a fancy term for anything that makes kids use their upper bodies, monkey bars, monorails, chain ladders and a whole lot more are all play components that encourage upper body development. Balance is an important skill for children to develop - and what's more, they usually have fun doing it! Playgrounds should have unusual balance elements, which test their participants balancing savvy (Kaboom 2007). A great play space should be appealing to the entire family; Everyone should want to go and use the facility, an ideal playground has plenty of shade elements, picnic tables as well as benches, children will be stimulated by friendly competition with their peers; Playground should be rich with subtle opportunities for a competition -be it parallel climbing bars where children can see who climbs across the fastest - or a double slide are good additions; Also, look for additional areas for traditional games like basketball or tether ball (Kaboom, 2007). Playground should be accessible to everyone, a great play space will provide play at ground level; multi-sensory play opportunities (sight, sound, touch) and a safe surface for everyone; Looking for soft ground cover that can cushion a child's fall; Avoid equipment that stands on dirt, concrete, asphalt or artificial grass (Kaboom, 2007). Playground Facilities A playground is a space designed and equipped for children to play. A variety of factors determine the quality of a playground. These include playground facilities, safety, adult supervision and accessibility (Johnson et al., 2005). Playgrounds are characterized by protective surfacing, fencing, signs, internal routes and play equipment (Wadell, 2011). Therefore, playground facilities have a role in children’s involvement in play. ECD professionals appreciate the prospects of outdoors for class work extension. Time spent outdoor is an opportunity to promote children’s development. It should not be limited to improvement of physical skills but also cognitive social, creative and emotional abilities (Essa, 2010). It is important for a playground to be equipped to allow learners an opportunity to have fun and learn at the same time. Indonesian Journal of Sport Management Sulyman et al., 2(2), 2022, 180-193 187 METHODOLOGY The study adopted descriptive survey research design to investigate Primary school playground and pupils’ physical skill acquisition in Ilorin west Local Government Area of Kwara State. The populations used for this study comprised all private and public pupils in Ilorin west Local Government Area of Kwara State. There were fifty-four public schools and two hundred and thirty-eight private schools making a total of two hundred and ninety-two schools public and private schools (Annual School Census Report, 2018-2019). Simple random sampling technique was adopted to allow every school in the sample to have equal opportunity of being selected for the study. A total number of twenty schools (public and private) and three hundred and seventy-six pupils were sampled. The researcher developed two research instruments, Checklist and Rating Scale for preschool children, the checklist was used to obtain data on primary school Playground in Ilorin west Local Government Area of Kwara State. While the Rating scale was used to rate pupils’ physical skill acquisition. The instrument was title Checklist on Primary School Playground and Playground Activities (CPSPPA) and Rating Scale Pupils’ Physical Acquisition Skills (RSPPAS). The two instruments were given to experts in Early Childhood and Primary Education for validity, the corrections and observations were strictly adhered to before administration. To achieve the reliability of the instrument Test re-test method was used to test for reliability of the instrument. The instrument was administered and re-administered; Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) was used by the researcher to compare the two scores. The researcher collected letter of introduction from the department of Early Childhood and Primary Education, Kwara State University Malete, addressing the head of the school where the study will take place to give their cooperation by allowing the researcher obtain information from some of the selected schools in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics of frequency counts and percentage for demographic data and research questions while inferential statistic of T-test was used for the hypotheses at0.05 level of significance. Decision rule: 2.5 and above- High, 2.0- 2.49 – Average and 1.9 Below- Low. RESULT AND DISCUSSION Data in Table 1 shows the distribution of schools based on types in Ilorin West Local Government, Kwara State. 8 of the respondents representing 41.2% were public schools while 10 of them, representing 58.8% were private school. It is apparent that private schools were more in number than public schools. Table 1. Distribution of Schools based on Types in Ilorin West Local Government Area, Kwara State School Type Frequency Percentage Public 8 41.2% Private 10 58.8% Total 18 100 % Table 2. Distribution of the Respondents based on Gender in Ilorin West Local Government Area, Kwara State Gender Frequency Percentage Male 174 46.3% Female 202 53.7% Total 376 100 % Data in Table 2 shows the distribution of respondents based on gender in Ilorin West Local Government Area, Kwara State. 174 of the respondents representing 46.3% were male Indonesian Journal of Sport Management Sulyman et al., 2(2), 2022, 180-193 188 while 202 of the respondents representing 53.7% were female. It is apparent that female respondents were more in number. Table 2. Summary of estimated marginal means with the Groups Group Mean Std. Error 95% confidence intervals for difference Lower Bound Upper Bound Outdoor Sports 18.378 .290 17.796 18.961 Control 12.247 .367 11.511 12.983 Table 3. Frequency on the qualities of primary school playgrounds in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State S/N Qualities of primary school playgrounds YES NO 1. Is there enough space for children to play 18(100.0) 0(0.0) 2. It is free from dangerous object 14(77.8) 4(22.2) 3. Is there waterlogged 0(0.0) 18(100.0) 4. It is safe and secure 16(88.9) 2(11.1) 5. It may have grass 14(77.8) 4(22.2) Data in Table 3 shows the frequency on the qualities of primary school playgrounds in Ilorin West Local Government, Kwara State. The following are the qualities of primary school playground in Ilorin West Local Government Area, Kwara State: playgrounds have enough space for children to play, it is free from dangerous object, it is safe and secure and also it has grasses. Table 4. Frequency on playground activities in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State S/N Playground activities OFTEN ALWAYS NEVER 1. They run 4(22.2) 11(61.1) 3(16.7) 2. They play rainbow tag 10(55.6) 2(11.1) 6(33.3) 3. They do hide and seek 6(33.3) 10(55.6) 2(11.1) 4. They pass ball 4(22.2) 11(61.1) 3(16.7) 5. They dodge ball 6(33.3) 3(16.7) 9(50.0) 6. They kick ball 8(44.4) 9(50.0) 1(5.6) Data in Table 4 shows the frequency on playground activities in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State. Activities that are always done on playground in Ilorin West Local Government Area, Kwara State includes running, hide and seek, passing of ball and kicking of ball. Table 5. Frequency on playground materials in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State S/N Playground materials YES NO 1. Is there swings? 10(55.6) 8(44.4) 2. Is there slides? 3(16.7) 15(83.3) 3. Is there playground climbers? 2(11.1) 16(88.9) 4. Is there see saws? 1(5.6) 17(94.4) 5. Is there merry-go- rounds? 1(5.6) 17(94.4) 6. Is there spring riders? 0(0.0) 18(100.0) 7. Is there tubes? 0(0.0) 18(100.0) 8. Is there spinners? 2(11.1) 16(88.9) 9. Is there play sand? 11(61.1) 7(38.9) 10. Is there pea gravel 3(16.7) 15(18.3) 11. Is there poured rubber and rubber tiles? 0(0.0) 18(100.0) 12. Is there natural grass? 14(77.8) 4(22.2) 13. Is there artificial grass? 5(27.8) 13(72.2) 14. Is there wood chips and mulch? 1(5.6) 17(94.4) 15. Is there giant stride? 0(0.0) 18(100.0) 16. Is there monkey bars? 2(11.1) 16(88.9) Indonesian Journal of Sport Management Sulyman et al., 2(2), 2022, 180-193 189 Data in Table 5 shows the frequency of playground materials in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State. Available playground materials in Ilorin West Local Government Area, Kwara State are swings, play sand and natural grass. Table 6. Frequency on the level of pupils’ physical acquisition in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State S/N Pupils physical skill acquisition ALWAYS SOMETIMES NEVER MEAN 1. The child is able to climb on and off things 198(52.7) 131(34.8) 47(12.5) 1.60 2. The child is able to jump on and off things 181(48.1) 182(48.4) `13(3.5) 1.55 3. The child is able to swing on and off 178(47.3) 135(35.9) 63(16.8) 1.69 4. The child is able to practice with fine motor skills (gripping the chain) 192(51.1) 108(28.7) 76(20.2) 1.69 5. The child is able to put things all together 208(55.3) 158(42.0) 10(2.7) 1.47 6. The child is able to skip 147(39.1) 124(33.0) 105(27.9) 1.89 7. The child is able to stand and balance on one leg 177(47.1) 165(43.9) 34(9.0) 1.62 8. The child is able to throw objects 222(59.0) 144(38.3) 10(2.7) 1.44 9. The child is able to catch 252(67.0) 110(0.0) 14(3.7) 1.37 10. The child is able to catch up and balance 258(68.6) 94(25.0) (100.0) 1.38 Weighted Mean 1.57 Decision rule: 2.5 and above- High; 2.0- 2.49 – Average; 1.9 Below- Low Data in Table 6 shows frequency on the level of pupils’ physical acquisition in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State. The finding revealed the level of pupils’ physical acquisition in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State. The weighted mean is 1.57 which is a clear indication that the level of pupils’ physical acquisition in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State is low. Table 7. Summary of Regression Analysis showing the influence of primary school playground qualities on pupils’ physical skill acquisition of primary school pupils in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State. Model N R R Square Adjusted R Square F Sig 1 376 .207 .043 -.017 .719 .000 Table 7 showed the regression Analysis of the influence of primary school playground qualities on pupils’ physical skill acquisition of primary school pupils in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State. The result indicated that there was positive relationship between primary school playground qualities and pupils’ physical skill acquisition in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State (R = .207) while the R-Square is .043 which means that the independent variable (primary school playground qualities) explained 4.3% variation of the dependent variable (physical skill). This indicates a good fit of the regression equation. Thus, it is a reflection that primary school playground qualities have significant influence on pupils’ physical skill acquisition in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State (F (1,375) = .719, P < 0.05). The hypothesis is therefore rejected in the light of the result. Table 8. Summary of Regression Analysis showing the influence of primary school playground activities on pupils’ physical skill acquisition of primary school pupils in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State. Model N R R Square Adjusted R Square F Sig 1 374 .026 .001 -.062 0.11 .000 Table 8 showed the regression Analysis of the influence of primary school playground activities on pupils’ physical skill acquisition of primary school pupils in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State. The result indicated that there was positive relationship between primary school playground activities and physical skill acquisition in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State (R = .026) while the R-Square is .001 which means that Indonesian Journal of Sport Management Sulyman et al., 2(2), 2022, 180-193 190 the independent variable (primary school playground activities) explained 0.1% variation of the dependent variable (physical skill). This indicates a good fit of the regression equation. Thus, it is a reflection that primary school playground activities have significant influence on pupils’ physical skill acquisition in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State (F (1, 375) = 0.11, P < 0.05). The hypothesis is therefore rejected in the light of the result. Table 9. Summary of t-test Analysis on the significance difference in pupils’ skill acquisition in Ilorin west Local Government Area, Kwara State based on gender. Gender N Mean Std. Deviation T Df Sig. Remark Male 174 15.24 3.075 -2.698 374 .007 Not Significant Female 202 16.09 3.040 Table 9 shows significance difference in pupils’ skill acquisition in Ilorin west Local Government Area, Kwara State based on gender. The finding revealed that there was no significant difference (t = -2.698; df = 374; P > 0.05). The hypothesis was therefore not rejected in the light of the result since the significant value is greater than 0.05. This implies that male physical skill acquisition (Mean= 15.24) is not significantly higher than that of female (Mean= 16.09). Table 10. Summary of t-test Analysis on the significance difference in pupils’ skill acquisition in Ilorin west Local Government Area, Kwara State based on school type. School Type N Mean Std. Deviation T Df Sig. Remark Public 155 15.24 2.921 -2.444 374 .015 Not Significant Private 221 16.02 3.156 Table 10 shows significance difference in pupils’ skill acquisition in Ilorin west Local Government Area, Kwara State based on school type. The finding revealed that there was no significant difference (t = -2.444; df = 374; P > 0.05). The hypothesis was therefore not rejected in the light of the result since the significant value is greater than 0.05. This implies that public school pupils’ physical skill acquisition (Mean= 15.24) is not significantly higher than that of private school pupils’ physical skill acquisition (Mean= 16.02). Discussion of findings This study examines the Qualities of Primary school playgrounds in Ilorin west local government Area, Kwara State. The findings revealed that Primary school playgrounds in Ilorin West Local Government Area, Kwara State have enough space for children to play, it is free from dangerous object, it is safe and secure and also it has grasses. Which is in contrary to the study conducted by O'Hara (2022) result shows that Associations between playground space and measures of PA and fitness were mostly non-linear and moderated by loose equipment. Students in schools with no loose equipment showed a weak association between space and meeting physical activities recommendations. This study also examines the playground activities in Ilorin west Local Government Area, Kwara State. The findings revealed that Activities that are always done on playground in Ilorin West Local Government Area, Kwara State includes running, hide and seek, passing of ball and kicking of ball. This is in line with the study carried out by (Baines & Blatchford, 2012) reveals the role of school playground games in children's development. Games and play take place in a range of settings, both in and outside of the home, in gardens, parks, on the streets, designated playgrounds, or other locations. They also take place and are often studied on the school playground and this will be the main context in which the role of games and other playground activities will be discussed here. Indonesian Journal of Sport Management Sulyman et al., 2(2), 2022, 180-193 191 This study also examines the Level of pupils’ physical skill in Ilorin west Local Government Area, Kwara State. The findings revealed that the level of pupils’ physical acquisition in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State is low (weighted mean= 1.57). This study furthermore examines the significant Influence of Primary school playground qualities on pupils’ physical skill in Ilorin west Local Government Area, Kwara State. The findings revealed that Primary school playground qualities have significant influence on pupils’ physical skill acquisition in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State (F (1,375) = .719, P < 0.05). This study also examines the significant Influence of Primary school playground activities on pupils’ physical skill in Ilorin west Local Government Area, Kwara State. The findings revealed that Primary school playground activities have significant influence on pupils’ physical skill acquisition in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State (F (1, 375) = 0.11, P < 0.05). This study also examines the significant difference in Primary school pupils’ physical skill in Ilorin west local Government Area based on gender. The findings revealed that there was no significant difference in pupils’ skill acquisition in Ilorin west Local Government Area, Kwara State based on gender (t = -2.698; df = 374; P > 0.05). This study finally examines the significant difference in Primary school pupils’ physical skill in Ilorin west local government area based on school type. The study revealed that The finding revealed that there was no significant difference in pupils’ skill acquisition in Ilorin west Local Government Area, Kwara State school type (t = -2.444; df = 374; P > 0.05). CONCLUSION The study shed light on primary school playground and pupils’ physical skill acquisition in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State. The findings of the study revealed that primary school playground and pupils’ physical skill acquisition is low, Primary school playground qualities have significant influence on pupils’ physical skill acquisition in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State. Primary school playground activities have significant influence on pupils’ physical skill acquisition in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State. There was no significant difference in pupils’ skill acquisition in Ilorin west Local Government Area, Kwara State based on gender. The finding revealed that there was no significant difference in pupils’ skill acquisition in Ilorin west Local Government Area, Kwara State school type. Based on the findings and the conclusions drawn in this study, it is recommended that: 1) Teacher should allow the pupils to make use of playground to develop their holistic development; 2) School head / owner should employ competent teacher that will be able to make use of the playground equipment; 3) It is recommended that the ministries and other concerned agencies should set workshop, seminar and conference on the important of playground on physical skill acquisition on the development of the pupils. REFERENCES Amanda Morin. (2022). 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