Development of Creativity in Preschool Children through Experiential Activities in Outdoor Environments

Dear educators,

I am a third-year student of the Preschool Education Department at the Faculty of Arts and Education of Kaunas College. I am conducting a research study aimed at revealing the possibilities of developing creativity in preschool children through experiential activities in outdoor environments.

I kindly ask you to fill out this questionnaire, read the questions carefully, think through your answers, and share your experiences. The questionnaire is anonymous. The results of the research will be summarized and used only for academic purposes in my final thesis.

Thank you for your time.

Please read the questions in the questionnaire and choose the answer or answers that suit you best.

Results are publicly available

TeacherSenior TeacherTeacher – MethodologistTeacher – Expert

Up to 5 years5-10 years11-20 years21 years and more

Creativity is the ability to create new and original ideas, think unconventionally, and solve problems using innovative methods based on spontaneity and intuition.Creativity is the ability to create new and original ideas.Creativity is the ability to think unconventionally and seek unexpected solutions.Creativity is spontaneity and the ability to think unusually.

Very importantImportantNot very importantNot important

Child's ability to generate original ideasChild's ability to find unconventional solutions to problemsPracticality of ideas and solutionsAll of the above criteria equally

Individual methods (e.g., independent tasks)Group methods (e.g., problem solving, discussions)Creative gamesArtistic activities (drawing, dance, music, drama.)

Outdoor environments are beneficial for children's creativity development.Outdoor environments are neither beneficial nor harmful for children's creativity development.Outdoor environments are not beneficial for children's creativity development.

I agree	I have no opinion	I disagree
Children's creativity develops only in an environment that encourages their curiosity and desire to explore.

In creativity education, it is important to give children the opportunity to create freely and explore in a diverse environment.

Children's creativity does not grow if they only implement others' ideas - they must be given the freedom to create themselves.

For developing creativity, an environment is needed that not only provides opportunities but also motivates children to create.

If a child grows up in an environment where their creative ideas are not supported, it becomes very difficult to develop creativity.

If creativity is not encouraged in childhood, the likelihood of creativity arising in adulthood is very low.

Several times a weekOnce a weekSeveral times a monthI am currently not applying them, but plan to in the futureI am currently not applying them and do not plan to apply them

Experiential activity is essential for developing creativity.Experiential activity helps to develop creativity but is only one of the educational tools.Experiential activity has a small impact on creativity development.Experiential activity has no impact on creativity development.

Parents' fears about children's safetyEducators' unpreparedness to work in outdoor environmentsLack of resources in the educational institutionLimited time for creative activities outside

Leads the activities and provides specific tasksObserves and only helps children if necessaryCreates conditions for children to plan and carry out activities themselvesActively collaborates with children, searching for creative solutions together

Regular time spent outdoorsUnstructured activities allowing children to exploreOpen questions and support encouraging children to think creativelyOpportunities to use open objects (e.g., twigs, pebbles) for creative activities

Development of Creativity in Preschool Children through Experiential Activities in Outdoor Environments

1. What is your qualification category?

2. What is your work experience?

3. Mark the most acceptable definition of creativity. (Choose one answer)

4. How do you evaluate the importance of developing creativity in preschool age?

5. What creativity traits do you most often notice in your students' behavior and activities? (Multiple answers possible)

6. What criteria do you use to assess children's creativity? (Multiple answers possible)

7. What creativity development methods do you most often apply? (Multiple answers possible)

8. How do you evaluate the impact of outdoor environments on children's creativity development?

9. Rate the following statements.

10. How often do you apply STEAM methods in developing children's creativity?

11. Choose the statement that you find most acceptable.

12. What experiential activities in outdoor environments do you most often apply in the children's education process? (Multiple answers possible)

13. What do you think limits the development of creativity in outdoor environments? (Multiple answers possible)

14. What do you think is the role of the educator in organizing creative activities in outdoor environments? (Multiple answers possible)

15. Which of the following factors do you most often apply to encourage children's creativity in outdoor environments? (Multiple answers possible)