Project

Playing together

Playing together is essential for the development of all children. Furthermore, outdoor play is a key contributor to a physically active lifestyle. Unfortunately, children with disabilities spend little time playing outside, and children with and without disabilities rarely play together. In this project, we aim to improve inclusive outdoor play.

Objective

To develop, through participatory action research in co-design, two toolkits for pediatric therapists (pediatric physical therapists and pediatric occupational therapists) to facilitate inclusive outdoor play. One toolkit focuses on the physical environment, while the other focuses on the social environment.

Results

  • Overview of current inclusive outdoor play behavior and existing barriers and facilitators
  • A toolkit aimed at promoting inclusive play focusing on the physical environment
  • A toolkit aimed at promoting inclusive play focusing on the social environment
  • Evaluation of the usability and added value of the developed toolkits
  •  Enhancement and/or improvement of design capabilities among paediatric therapists

Duration

01 September 2022 - 31 August 2026

Approach

Through participatory action research, pediatric therapists, children (with and without disabilities), parents, and other stakeholders collaborate with researchers and designers to develop two toolkits. Traditional and systematic research methods from healthcare, such as observation and activity monitoring, are continuously combined with creative, generative research and design methods from the design field in a complementary manner.

HU researchers involved in the research

  • Manon Bloemen
    • Professor
    • Research group: Moving, growing and thriving together
  • Ryan Beekhuizen
    • Research group: Moving, growing and thriving together
  • Eline Bolster | Researcher | Research group Lifestyle and Health
    Eline Bolster
    • Researcher
    • Research group: Moving, growing and thriving together

Related research groups

Collaboration with knowledge partners

CP Nederland
SBH Nederland
DOCK Utrecht 
Empowerment by playing
Ergotherapie Nederland
Expertisecentrum De Kleine Prins
Fysiodomestic Oosterhout 
Gemeente Oosterhout
Gemeente Utrecht
Stichting het Gehandicapte Kind (NGSK)
Het Kasteel Speciaal Onderwijs Breda
Hogeschool van Amsterdam, lectoraat ergotherapie, participatie en omgeving
Jantje Beton
Kenniscentrum Sport en Bewegen
MOOVE Oosterhout
Mytylschool Ariane de Ranitz Utrecht 
NVFK (Nederlandse vereniging Kinderfysiotherapie)
Platform Ruimte voor de Jeugd
Praktijk voor kinderfsyiotherapie en kinderergotherapie Jan van Rijn
RC De Hoogstraat
Stichting Revant Medisch Specialistische Revalidatie 
Stichting Fitkids
TU Delft, faculteit industrieel ontwerp
UMCU, WKZ, kinderbewegingscentrum
UMCU, Divisie hersenen, revalidatie, fysiotherapiewetenschap en sport
Universiteit Utrecht, Sociale geografie en planologie
Universiteit Utrecht, Dynamics of Youth/Healthy Play Better Coping
Vereniging Nederlandse Gemeenten
Vereniging Sport en Bewegen
Wheelchair skills team
Fysiomedic
Regulier onderwijs De Krullevaar speel-leerschool
Regulier onderwijs De Beiaard Oosterhout
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