Helping Young Kids Move More Through Parents: A New Study Explores PLAYshop Program

Researchers tested a program called PLAYshop. It is designed for parents of young children ages three to five. The focus is on helping families who face extra challenges. PLAYshop was shared online. It taught parents about movement and play. Parents also got tools like handouts and play equipment. A phone app offered extra lessons every two weeks. There were four of these follow-up lessons in total.

The study included 35 parents from two Canadian provinces. Alberta and British Columbia families took part. Sixteen parents joined the PLAYshop group. Nineteen parents were in a control group that did not receive the program right away. Parents answered questions before the program began. They answered them again after the workshop. The control group answered theirs one week after their first survey.

The results showed real gains for parents who used PLAYshop. Parents learned more about how to support active play. That meant their knowledge went up. They also felt they had better access to tools and spaces for movement. Confidence to guide their children rose as well. Parents in the program were happy with what they learned. They said the workshop was useful and well run. In follow-up talks, many shared that they were adding more movement into daily life at home.

Getting parents to join was tough. Some had busy lives. Others were hard to reach. Only 31 percent of parents opened even one extra app lesson. That suggests follow-up support needs a rethink. Still, the program showed clear benefits for those who took part. Researchers suggest linking PLAYshop with other local support services. This could help more families access it. The trial is registered under the number NCT05436197.