ArticleMethods and protocols2019
A Loose Parts Randomized Controlled Trial to Promote Active Outdoor Play in Preschool-aged Children: Physical Literacy in the Early Years (PLEY) Project.
Article in Methods and protocols, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
20 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- The impact of early childhood education and care-based interventions on child physical activity, anthropometrics, fundamental movement skills, cognitive functioning, and social-emotional wellbeing: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity · 2025Pooled it
- The Effectiveness of Physical Literacy Interventions: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2022Pooled it
- Results from the PROmoting Early Childhood Outside cluster randomized trial evaluating an outdoor play intervention in early childhood education centres.Scientific reports · 2025Trial
- Impact of an outdoor loose parts play intervention on Nova Scotian preschoolers' physical literacy: a mixed-methods randomized controlled trial.BMC public health · 2023Trial
- Article
- The Relationship Between Children's Indoor Loose Parts Play and Cognitive Development: A Systematic Review.Journal of Intelligence · 2025Review
- Development of a physical literacy assessment framework for Chinese preschool children: a Delphi-AHP approach.Frontiers in public health · 2025Article
- Introducing the Multidimensional Toolkit for the Assessment of Play in Schools (M-TAPS): a reliability study.F1000Research · 2025Article
- Associations of objectively measured physical activity and sleep in preschoolers aged 3 to 6 years.Frontiers in sleep · 2024Article
- Article
- An Observational Study on Play and Physical Activity Associated with a Recreational Facility-Led Park-Based "Loose Parts" Play Intervention during the COVID-19 Pandemic.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Piloting the Virtual PLAYshop Program: A Parent-Focused Physical Literacy Intervention for Early Childhood.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- An exploration of parent perceptions of a take-home loose parts play kit intervention during the COVID-19 pandemic.PloS one · 2023Article
- Scoping review of children's and youth's outdoor play publications in Canada.Health promotion and chronic disease prevention in Canada : research, policy and practice · 2023Article
- Article
- Impact of an outdoor loose parts intervention on Nova Scotia preschoolers' fundamental movement skills: a multi-methods randomized controlled trial.AIMS public health · 2022Article
- Investigating the Social Network Structure of Physical Literacy Scholars to Advance a Paradigm for Physical Activity Promotion.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2022Article
- Early childhood educator perceptions of risky play in an outdoor loose parts intervention.AIMS public health · 2021Article
- Diversified Talent Cultivation Mechanism of Early Childhood Physical Education Under the Full-Practice Concept - Oriented by Preschooler Mental Health and Intelligent Teaching.Frontiers in psychology · 2020Article
- Educator perceptions on the benefits and challenges of loose parts play in the outdoor environments of childcare centres.AIMS public health · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThe Physical Literacy in the Early Years (PLEY) intervention is a randomized mixed-methods controlled trial focused on embedding loose parts materials into the outdoor play spaces of regulated child care centres across Nova Scotia. The aim is to evaluate the efficacy of the PLEY intervention versus standard regulated childcare practice in influencing thoughts and behaviors of children, parents, and educators.
methodsParticipating early child care centres (n = 19) were randomly assigned to intervention or control sites. Intervention sites received loose parts kits at the beginning of the project while control sites received kits upon project completion. The kits included items such as rocks, tree cookies, balls, wood planks, tubes, tires, ropes, and pulleys. Children (n = 183 at baseline) had their physical activity (accelerometers) and movement skills (TGMD-3 and PGMQ) measured before and after the intervention. All centres provided responses to environmental surveys (Go NAP SACC and Site Context Questionnaire), and educators in intervention sites participated in focus group and photovoice sessions. Educators were also provided with a full day professional development opportunity (plus ongoing mentoring) focused on physical activity, physical literacy, outdoor play, risk-taking, and loose parts. Parents participated in an interview addressing active outdoor play, physical literacy, and attitudes towards risk taking during play. DISCUSSION: This study will provide a better understanding of how integrating loose parts materials into outdoor play spaces impacts children's health, and the impact on educator and parent attitudes, beliefs, and understanding around physical literacy, active outdoor play and risk-taking during play.
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