Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37308842›Full record

Trial reportBMC public health2023

Impact of an outdoor loose parts play intervention on Nova Scotian preschoolers' physical literacy: a mixed-methods randomized controlled trial.

Hilary A T Caldwell, Rebecca A Spencer, Nila Joshi, Karina Branje, Jane Cawley, Heather Hobson, Sara F L Kirk, Daniel Stevens, Michelle R Stone

Open access · goldAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC public health, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
5.4field-weighted citation impact, top 4% of its field
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 14 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Article
  4. 2025 Position statement on active outdoor play.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2025
    Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Hilary A T CaldwellHealthy Populations Institute, Dalhousie University, 1318 Robie Street, Box 15000, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada.
Rebecca A SpencerSchool of Health and Human Performance, Dalhousie University, PO Box 15000, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada.
Nila JoshiSchool of Health and Human Performance, Dalhousie University, PO Box 15000, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada.
Karina BranjeSchool of Health and Human Performance, Dalhousie University, PO Box 15000, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada.
Jane CawleyHealthy Populations Institute, Dalhousie University, 1318 Robie Street, Box 15000, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada.
Heather HobsonInterdisciplinary Studies, Dalhousie University, 6299 South Street, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada.
Sara F L KirkHealthy Populations Institute, Dalhousie University, 1318 Robie Street, Box 15000, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada.
Daniel StevensSchool of Health and Human Performance, Dalhousie University, PO Box 15000, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada.
Michelle R StoneHealthy Populations Institute, Dalhousie University, 1318 Robie Street, Box 15000, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada. michelle.stone@dal.ca.
Dalhousie University · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPhysical activity participation among preschoolers in childcare settings are low, and interventions to increase physical activity levels have produced mixed results. The Physical Literacy in the Early Years (PLEY) project implemented a six-month childcare-based outdoor loose parts play intervention in childcare centres in Nova Scotia, Canada. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the PLEY project on the development of domains of physical literacy (physical activity, physical competence, confidence and motivation, knowledge and understanding) in preschoolers attending childcare centres using mixed-methods.

methodsPreschoolers (3-5 years) were recruited from 19 childcare centres in Nova Scotia and centres were randomized (parallel design) to the outdoor loose parts play intervention group (n = 11) or control (n = 8) group for 6 months. Participants, early childhood educators, and assessors were not blinded to group assignment. Quantitative and qualitative measures were used to comprehensively assess the impact of the PLEY project on all domains of physical literacy. At 3- and 6-months, early childhood educators participated in focus groups to assess how the intervention supported the development of 4 physical literacy domains: physical activity, physical competence, confidence and motivation, and knowledge and understanding. Physical activity and physical competence were also assessed with accelerometry and the Test of Gross Motor Development-3, respectively.

resultsTwo hundred and nine preschoolers participated in the study (intervention group: n = 115; control group: n = 94). Accelerometer data showed that while baseline physical activity was similar between groups, children in the intervention group had higher physical activity at 3- (F(1,187) = 8.30, p = 0.004) and 6-months (F(1,187) = 9.90, p = 0.002) post-intervention. There was no intervention effect on physical competence scores. Thematic analysis of focus group data revealed that outdoor loose parts play contributed to development in all 4 physical literacy domains, including increased movement repertoires, social development, and enjoyment of physical activity. No adverse events or side effects of the intervention were reported.

conclusionsParticipation in the PLEY project was associated with increased development of various domains of physical literacy and perceived physical literacy among preschoolers, and outdoor loose parts play may be encouraged as an effective strategy to increase physical literacy in early learning settings.

trial registrationBiomed Central (ISRCTN14058106), 20/10/2017.

Indexed as

Child HealthLiteracyAccelerometryChildChild, PreschoolHumansLearningNova ScotiaChildcareEarly childhood educationPhysical activityThematic analysisUnstructured play

Identifiers

PMID37308842
PMCPMC10262461
OpenAlexW4380356650

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.