Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41987080›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2026

How does disability impact children's experiences in outdoor and risky play? A scoping review and narrative synthesis.

Maggie Locke, Michelle R Stone, Sofia So, Jordan Sheriko, Kelly P Arbour-Nicitopoulos, Mariana Brussoni, Sarah A Moore

Abstract readScoping Review
In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

7 authors.

Maggie LockeDalhousie University, School of Health and Human Performance, Halifax, NS, Canada.
Michelle R StoneDalhousie University, School of Health and Human Performance, Halifax, NS, Canada.
Sofia SoDalhousie University, School of Health and Human Performance, Halifax, NS, Canada.
Jordan SherikoPediatric Rehabilitation, IWK Health, Halifax, ON, Canada.
Kelly P Arbour-NicitopoulosFaculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Mariana BrussoniHuman Early Learning Partnership, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Sarah A MooreDalhousie University, School of Health and Human Performance, Halifax, NS, Canada. Sarah.Moore@dal.ca.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundOutdoor and risky play are associated with physical, cognitive, social, and emotional health and wellbeing throughout childhood. All children have the right to play, yet children with disabilities (CWD) are not engaging sufficiently in outdoor or risky play. There is limited literature exploring CWD participation in outdoor and risky play. Therefore, this scoping review aimed to summarize the literature exploring CWD experiences of outdoor and risky play, including definitions, types, preferences, benefits, barriers, and strategies to support CWD engagement in outdoor and risky play.

methodsThis scoping review included studies exploring outdoor and risky play for CWD (0–24 years). A search strategy was co-developed with a librarian and six databases were searched. Included records were screened at title and abstract and full text by multiple reviewers. Data from included articles were extracted and synthesized using narrative synthesis and organized using the socioecological model (SEM).

resultsSixty-nine articles were included in the final review. Articles were diverse in terms of study design, location, and disability type. Many articles explored outdoor play while few explored risky play. Articles reported on definitions, types, preferences, and benefits of outdoor and risky play for CWD. They reported on barriers and facilitators at all levels of the SEM. Finally, articles reported on proposed strategies to support CWD future engagement in outdoor and risky play.

conclusionsThe review revealed that CWD and those who support their participation in outdoor and risky play are resilient in overcoming a multitude of barriers they encounter during outdoor and risky play, as they recognize the benefits of engaging in play. The literature also explores barriers CWD face to participation and future strategies to support their engagement in outdoor and risky play. Future work should explore pathways to support CWD engagement in outdoor and risky play, specifically at the policy level. Furthermore, we must engage with CWD and their supporters to provide them with the autonomy to make decisions around their participation in outdoor and risky play in order to foster opportunities for quality participation. Registration DOI: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/H4FNP .

Indexed as

Children with DisabilitiesPlay and PlaythingsRisk-TakingAdolescentChildChild, PreschoolHumansNarrationChildrenDisabilitiesOutdoor playRisky play

Identifiers

PMID41987080
PMCPMC13173912

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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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.