How early learning services are contributing to child health research

Todd Dawson, now CEO of Atlantis Group and long-term research collaborator through Goodstart Early Learning explains why he decided to get involved in children’s health research.

"For us it came down to a simple conviction. The early years aren't a rehearsal for development, they are the development. We suspected that active play did far more than build strong bodies, but partnering with Play Active and The Kids Research Institute Australia meant we didn't have to rely on assumption. We could ground our practice in real research and see the results for ourselves.”

Play Active is backed by more than 11 years of research and collaboration with the early childhood sector and partners across Australia.

When services join Play Active, they benefit from an evidence-based program while contributing to leading research. Services complete a baseline survey that helps them reflect on their current practices, policies and approaches to active play, providing them with a tailored policy for their service. Follow-up surveys at 12 and 24 months allow services and researchers to track their progress and receive valuable insights into how their practices have evolved.

“Getting it right early means recognising that the habits, movements and mindsets a child forms before they turn five don't just fade away,” explains Todd.

“They become the foundation everything else is built on. A child who learns that moving their body is joyful, that play is where discovery happens, carries that with them into school and well beyond. It's about making sure the environment we create in these precious years is the right one,” he said.

Services based in Perth, Adelaide or Brisbane also have opportunities to participate in additional research involving "superhero belts" (accelerometers) that help researchers and services learn when, where and how children are most active.

“What's been most exciting is watching the changes in numeracy, literacy and the social and emotional development alongside physical development through Play Active. It confirmed something we'd hoped was true: when you get active play right, you're not choosing between physical health and learning, you're strengthening both at once," said Todd.

Be Part of Something Bigger

Every member survey completed, every professional development module undertaken and every service that joins Play Active helps create environments where children can thrive.

“Movement and play aren't a break from learning, for a young child, they are learning. Every child deserves that not as a privilege but as a birthright, because the confidence, curiosity and wellbeing it builds will carry them for the rest of their lives", says Todd.

Join the movement – sign up today.