Completed Projects

RETURN TO PLAY

Szpunar, M., Bourke, M., Vanderloo, L. M., Bruijns, B. A., Truelove, S., Burke, S. M., Gilliland, J., Irwin, J. D., & Tucker, P. (2023). Association Between Children's and Parents' Physical Activity During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Lagged Analysis. Journal of physical activity & health, 21(1), 68–76. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2023-0356

Szpunar, M., Bourke, M., Vanderloo, L. M., Bruijns, B. A., Truelove, S., Burke, S. M., Gilliland, J., Irwin, J. D., & Tucker, P. Parent-Reported Changes in Ontario Children’s Physical Activity Levels During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Children. 2023; 10(2):221. https://doi.org/10.3390/children10020221

Szpunar, M., Saravanamuttoo, K., Vanderloo, L.M., Bruijns, B.A., Truelove, S., Burke, S.M., Gilliland, J., Irwin, J.D., Tucker, P. Children’s Physical Activity during COVID-19 in Ontario, Canada: Parents’ Perspectives. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022; 19(22):15061. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215061

Szpunar, M., Vanderloo, L. M., Bruijns, B. A., Truelove, S., Burke, S. M., Gillilland, J., Irwin, J. D., & Tucker, P. Parents’ Attitudes regarding their Children’s Play and Sport During COVID-19. Health Education & Behavior; 2022; 49(6):934-948. doi:10.1177/10901981221116789

Szpunar, M., Vanderloo, L. M., Bruijns, B. A., Truelove, S., Burke, S. M., Gillilland, J., Irwin, J. D., & Tucker, P. 2021. Children and Parents' Views of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Ontario Children's Physical Activity, Play and Sport Behaviours. BMC Public Health 21, 2271 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-12344-w

Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Human Development, Child, and Youth Health (CIHR-IHDCYH) Talks Video Competition - Special Commendation (2023)

Title: Children’s and Parents’ Activity During COVID-19 in Ontario

Amount Awarded: $500

Description: Submitted a video to educate parents and children on how to get active during stay-at-home periods because of COVID-19.

The video can be seen here.

NDRIO Portage COVID 19 Data Curation Funding (2021-2022)

Title: Parents' Perspectives of their Child(ren)'s "Return to Play" Post-Covid

Amount Awarded: $20,840

Description: The Digital Research Alliance of Canada awarded this funding to create an open-access dataset and deposit it to Western’s Dataverse – a data repository.

The completed project can be found online here.

Western Faculty Research Development Fund (FRDF) (2021-2022)

Title: Knowledge Dissemination of Parents' Perspectives of their Child(ren)'s "Return to Play" Post COVID-19 Pandemic: Infographic

Amount Awarded: $3,000

Description: Funds awarded to produce infographics and videos.

Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Explore Grant (2021)

Title: Parents' Perspectives of their Child(ren)'s "Return to Play" Post-Covid

Amount Awarded: $7,000

Description: This funding was used for a doctoral research project, that assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on parents and children’s physical activity. Given that parents are gatekeepers to children’s activity (e.g., they provide transportation, finances, etc.), their plans to return (or not) their children to physical activity and sport were also examined in detail.

In light of the current COVID-19 pandemic, many children’s opportunities for physical activity and play have changed. Schools, outdoor playgrounds, and sports facilities that previously supported movement opportunities have been deemed inaccessible. The purpose of this study is to explore Ontario parents’ perspectives regarding their children's return to play opportunities that support physical activity during and post-pandemic. In addition, children's (< 12 years) voices regarding the COVID-19 pandemic on their play opportunities are being explored. The findings from this work will share import insights regarding Ontario families Return to Play/Sport plans during and post the COVID-19 pandemic.

Watch Study Video Here

View Infographic Here

Watch Study Video Here

SPACE

The Supporting Physical Activity in the Childcare Environment (SPACE) study involved implementing a 3-component intervention in childcare centres in London, Ontario and included: 1) new portable play equipment; 2) shorter, more frequent outdoor play sessions; and, 3) staff training in physical activity. The goal of this study was to increase preschoolers’ physical activity levels and decrease their sedentary time during childcare hours.

Tucker et al. (2017). Impact of the Supporting Physical Activity in the Childcare Environment (SPACE) intervention on preschoolers’ physical activity levels and sedentary time: a single-blind cluster randomized controlled trial. international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 14(1), 120. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-017-0579-7

Driediger, et al. (2018). The Implementation and Feasibility of the Supporting Physical Activity in the Childcare Environment (SPACE) Intervention: A Process Evaluation. Health Education & Behavior, 45(6), 935-944.

Tucker et al. (2015). Supporting Physical Activity in the Childcare Environment (SPACE): rationale and study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial. BMC public health, 16(1), 112.

Truelove et al. (2017). Preschoolers’ health-related quality of life following the implementation of a childcare physical activity intervention. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 43(5), 453-459.

LEAPP

The purpose of the Learning Environments’ Activity Potential for Preschoolers (LEAPP) study was to compare the physical activity levels (i.e., moderate to vigorous physical activity, total physical activity) of preschoolers in three different early-learning environments (i.e., center-based childcare, home-based childcare and full day kindergarten) and to assess which characteristics (i.e., play equipment, policies, staff behaviour and training, outdoor play periods, sedentary behaviours/opportunities) of these early learning environments were associated with preschoolers' physical activity.

Vanderloo, L. M., Tucker, P., Johnson, A. M., Burke, S. M., & Irwin, J. D. (2015). Environmental influences on Preschoolers' physical activity levels in various early-learning facilities. Research quarterly for exercise and sport, 86(4), 360-370.

Tucker, P., Vanderloo, L. M., Newnham-Kanas, C., Burke, S. M., Irwin, J. D., Johnson, A. M., & van Zandvoort, M. M. (2013). Learning environments’ activity potential for preschoolers (LEAPP): study rationale and design. Journal of public health research, 2(2).

An Examination of Early Childhood Educators’ (ECEs) Knowledge, Self- Efficacy and Risk Tolerance for Outdoor Play among Young Children in Childcare

The purpose of this study was to train early childhood educators to promote children’s frequent engagement in outdoor play with exposure to risk. In partnership with the YMCA of Southwestern Ontario (SWO) an Outdoor Play Workshop was created to 1. inform ECE’s of the importance of risky play for young children and 2. educate participants how to responsibly implement activities involving risky play. Study outcomes measured how the workshop changed ECE’s (1) knowledge, (2) self-efficacy (SE), and (3) risk tolerance for children’s outdoor play in participating YMCA childcare centres.

Mitacs Funded Project ($16,000)

Western University in partnership with the YMCA of Southwestern Ontario (YMCA SWO), London, ON

Szpunar, M., Johnson, A.M., Driediger, M., & Tucker, P. (2023). Early Childhood Educators’ Knowledge, Self-Efficacy and Risk Tolerance for Outdoor Risky Play in Childcare. Children, 10, 1346. https://doi.org/10.3390/children10081346