NCT07355179

PLAY UP: An Intervention Program Through Active Play and Environmental Affordances

PLAY UP: An Intervention Program to Foster Physical Literacy Through Active Play and Environmental Affordances

• Status: Enrolling By Invitation
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 200 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Évora · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 3 Years – 6 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The goal of this cluster-randomized trial is to investigate how a co-created, affordance-based approach - developed in collaboration with children - and combined with educator training, can support preschool children's engagement in active play and their holistic development.

Conditions

• Children With Typical Neurodevelopment

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	PLAY UP	The PLAY UP intervention comprises 15 outdoor sessions (60 minutes each), delivered twice weekly by a psychomotor therapy professional, with the classroom educator providing pedagogical support. Sessions adopt a co-creation approach, actively engaging children in shaping play experiences while leveraging environmental affordances that promote movement and social interaction. Each PLAY UP session follows a structure, beginning with a warm-up that allows children to move freely and explore environmental affordances through active play. The main section combines guided reflection, child-led activity choices, and collective movement exploration, with adults facilitating engagement and expanding play possibilities. Sessions conclude with a symbolization and meaning-making phase, supporting reflection on experiences and promoting meaningful learning.

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-02-23
• Primary completion: 2026-06-30
• Completion: 2027-06-30
• First posted: 2026-01-21
• Last updated: 2026-01-21

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Portugal