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The Association between the Preference for Active Play and Neurological Development in Toddlers: A Register-Based

Anni Pakarinen1, Lea Hautala2, Lotta Hamari1

  • 1Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland.

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
|April 11, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Toddlers preferring active play in nurseries showed better neurological development. Early years settings should encourage physical activity to support children

Area of Science:

  • Child Development
  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Early Childhood Education

Background:

  • Active play is crucial for children's physical, psychosocial, and cognitive development.
  • Understanding the link between play preference and neurological development is vital for early intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between toddlers' preference for active play and their neurological development.
  • To identify specific developmental areas linked to play preferences in different settings.

Main Methods:

  • Register-based study utilizing electronic health records from child-health clinics.
  • Data collected from 717 toddlers aged 2.5-3.0 years, including parent and teacher assessments of active play preference.
  • Neurological development assessed by public health nurses.

Main Results:

  • 85% of toddlers preferred active play at home and in nurseries.
  • Delays in gross motor competence, auditory perception, and self-help skills were associated with lower active play preference in nursery settings.
  • No significant associations were found between active play preference at home and neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Conclusions:

  • Nursery environments play a significant role in linking active play preference with specific aspects of neurological development.
  • Early years settings should actively promote active play to support gross motor skills and self-help abilities.
  • Further research may explore the nuances of home-based play environments and their impact on development.

Keywords:
active playearly childhoodgross motor competenceneurological developmentphysical activitytoddlerhood

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