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Play and health

We explore the role and value of children’s play in healthcare contexts, inclusive of both physical and mental health.

When children are in a healthcare environment, play can be a powerful tool for meaningful communication or care – encouraging children’s learning and understanding, aiding in procedural preparation or distraction, or supporting coping or recovery.

Our vision for Play and Health

Play is a key feature of childhood and a right for all children, regardless of their environment or circumstances. Children will naturally seek out play opportunities even in settings that seem inconducive to play, such as a hospital or clinic. Our research looks at play in health from a variety of perspectives with the overarching goal of understanding and improving how we care for children’s health and quality of life.

You can find out more about our work exploring play in health below.