Play in the pandemic rapid review
The COVID-19 pandemic introduced many changes to children’s everyday lives, including play. Children’s play was substantially altered due to lockdown and safety restrictions, creating a unique pandemic experience for children. We conducted a rapid review of the literature on the impact of quarantine and restricted environments on play,
Understanding children's play experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic
Following PEDAL’s Play in the Pandemic rapid review, PhD Student Kelsey Graber conducted a qualitative research study to investigate children’s own play experiences and perspectives during the COVID-19 pandemic, a state of global health adversity. Fifteen children (ages 3-10) participated in virtual interviews over Zoom between August-October 2020, answering questions and expressing their ideas about play during this exceptional time. This work sheds light on the importance of including children, as members of society, in our understanding of health emergency preparedness, decision-making, and effectiveness, particularly when considering matters of childhood.
- Read more about Kelsey’s work in her blog for the Institute of Health Visiting
- Watch Kelsey present on her work at the Play Observatory symposium