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Politicizing Children's Play: A Community Photovoice Process to Transform a School Playground.

Natalia Rivas-QuarnetiInés Viana-MoldesSilvia Veiga-SeijoMarta Canabal-LópezLilian Magalhaes
Published in: The American journal of occupational therapy : official publication of the American Occupational Therapy Association (2024)
 Conflicting priorities between children's and adults' desires and needs for the playground were unveiled, displaying the relevance of invisible contexts (i.e., social or institutional contexts) in shaping play opportunities. A critical occupational stance combined with a participatory and playful methodology generated space to unveil these conflicting priorities, reconcile agendas, raise awareness, and propose collective actions to transform the playground. Plain-Language Summary: Playing is fundamental to children's development and inclusion. This study focused on making school playgrounds better places for kids to play. Researchers found that things such as short playtimes, bad playground conditions, and violence made it tough for kids to enjoy playing, but they also discovered some good things, such as a system for borrowing games and colorful murals promoting children' rights. These findings show that changing the playground's physical and social environment can make a big difference for kids. By listening to kids and working together, adults and children can create playgrounds where all kids can play meaningfully and safely. Occupational therapists can promote such processes.
Keyphrases
  • mental health
  • young adults
  • physical activity
  • healthcare
  • machine learning
  • autism spectrum disorder
  • big data