PLAYCE Study

Calling all parents and caregivers of children aged 10 or under!

Want to help shape the future of research on young children’s physical activity, health, and development? Join our in-person workshop and get paid to have your say!

📅 When: Saturday, 15 November 2025, 1:30 pm - 5 pm

📍 Where: Victoria Park Community Centre, Perth

💰 $150 thank-you payment for attending

This is a unique opportunity to collaborate with other parents and help decide the Top 10 research priorities that will guide future studies.

👉 Sign up here: https://redcap.link/workshopPLAYCE

Feel free to share with other parents or caregivers who might be interested — the more voices, the better!

Do you have children aged 0-10 and ideas for how research into children's physical activity, health, and development could benefit your child, family, or community? Take part in a 5–10-minute survey and help us set our research direction for the next 5-10 years.

Complete two surveys and go in the draw to win a $100 voucher!

https://redcap.link/prioritysetcaregiver

Life Course Centre Early Childhood Australia WA Branch Nature Play WA

Hi everyone! 👋 Long-time, no post! We are running a short survey to get parent and caregiver input to help set the direction of our future research. Our team studies child physical activity, health, and development. Would you like to provide input on what is important to you and your child?

If you'd like to participate, please visit Redcap to fill out the survey: https://redcap.link/prioritysetcaregiver

And feel free to share in your networks - the wider the input we get, the better! Thank you! https://playactive.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Parent-survey-2025.pdf

Learn more about our team and research here: https://www.thekids.org.au/child-physical-activity-health-and-development

Happy World Children's Day! Join us in celebrating the joy, resilience and unlimited potential of all children. Let's nurture their dreams and guide them with love as we set them up on their journey to a happy and healthy future.

Congratulations to Emeritus Professor Donna Cross OAM for this well deserved recognition.

Anti-bullying champion Professor Donna Cross inducted into WA Science Hall of Fame Pioneering anti-bullying researcher Emeritus Professor Donna Cross OAM was last night announced as the latest inductee into the WA Science Hall of Fame.

Two fantastic days to celebrate today!

Associate Professor Hayley Christian was one of the key note speakers at the Early Childhood Australia WA Branch 2023 state conference on the weekend where she talked about how active play is an essential but overlooked aspect of early child health and development.

All types of play, including energetic play, are vital for a child’s health, development and life success.

Hayley was part of a panel, which included fellow Telethon Kids Institute researcher Sarah Pillar, Research Development Manager with Clinikids, Dr Kay Ayre from Edith Cowan University, Wongutha (Yilda)/ Noongar/ Yamatji woman Rosie Paine, Deputy Principal, and Kendra Bell-Hayes, Director of Enhanced Learning, to discuss the power of play for diverse learners.

What are you doing to celebrate National Science Week? Need some ideas for what to do at home or at your centres? Check out some great activities from National Science Week at https://www.scienceweek.net.au/diy-science/

Happy Science Week!

Such incredible results for Australian sport in the last 24 hours! Fantastic to see our Diamonds as the Netball World Cup Champions and for our Matildas to make it into the Fifa Women’s World Cup quarter finals.

Telethon Kids Institute has recently launched a podcast series, 'Embracing the Mind,' where leading experts and individuals with lived experience delve into the complexities of mental health.

Our team member Phoebe George was one of the first researchers to feature!

Phoebe is completing her PhD on how young people's access to green and blue spaces impact their social and emotional wellbeing.

Listen to her share her insights into how sport and physical activity can boost mental health, as well as some great tips on staying active.

Episode 2: Exercise, sport and mental health Listen to this episode from Embracing the Mind on Spotify. TW: This episode contains content that may be upsetting or triggering to some audiences, including discussion of racial discrimination and anxiety. In today's episode, host Dr Alix Woolard is joined by Richmond and Claremont great Michael Mi...

It was fantastic to have clinical psychologist and internationally renowned expert in child health, Dr Maren Østvold Lindheim - from Oslo University Hospital in Norway - at Telethon Kids Institute last week, as part of her work with Nature Play WA, to talk about how nature can be used to help treatment and recovery for children.

Dr Lindheim spoke about how the environment can be a co-therapist in helping children and their families cope with hospitalisation, treatment and chronic illness.

Alongside Dr Kelsie Prabawa-Sear, CEO of Nature Play WA and Associate Professor Hayley Christian, she shared her knowledge on introducing change to integrate outdoor experiences as part of a patient’s therapy.

A big thanks to Nature Play WA for arranging for Dr Lindheim to come and speak with our researchers.

Some great news for Associate Professor Hayley Christian, Phoebe George, Emma Adams and Pulan Bai from the PLAYCE team, who are in Sweden for the International Society of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity conference. The team was one of three finalists in the Early Care and Education: Young Adult awards for the Play Active program. Find out more about Play Active here https://tinyurl.com/2p88f7ba

Congratulations team!