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Promoting Healthy

Development Through Play

by Dr Lisa Hudson, Speech Pathologist, Queensland Health

The importance of play in the daily lives of children cannot be underestimated and is appreciated by most people who work with children. Play is the medium through which children learn about their world, and their own bodies, minds and skills. Play is an activity that is critical for healthy development and can be successfully utilised as a teaching tool in most situations.

Powerplay – Promoting Healthy Development Through Play is a fun, “hands-on” workshop that was originally developed for parents and carers in response to the clinical experiences of a Speech Pathologist (Lisa Hudson), a Physiotherapist (Robyn Collins) and an Occupational Therapist (Julia Stewart). These Allied Health Professionals conducted a 12 month health promotion project entitled (Kids at Work) and designed Powerplay to address their observation that many parents, carers and other stakeholders considered play to be a little more than a way for children to fill in their spare time. IN addition, when using play as a teaching tool in therapy, it was noted that many parents were not comfortable getting involved in the therapy games and would often ask when the “real work” could be introduced.

Powerplay introduces parents to some of the core skills that children are practising when they engage in play activities. The program is underpinned by the integration theory of development and provides a framework for parents which skills their children regularly practise, and to what level. The workshop program then addresses practical methods that parents can use to positively introduce their children to new skills. These methods apply equally well to therapy home programs and many therapists have commented on the success that Powerplay parents experience with home programs once they have completed the workshops. Throughout the workshop, parents do not sit through lengthy lectures but are involved in fun games and activities, which demonstrate the concepts in a memorable way.

The workshop for parents and carers takes approximately 5 hours to present. The workshop format is flexible in how it can be delivered. For example, some clinicians prefer to conduct two sessions of 2.5 hours each, others run three 2 hour sessions and some have used six 1 hour sessions as part of other training programs. The resources that have been developed for Powerplay can also be taken from the kit and used ‘stand alone' when giving short presentations to target groups.

When Powerplay workshops were started in Toowoomba in 1995, the interest expressed by other professionals (such as Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Teachers, Childcare Workers, Psychologists, Social Workers, Child Health Nurses) was overwhelming. To meet demand, the authors devised a workshop to introduce other professionals to the package so that they could become trainers and offer Powerplay workshops to their client groups. Trainers can now attend a one-day workshop, and after completing an open book exam, receive all of the resources they need to run their own workshops. Speech Pathologist, Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists also have the option of completing the Powerplay course by distance education.

For further information on becoming a Powerplay trainer contact the Kath Dickson Institute Of Early Childhood Studies on (07) 4613 1630, Fax: (07) 4613 1678, Email: tracey@kathdicksoncentre.com.au

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