Playful Interactions 0-12 months
It is through play that infants explore the world and learn how they and others behave in relationships with each other. When the infant is rested and ready, playful interactions with shared joy are essential for the infant’s development, well-being and learning. The project Playful Interactions 0-12 months investigates whether you can encourage playful interactions between children and parents in the child's first year of life, thereby strengthening children's social and emotional development as well as their parents' experience of competence.
The project involves health visitors and a group of parents of infants aged 0-1 year from two municipalities. Psychologists from the University of Copenhagen are, in collaboration with the health visitors, developing a competence development programme as well as information and guidance material for parents. The focus is on the importance of playful learning for the child's development and ability to form relationships later in life, and how parents can participate in playful interactions with shared joy with their infant. The teaching material will be included in the health visitors' guidance for parents. The health visitors will gain specialised knowledge about the way playful interactions can support children's social and emotional development and will be introduced to specific play activities. The health visitors will also receive training in guiding parents in playful learning.
Intervention and research combined
Data is first collected on a group of parents who receive the guidance currently offered by health visitors to measure the effect of the intervention. Then the health visitors receive training, and data is collected on a group of parents who are offered the Playful Interactions 0-12 months intervention as a supplement to the guidance currently offered. The project will evaluate the effect by looking at whether the number of playful interactions has increased, how this has affected the child's social and emotional development and whether the parents feel more competent. In addition, an implementation evaluation will assess the health visitors' experiences in relation to the intervention in their practice.
The project group
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Zoe Emilie Warburg de Chiffre |
About the project
The project Playful Interactions 0-12 months started on 1 June 2023, and will run until the end of November 2026.
The project is financed by the LEGO Foundation and the Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen.
Two partner municipalities
Playful Interactions 0-12 months collaborates with Billund Municipality and Hvidovre Municipality. Health visitors from these municipalities are involved in developing the programme.