Inclusive Play Research

Everyone has the right to play
Playing outside should be available for everyone, children with or without a disability. That is Yalp’s mission and vision. Physical activity throughout the school day increases academic performance, improves behavior in the classroom, and provides health benefits for students[1]. The Netherlands has more than 200.000 children with motor, visual, hearing, mental, or multiple disabilities. For a large part of this population, playing (together) is not accessible, or there are too many (physical) barriers. People with a disability or chronic condition play, play sports or exercise less (34% versus 63%) than people who do not have a disability. Inclusive play is limited based on the numerous physical and social barriers for children with disabilities.

The innovation challenge
Representatives of sport, municipalities, businesses, civil society organizations, and VWS (Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sport) signed the National Sports Agreement “Sports unites the Netherlands” in 2018. The Sports Agreement’s goal is to ensure that every Dutch person can enjoy sports and exercise during their whole life. The VWS joined forces with Sport Innovator to create a challenge for innovative concepts that ensure that children with and without disabilities connect playfully.

Through StartHubs Innovation challenges & hubs, Yalp entered and won the challenge on the 6th of December 2019 with the Yalp Sona Interactive dance and play arch and a research & pilot project with the following question:

“To what extent and under what circumstances would children with disabilities (physical, intellectual, and sensory (visual and auditory)) or a combination of these interact playfully with children without disabilities under the Sona?”

This document is the result of a year of desk research, talking to experts and end-users. We developed and launched a first pilot with improved games and collected 2 months of play data and expert reviews of these new inclusive games.