Codesigning with rural families to facilitate physical activity between children and parents

Background: Cross-generational physical activity has been identified as an important vehicle which connects family members, providing social, emotional, psychological, and physical benefits. It is constructed by interplay between children and parents or carers. Physical activity is an important component of healthcare for children who are identified as not meeting their developmental milestones. However, many children do not engage in regular physical activity. Children in rural Australia are typically less active and families endure long waiting lists to access developmental assessment and treatment from a clinician.

Aim: This study aimed to identify, using a co-design approach, what resources are needed to increase knowledge and engagement in cross-generational physical activity among rural families.

Methods: Two initial evidence-informed resources were developed. Regional primary school-aged children, who had been identified by their paediatrician as not meeting their developmental milestones, and their parents were invited to take part. In phase one, researchers observed children and parents use one resource together to plan a session of physical activity and participants provided their initial thoughts of the prototype. They returned after their session to take part in a family focus group to discuss their experiences and provide further feedback on the resource. Child-only and parent-only focus groups were conducted during the April school holidays in the second phase of co-design for the second prototype. The study data were analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis. Separate child and adult advisory groups were set up to inform the co-design approach.

Results: Thirteen children and twelve parents from nine families took part in the research. There was consensus amongst families that using the planning resource allowed children to know exactly what was happening. Using the resource reduced confusion and questioning from children, which allowed all participants to have a better experience. The resources supported families to consider aspects of physical activity that they had not considered before such as stopping, and physical and emotional safety.

Conclusions: These resources were found to help families organise and engage in positive cross-generational physical activity experiences as they provided structure for collaborative planning of activities, considering all aspects of it.

Relevance: Novel approaches are required to support the physical, emotional and social development of rural children. These co-design resources support families to engage in positive experiences of physical activity which are likely to be mutually reinforcing.