This year, Alessia Capone, PhD candidate at the University of Toronto in collaboration with the Canadian Centre for Outdoor Play, had the opportunity to share research at two exciting events: the International Symposium of Adapted Physical Activity (ISAPA) in Kerry, Ireland, and the Eastern Canada Sport and Exercise Psychology Symposium (ECSEPS) in London, Ontario. 

At ISAPA, Alessia presented a poster titled “Forging Paths: Understanding Outdoor Play for Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood.” This project, co-authored with M.E. James, P. ter Huurne, L. de Lannoy, M. Tremblay, and K. Arbour-Nicitopoulos, explores strategies to support outdoor play for young children with disabilities. 

She also delivered an oral presentation on “Active Play Among Young Children (0–4 years) with Disabilities: A Scoping Review,” conducted in partnership with the Canadian Disability Participation Project (CDPP). This review, co-authored with Arbour-Nicitopoulos, K., de Lannoy, L., Deliscar, S., Taylor, L. G., Tucker, P., Vanderloo, L. M., & James, M. E., highlights current evidence and gaps in promoting active play for children with disabilities during early childhood. 

The same oral presentation was shared at ECSEPS, where Alessia connected with peers passionate about sport and exercise psychology. Both conferences sparked meaningful conversations about accessibility and inclusion, with attendees eager to learn more about the work being done within the CCOP 

Alessia’s experience at ISAPA was particularly inspiring, as she learned about the Outdoor Classroom at Kerry Munster Technological University—a space designed for university course offerings and programs focused on Outdoor Education.