BUILT: Partnering With Parents And Parks To Promote Physical Literacy

Introduction: In partnership with Chicago Park District (CPD) and Urban Initiatives, the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Healthy Kids Lab developed the Be Unstoppable in Life Together (BUILT) Family Lifestyle Program. BUILT empowers families to adopt sustainable screen, sleep, food, and physical activity routines. BUILT activities are enjoyable, cooperative, and competitive multi-family games designed to give children confidence, competence, motivation, and knowledge to be active for life. Purpose: This study assessed children’s physical literacy perceptions before and after two versions of the BUILT Family Lifestyle Program (online and in-person). Methods: Forty-four children (M = 8.57 yrs; SD = 1.66; 46% female; 50% African American) participated in BUILT. Families at 6 parks received either an 8-week online version with 21 challenges (AY 2022-2023) or a 6-week in person version with 13 challenges (AY 2023-2024). The Physical Literacy Assessment for Youth Self (PLAYself) was collected on 27 children at baseline/post-test. PLAYself assesses children’s perceptions of their physical literacy skills. The survey is divided into four subscales: environment, physical literacy self-description (self-efficacy), relative rankings of literacies, and fitness. Pre and post changes were assessed using paired samples t-tests and Hedges’ g effect sizes. Results:Physical self-efficacy significantly improved among children who received the BUILT in-person program (MChange = 113.46; SD = 144.52; t = 2.83; p = .015; g = .735), but not for children who received the BUILT online program (MChange = 6; SD = 115.02; t = .173; p = .866; g = .048). No significant changes were observed in PLAYself overall scores, Environment scores, or Relative Rankings of Literacies during the in-person or online versions of the program (g = .018 to .344; all ps > .21). Conclusion: Compared to BUILT online, BUILT in-person provided more opportunities for staff to directly instruct children on fundamental movement skills and facilitate parent-child games. Results reflect that this explicit effort translated into improved physical self-efficacy, but not other features of physical self-concept. Findings supports continued pursuit of physical activity behavior change through BUILT among families with high needs and few resources.