Pixel Play: A play equipment designed to develop social competence in early year Children with Cerebral Palsy

Abstract

Children with cerebral palsy often face barriers to engaging in play activities with their peers, limiting their opportunities to develop social communication skills and establish social competence. Early year children with Cerebral Palsy lack social competence and face rejection due to their disability, which can result in lower selfesteem in the later stages of their lives. This research addresses the critical need for inclusive play equipment by introducing Pixel Play, a specially designed educational toy. By employing a mixed-methods approach, we investigated the effectiveness of Pixel Play in fostering collaboration, turn-taking, and creative thinking among children with cerebral palsy. Our findings highlight the significant positive impact of Pixel Play on social communication and competence, highlighting the importance of inclusive environments and play materials in early childhood education. This research contributes to filling the gap in inclusive play options and underscores the value of promoting social integration, communication skills, and self-confidence in children with cerebral palsy.