Trish Tucker

((she/her))

7

Articles

0

Comments
  • Professor and Director of the Child Health and Physical Activity Lab, Western University
Children require opportunities to develop motor skills. (Getty Images /Unsplash)

What are motor skills? Evidence‑based ways to support children’s fine and gross motor development

Sophie M Phillips, Western University; Dan Jones, Teesside University, and Trish Tucker, Western University

Habitually practising different motor skills can help ensure young children have the key competencies and abilities to move and use their bodies in ways that prepare them to lead healthy lives.
Child-care settings play an influential role in early childhood development. A two-year-old child plays outside a child-care centre in Montréal in April 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Kids in child care need healthy movement — and guidelines can improve their health

Sophie M Phillips, Western University and Trish Tucker, Western University

Best practice guidelines for healthy movement in child-care settings serve as a critical step to create more active and health-promoting child-care centres.
There are many barriers to promoting physical activity in child-care settings. Children play in a sandbox at a daycare in Vancouver, in 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Kids’ physical activity in child care is essential — how an online course equips educators to lead the way

Myranda Hawthorne, Western University; Sophie M Phillips, Western University, and Trish Tucker, Western University

Research shows an online course increases early childhood educators’ knowledge, confidence and intentions to incorporate physical activity during the child-care day.
New research shows that young children with disabilities have markedly low levels of physical activity, which means they are missing out on the numerous benefits of engaging in physical activity. (Shutterstock)

Young children with disabilities are excluded from national physical activity monitoring. That needs to change.

Sophie M Phillips, Western University; Leah G. Taylor, Western University, and Trish Tucker, Western University

Given the physical, social and economic prioritization of physical activity in our society, why are young children with disabilities missed from physical activity monitoring and reporting?
The forced slow down the pandemic offered may have long-lasting effects on children and families’ activities. (Shutterstock)

As kids’ activities reopen, parents share insights about keeping families active during COVID‑19 shutdowns

Monika Szpunar, Western University and Trish Tucker, Western University

Parents in a study discussed barriers and opportunities in encouraging children’s physical movement during COVID-19 — from arguing about warm clothing for outdoor play to finding local hiking trails.
Although colder weather is linked to lower levels of physical activity, changing seasons provide unique opportunities to be active. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Keeping kids active despite the weather: Promoting outdoor activity all year round

Leigh Vanderloo, Western University and Trish Tucker, Western University

Keeping kids active in winter can be a challenge, as cold temperatures and icy conditions often mean more time indoors. Here’s how to maintain a healthy activity level throughout Canadian winters.

Contact Trish for

  • General
  • Media request
  • Speaking request
  • Consulting / Advising
  • Research collaboration
  • Research supervision