Understanding the use of toy-based play in pediatric care: scoping review

This scoping review explores the role of toy-based play in pediatric care, addressing gaps in (1) implementing child-led play interventions, (2) managing multiple stakeholders, and (3) integrating play interventions within pediatric care coordination. We qualitatively analyzed 18 papers from PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and ACM Digital Library, identifying four main themes that emphasize the need for systematic play implementation with stakeholder involvement. Our findings aim to enhance the understanding of how toy-based play impacts health outcomes and its feasibility in care settings, offering insights for healthcare providers as well as toy designers and design researchers.