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About

Getting kids aged from birth – 8 years moving. Building their physical literacy. Helping them to have fun. And developing the
skills, motivation and confidence to be active for life. That’s what KIDDO is all about.

Welcome to KIDDO

And welcome to a specialist program developed by academics from Exercise and Sports Science in the School of Human Sciences at the University of Western Australia.

KIDDO (formerly known as Uni-Active) was launched in 2014 to help develop the skills, confidence and motivation to be physically active of Australian children.

Designed to help develop physical literacy in children aged birth to 8 years, KIDDO provides information, practical resources and skills for parents, teachers and early learning educators.

Over 12,000 children and 764 primary schools and early childhood education and care centres have taken part in KIDDO programs since 2014.

Meet the team

Ms Amanda Derbyshire

Program Director

Amanda is a sport and exercise scientist and researcher at UWA. Amanda has overseen the development, delivery and rollout of KIDDO since its inception in 2014 to where it is now. Amanda has extensive experience in the development and management of health promotion projects in both the University and not-for-profit sectors.

Dr Michael Rosenberg

Associate Professor

Michael’s primary research interest is the complex interaction between children, their families, and engagement in physical activity and sedentary behaviours. Michael is also an expert in health promotion evaluation. He has acted as an expert consultant to the World Health Organisation, the National Heart Foundation and the Health Department of WA.

Dr Brodie Ward

Research Coordinator

Brodie has worked with KIDDO since 2015, and has been the key developer of KIDDO's online professional development course. Brodie's research is focussed on Fundamental Movement Skill Assessment and Physical Literacy. Brodie is also KIDDO's Research Coordinator and has been involved in a number of research projects surrounding the KIDDO program. 

Dr Ashleigh Thornton

Senior Research Fellow

Ashleigh’s research has a strong focus on factors that influence motor development and physical activity in children. Ashleigh is an advocate for knowledge translation, and has contributed to the development of evidence based physical activity programs for children, as well as providing professional development to physical educators, early childhood educators, and allied health professionals.

Dr Hayley Christian

Associate Professor

Hayley’s research focusses on improving children’s physical activity levels, health and well-being through identifying and testing strategies to create healthy early childhood education and care environments. Hayley leads the PLAYCE (Play Spaces & Environments for Children’s Physical Activity) program of research and is a Fellow at the Telethon Kids Institute.

Dr Ben Jackson

Associate Professor

Ben's research has a leading focus on advancing our understanding of health and physical activity and the development of sustainable and effective health promotion interventions. Ben has also contributed to the development of practical strategies to increase children’s psychological resilience, self-regulation, confidence and motivation. Ben is heavily involved in a number of research projects surrounding the KIDDO Program. Ben also leads the Psychology of Active, Healthy Living (PAHL) group.

At your school/ECEC

Meet the coordinators who run the sessions at KIDDO schools & ECEC centres.

Mr Aaron Simpson

Project Officer and Coordinator

Ms Carolyn Clancy

Program Manager

This project is supported by Healthway

healthway

 

Number of Schools using the KIDDO Program

1,921

 

Number of Early Childhoood Education & Care Services using the KIDDO Program

506

 

Number of Coaches using the KIDDO Program

445