News 1: Project Overview and Core Mission (2023 – 2025)
The NeuroPlay project, running from November 1, 2023, to October 31, 2025, is an ambitious initiative focused on boosting children’s neurological development while supporting the cognitive and physical health of grandparents. The core of the program is innovative motor-cognitive training rooted in neuroscience principles and utilizing the lateral motor transfer methodology. The project aims to create engaging exercises and activities to facilitate meaningful, year-round interactions between generations. NeuroPlay is positioned as an efficient and scalable public health model that contributes to holistic well-being across generations.
News 2: Instruction Workshop Success at SPE BALKAN SKI Conference (April 2024)
An instruction workshop (Event E2.1) was successfully held as part of the annual international SPE BALKAN SKI conference. Led by the partner KiSi, the workshop offered a hands-on experience, guiding participants through various activities and teaching the methodology for conducting intergenerational games and training on the slopes. Feedback from participants outside the consortium was highly positive, with praise for the activities and a strong motivation to introduce the new practices into their own institutions.
News 3: National Workshops Engage Local Communities in Slovenia and Bulgaria (Summer 2024 – Spring 2025)
NeuroPlay organized six national exchange workshop events (E2.2 – E2.13) in Bulgaria and Slovenia to promote the project’s methodology among local communities and key stakeholders.
- Motor-Cognitive Session (July 16, 2024): A session brought children and adults together for motor-cognitive activities, successfully improving coordination, concentration, and motor skills in children, while stimulating physical activity and mental acuity in adults.
- Nordic Walking for Health: Workshops included activities like Nordic Walking to improve physical activity and fitness for both age groups.
- Coastal Activities in Slovenia: Slovenian events, often in collaboration with the Day Centre for Senior Citizens in Koper (CDA), featured unique settings like a Day at the Beach in Ankaran, which included water and sand-based games and balance challenges in shallow water.
News 4: NeuroPlay Winter Camp in Forni di Sopra (December 2024)
The three-day 2nd Winter camp event was successfully organized by KiSi in Forni di Sopra from December 26-28, 2024. The event successfully implemented the NeuroPlay program in a snow-based environment, with children and their grandparents actively participating in the activities.
News 5: NeuroPlay Sea Camp in Nessebar (July 2025)
The 1st Summer camp event took place from July 27-29, 2025, at the Water Training and Sports Base NSA Nessebar. This three-day sea camp focused on using water sports to connect children and adults through shared physical activity, experiential learning, and fun in a marine environment.
News 6: Strong Feedback and Dissemination of Results (Ongoing)
NeuroPlay has achieved strong dissemination results, including scientific publications and presentations at several international forums, such as Annales Kinesiologiae, the SPE Balkan Ski conference, A Child in Motion, and the It’s About People international conference.
- Positive Impact: Feedback collected from 94 participants (56 parents and 38 grandparents) across all four NeuroPlay camp events showed that participants reported improvements in physical well-being, increased motivation for movement, and strengthened intergenerational relationships. The findings reflect the project’s scientific rigor and its relevance to both academic and practical domains.
News 7: NeuroPlay Concludes with Overwhelming Success, Establishing a Scalable Model for Intergenerational Health
The “Continuous intergenerational play for neuroplasticity” (NeuroPlay) project successfully concluded its 24-month duration on October 31, 2025, establishing a scientifically grounded and highly effective public health model for intergenerational well-being.
Documented Impact and High Participant Satisfaction
Feedback collected from 94 participants (parents and grandparents) across the four NeuroPlay camps confirmed the profound positive effects of the program. Overall satisfaction was exceptionally high, with 93% of participants indicating they would recommend the camp to others. The camps were noted for achieving their goals of promoting intergenerational interaction, active living, and cognitive engagement through structured play and movement.
Key perceived benefits reported by participants include:
- Family Bonding and Shared Enjoyment: 94% of respondents reported that the camp “Greatly” or “Somewhat improved” family bonding and shared enjoyment.
- Children’s Physical Development: 92% reported improvements in children’s physical development, including balance, coordination, and strength.
- Grandparents’ Health: 81% reported improvements in grandparents’ physical activity and mobility, and 79% reported improvements in mental stimulation and engagement.
- Intergenerational Connection: The unique intergenerational design was praised for fostering teamwork, communication, and mutual encouragement, with three-quarters of grandparents reporting a noticeable improvement in their relationship with their grandchildren.
Scientific and Strategic Achievements
The project’s success is rooted in its scientifically validated framework, which masterfully weaves together three core components: an intergenerational social context, integrated motor-cognitive tasks, and the pedagogical principle of lateral motor transfer. This holistic approach simultaneously addresses the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional needs of both children and older adults.
The project’s strong dissemination results include multiple scientific publications and presentations at international forums, such as Annales Kinesiologiae, the SPE Balkan Ski conference, A Child in Motion, and the It’s About People international conference.
Future Directions
The consortium views the project’s conclusion not as an end, but as a blueprint for future public health initiatives. The final report concluded with actionable recommendations for policymakers and practitioners to integrate the NeuroPlay methodology into broader health and education strategies. Building on this success, the partners are actively preparing a new project proposal for further scientific validation and exploring broader implementation across European sports and educational systems.