iPlay 2026
‘Fantastic to welcome back Daniel Tindal from the PESS department in UL to our school today for the second year in a row. Our TY students took part in a training workshop in preparation for their upcoming TY iPlay module where they will deliver adapted physical activity sessions to students attending Mungret Community Special School. Our TYs are busy planning their sessions and are looking forward to their UL visit to observe iPlay in action where it is delivered by undergraduate PE students’
iPlay 2025
Mungret Community College i-Play Report.
Written by Klaudia Zak and Dalia Siwinska
(Group Leaders)
i-PLAY is a weekly physical activity programme designed for children, youth, and young
people (ages 5-21) with special needs held within the Physical Education & Sports Science
(PESS) Dept. at the University of Limerick. The aim of this program is to provide children
and young people with disabilities and special needs the opportunity to play and interact
socially with peers, To provide pre-service Physical Education teachers with the
opportunity to gain experience in planning and assisting youth with disabilities and
special needs as it relates to the physical activity setting, and to provide families an
opportunity to connect with one another as a way to support each other and their
children with disabilities and special needs.
Our school had the amazing opportunity to participate in this program and meet Dr.
Daniel Tindall, who’s a Co-Director of the Inclusive Play & Leisure Activities for Youth (i-
PLAY) program within UL. Daniel came into our school and gave our students a brief
introduction to the correct terminology that should be used for people that are disabled
or have special needs. He gave us a rough idea of what the i-Play program is about and
what the students will be doing, as well as interacting with us by intriguing us with some
facts about the Paralympics and Special Olympics.
The following week we were able to observe the i-Play in the University of Limerick (UL). This
helped us visually understand what we’ll be doing and what to expect. By seeing the
students socialize with the kids & teenagers, and by seeing their response to certain words
or actions it helped us to understand what to do and not do. Allowing us to observe the i-
Play was truly an experience to us all, as it shaped our mindsets in ways some people are
unable to understand.
Following Easter break, it was time for us to create our own i-Play for the kids that were
going to visit us. From observing the UL i-Play we knew that the majority of the kids need
visual references to help them understand what they’ll be doing. We created small pictures
of each activity such as freeplay (which means they can play with anything and do whatever
they want, allowing them to settle in and become a little more comfortable with the
environment) basketball and/or soccer (this doesn't necessarily include the actual sport,
they might just roll the ball, bounce it, throw it or kick it). These activities follow an image of
a water bottle for a 5-10 minute water break, then another 2 activities such as balancing on
benches and playing with balls and rackets. It’s important to keep in mind that each activity
might be either difficult or too easy for individual children, in case of that happening we
make up a more challenging/ easier version of the activity.
The first session was slightly intimidating as we didn't know the kids, and the kids didn't
know us. Every student from our i-Play team had to get to know their kid and what they
like/dislike, as well as adjusting our communication skills to the way the kid communicates.
As the second week came around you could notice the significant difference in not only our
comfort but also the kids, it was truly a one in a lifetime experience seeing the kids be more
comfortable and excited for iPlay as well as seeing them all cheer and enjoy the activities
together.
In conclusion, we got to spend an amazing 3 weeks with the kids. Our students are truly
honoured to have got the opportunity to experience the i-Play program, it allowed us to
develop many skills such as non-verbal & verbal communication. We grew as people by
having the i-play sessions and allowing ourselves to open up to it. Everyone was very
amused with how it went and found a great pleasure in getting to know the kids
throughout the weeks. We personally would definitely do it again!