As a student occupational therapist, one of the most valuable learning experiences I’ve had so far has been attending Rebound Therapy sessions. On paper, Rebound Therapy is all about movement, coordination, and sensory input but in practice, it’s so much more than that. I’ve seen people of all ages find freedom, joy, and regulation through play on the trampoline. It’s reminded me that play doesn’t suddenly stop being meaningful once you become an adult.
And yet, when I look at the formal guidelines that underpin how we support people through play like GIRFEC (Getting it Right for Every Child) and the RCOT Play Practice Guidelines, they’re mainly written with children in mind. Rightfully so, play is a crucial occupation for children and is strongly linked to their development, health, and wellbeing (Scottish Government, 2016, p. 6; RCOT, 2021, p. 5). However, from what I’ve seen, experienced, and learnt at BounceOT, adults need play too, and they deserve to be supported to participate just as much.
Claire & Maya - OT students from Glasgow Caledonian University on placement at BounceOT Stirling CIC
The Role of GRIFEC and RCOT in Supporting Play:
GRIFEC is Scotland’s national approach to supporting children and young people. It promotes a wellbeing-based model centred on eight indicators (SHANARRI- Safe, Healthy, Achieving, Nurtured, Active, Respected, Responsible, Included), many of which link directly to the importance of play and participation (Scottish Government, 2016, p. 9). For example, the indicator “Active” highlights the importance of being engaged in play, recreation, and learning activities that contribute to development and wellbeing.
The RCOT Play Practice Guideline also clearly positions play as a key occupational right and developmental necessity for children. It states that “occupational therapists have a role in supporting play for all children and young people through enabling access, inclusion and participation” (RCOT, 2021, p. 8). However, the document largely frames this in the context of childhood, rather than taking a lifespan approach.
Although these frameworks are incredibly valuable; they shape policy and everyday practice, as I continued my learning at BounceOT, it’s clear that adults are often overlooked. Adults don’t stop needing sensory input, enjoyment, or connection when they reach a certain age. If anything, these needs become even more important for emotional regulation and better quality of life.
What Rebound Therapy is Teaching Me:
In Rebound Therapy sessions, I’ve worked alongside individuals of all ages, some who are non-verbal, others with profound multiple learning disabilities and seen firsthand how engaging in activity-based play supports wellbeing, self-regulation, and connection. Whether it’s bouncing, lying still, laughing, or simply engaging in rhythm and movement, it’s play, it’s purposeful, and it’s regulating.
This aligns with RCOT’s statement that play is both “a tool for therapy and an outcome in itself” (RCOT, 2021, p. 9). I’ve seen this happen in real-time with adults accessing a sensory-rich activity, achieving moments of calm, joy, relief, and regulation through movement.
Adults Deserve to Play Too:
As occupational therapists, we are trained to look at the whole person and consider what is meaningful to them. But for many adults, once they turn 18, opportunities for playful, meaningful engagement often start to disappear. Services become more functional, more medicalised, and less focused on joy. But should our approach to health and wellbeing change so drastically simply because of a number?
The GRIFEC indicator "Included", emphasises that everyone should be supported to engage in community life and leisure in ways that are meaningful to them (Scottish Government, 2016). It’s a strong, inclusive message, that unfortunately often gets lost once a person enters adulthood. That’s where policies like ‘The Keys to Life’ which aims at improving quality of life for people with learning disabilities in Scotland, come in. It may not mention "play" directly, but its vision aligns closely with the values of occupational therapy and inclusive practice, advocating for all individuals to:
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Live healthy and active lives
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Learn to reach their full potential
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Participate in an inclusive economy
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Contribute to a fair, equal, and safe Scotland
(The Keys to Life: Implementation Framework and Priorities 2019–2021, Scottish Government)
At BounceOT, I see this in action, where rebound therapy becomes a joyful, inclusive space for adults. Although RCOT links play to childhood development and regulation, we must challenge that thinking. Regulation, occupation, and joy are lifelong needs for EVERYONE, not just children.
Play doesn’t expire with age. It remains a vital, human experience that supports wellbeing across the lifespan.
As a future OT, I want to carry these reflections into practice: that play is not age-restricted, and that supporting adults through play is both valid and necessary. The GRIFEC Wellbeing Indicators (SHANARRI) remind us to nurture, include, and respect individuals and that applies across lifespan.
Scotland’s Keys to Life policy reinforces this by promoting the rights of people with learning disabilities to live healthy, active lives and reach their full potential. Similarly, RCOT guidelines encourage occupational therapists to adapt environments and challenge attitudes that limit access to play (RCOT, 2021, p. 11). Together, these frameworks remind us that play supports essential human needs like joy, connection, movement, and regulation, and that these needs don’t end in adulthood.
It’s time we apply the same value to play for adults as we do for children.
