Table 1 Content of the initiation and maintenance phases of the PiP intervention, the evidence to support the content and the behavioural change techniques used

Provision of playground area at a time which coincides with families' daily routines (dropping off/picking up at school/nursery)

I, M

SCT (environmental factor) ^{24, 25}

Environmental changes

Focus group reports: activity sessions need to fit into other daily routines ⁴⁷

Provision of outdoor play equipment during sessions

I, M

SCT (environmental factor) ^{24, 25}

Environmental changes

Facilitator to give telephone support and encourage families to attend the sessions

I, M

SCT (behavioural factor) ^{24, 25}

Social processes of support/encouragement

Group sessions

I, M

Recommendation for pre-school obesity interventions ²³

Social processes of support/encouragement

Supervision at the session from the facilitator

I

Focus group reports: parents need extra support to feel confident and safe playing with their children outside ⁴⁷

Social processes of support/encouragement

Facilitator to encourage children to be physically active and give rewards (praise and “well done” stickers)

I

SCT (behavioural factors) ^{24, 25,} Recommendation for pre-school obesity interventions ³⁵

Social processes of support/encouragement

Facilitators support parents to give positive reinforcement to their children’s physical activity

I

SCT (behavioural factors) ^{24, 25} Parent involvement is important for children’s behavioural change ^{33, 34, 35}

Modelling Social processes of support/encouragement Increasing skills Rehearsal of skills

Facilitator to encourage outdoor play between parent and child outside of the intervention

I

CMO report ^{13, 35}

Social processes of support/encouragement

Facilitator to provide information (verbally), give leaflets and facilitate parent discussions on the link between physical activity and health, guidelines for physical activity and sedentary behaviour in under 5-year-olds

I

SCT (personal factors) ^{24, 25}

Provide information regarding behaviour

Recommendation for pre-school obesity interventions ²³

Information on consequences

Social processes of support/encouragement

Ideas for active play provided and activity is playful

I (facilitator) M (instruction cards)

SCT (personal factors) ^{24, 25}

Increasing skill

CMO report ^13, Recommendation for pre-school obesity interventions ³⁵

Skill rehearsal

Modelling

Graded tasks

Facilitator teaches two 5-minute structured parent and child games to develop child’s observational learning, locomotor, stability and object control skill

I

SCT (personal factors) ^{24, 25}

Increasing skill

CMO report ¹³

Skill rehearsal

Modelling

Graded tasks

Facilitator modifies play activities to suit the different needs of children in the group

I

CMO report ¹³ Recommendation for pre-school obesity interventions ³⁵

Graded tasks

Children have 20 minutes free play

I

CMO report ¹³

Environmental changes

Facilitators to ensure regular infusions of different play equipment during free play

I

Recommendation for pre-school playground interventions ³³

Environmental changes

Play equipment given out once a week to support families to play at home

I (3 schools only)

SCT (environmental factors and behavioural factors) ^{24, 25}

Rewards/incentives

Skill rehearsal

CMO report ¹³