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The Move + Play Lab advances research on how movement, play, and physical activity support children\u2019s health, development, and learning.<\/span><\/b> Combining expertise in motor development and pediatric exercise physiology, the lab examines fundamental motor skills, physical activity behaviors, and fitness across school, home, and outdoor settings. By integrating assessment, intervention, and policy research, the Move + Play Lab develops evidence-based strategies to promote active, healthy lifestyles and enhance cognitive and academic outcomes in youth.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Move + Play Lab is dedicated to advancing knowledge on how movement, play, and physical activity influence health, development, and learning in children and youth.<\/span><\/b>\u202fBringing together expertise in motor development, physical activity assessment, and pediatric exercise physiology, the lab investigates the interplay between fundamental motor skills, physical activity behaviors, and health-related outcomes across school, home, and outdoor settings. Dr. Dawn Coe\u2019s research focuses on pediatric exercise physiology, with an emphasis on physical activity assessment, outdoor activity behaviors, and the effects of physical activity and fitness on cognitive function and academic success in youth. Complementing this work, Dr. Kip Webster\u2019s research emphasizes assessment, interventions, and policies aimed at improving motor skill competency, physical activity, and related psychosocial variables, while also addressing factors such as screen-time behaviors, academic achievement, and early childhood education center policies to enhance pediatric health. Together, the Move + Play Lab integrates these complementary lines of inquiry to develop evidence-based programs and policies that promote healthier, more active lifestyles and improve developmental and academic outcomes for children.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/div><\/p>\n Move + Play Laboratory<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/div><\/p>\n The Move + Play Lab is equipped with a variety of assessment tools including:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Lab activities cover data collection, study design, outcome evaluation, data analysis, and development and implementation of interventions. The lab computers are networked and equipped with software for data processing, including SPSS, ActiLife, device-specific programs, and Noldus Observer XT.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/div><\/p>\n Laboratory Co-Director: E. Kipling Webster, PhD<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Laboratory Co-Director: Dawn P. Coe, PhD, FACSM<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Dr. Coe is actively engaged in interdisciplinary research aimed at optimizing activity behaviors and fostering cognitive development in young children through motor skill acquisition and the promotion of activity and play behaviors.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n My name is Dimetri Brandon, and I am a third-year PhD student in the Move+ Play lab. I am originally from Columbus, Ohio, where I completed both my bachelor\u2019s and master\u2019s degrees before coming to Tennessee in 2023 to begin my doctoral studies. I am mentored by Dr. Kip Webster and co-mentored by Dr. Coe. My research focuses on two primary areas: (1) examining how home environments and contextual factors serve as facilitators or barriers to motor skill development, and (2) evaluating the effectiveness of motor skill interventions.\u202fOutside of school, I enjoy exploring the outdoors around Knoxville and spending time with friends, often relaxing at local breweries while watching sports and cheering on <\/span>THE<\/span> Ohio State Buckeyes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Devin Ellison<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n Abigail Lovingood<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Meghan McKenzie<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Brooke Ohrt<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Abby May<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/div><\/p>\n Here you will find information about our recent research studies.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 1. International Surveillance Study of 24-Hour Movement Behaviours in the Early Years: The SUNRISE Study<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This study investigates the proportion of 3- and 4-year-old children who meet the WHO global guidelines for physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep, and examines how these proportions differ by sex, socioeconomic status, and urban\/rural residence across different levels of human and economic development. Secondary aims explore associations between meeting these guidelines and health or developmental outcomes, as well as identifying individual, family, and community factors related to movement behaviors in early childhood.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 2. Physical activity, fundamental motor skill development, motor proficiency, and cognitive function in preschool children<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n There is a growing focus on the relationship between physical activity and motor and cognitive development. The development of the brain depends on the health of the body and is especially important in young children to foster physical and intellectual potential. The primary objective of this study is to determine the associations among physical activity, fundamental motor skill development, motor proficiency, and cognitive function in preschool children (3-6 years).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 3. Evaluating the motor proficiency of youth with and without autism spectrum disorder using standard procedures and social narratives\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n The purpose of the study is to compare motor proficiency performance using the standardized Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency \u2013 2<\/span>nd<\/span> Edition, Short Form (BOT-2 SF) assessment protocol with administration of BOT-2 SF using a social narrative in typically developing children and children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/krss\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2026\/01\/9149-copy-scaled-e1769448158499-266x300.jpg\")
The Move + Play Laboratory is located in the HPER Building on the University of Tennessee, Knoxville campus.\u00a0 This laboratory space houses specialized equipment used to conduct empirical research within the areas of motor development and pediatric exercise physiology.\u00a0 The Move + Play Lab is equipped to assess motor development and proficiency, physical activity, physical fitness, and cognitive function and academic achievement in a variety of pediatric populations. Specifically, the lab investigates the interplay between fundamental motor skills, physical activity behaviors, cognition, and health-related outcomes across school, home, and outdoor settings.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/krss\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2026\/01\/height-copy-150x150.jpg\")
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<\/p>\n<\/p>\nLab Co-Directors<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n
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Dr. Webster\u2019s research is dedicated to advancing early childhood health by improving motor skills and physical activity. Through innovative assessments, interventions, and policy initiatives conducted in both home- and school-based settings, her work targets these foundational health behaviors to support children\u2019s physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development. By promoting active lifestyles from a young age, Dr. Webster aims to set children on a trajectory toward lifelong health and well-being.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/krss\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2026\/01\/Coe_Headshot_Resize-300x300.jpg\")
Dr. Coe\u2019s research focuses on physical activity assessment, outdoor and playground play, and the relationship between physical activity and cognitive function in pediatric populations.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/krss\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2026\/01\/Dawn-and-Kip-copy-300x225.jpg\")
<\/span><\/b><\/p>\nStudent Research Assistants<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n
Doctoral Student\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n
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Dimetri Brandon, MS<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nMasters Students<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n
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My name is Devin Ellison, and I am currently a 2nd-year master’s student in the Sport Psychology and Motor Behavior program at UTK. I am from Jacksonville, Florida, and part of a long line of University of Tennessee alumni. I received my undergraduate degree in Psychology with a minor in Health and Medical Sciences from The Georgia Institute of Technology. I am passionate about building youth programs that integrate movement, mental health, and social awareness, especially for underserved communities. My mentor, Dr. Webster, has been an integral part of my graduate experience and has deepened my interest in pediatrics. In my free time, I enjoy football, making music, and coding!<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/krss\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2026\/01\/Abigail_Lovingood_Headshot-300x300.png\")
My name is Abigail “Abby” Lovingood, and I am currently a 2nd-year Master’s student in the Sport Psychology and Motor Behavior program at UTK. I was born and raised in Tennessee in a small town about an hour from Knoxville, and completed my bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology at UTK.\u202f I am currently mentored by Dr. Kip Webster. My main research interests include looking at pediatric motor development and how that is affected by factors in their environment, such as parental screen time. When I am not working on school or research, I love spending time outdoors with my partner and dogs or reading a good book.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/krss\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2026\/01\/MeghanMcKenzieHeadshot-300x300.jpg\")
My name is Meghan McKenzie, and I am a second year master’s student in the Exercise Physiology program here at The University of Tennessee Knoxville. I work with Dr. Coe, and my research interests include physical activity, physical fitness, cognition, and academic performance in pediatric populations.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/h4>\n
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Undergraduate Students<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n
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<\/span>My name is Brooke Ohrt, and I am a senior undergraduate student. I will be graduating in May 2026 with my bachelors in Kinesiology!<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/krss\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2026\/02\/Abigail-May-Headshot-150x150.jpg\")
My name is Abigail \u201cAbby\u201d May, and I am currently a senior majoring in Kinesiology. I work with Dr.Webster and Dr.Coe, and my main research interests are in physical activity and motor development in pediatric populations. Outside of school and research I enjoy playing club lacrosse and spending time with my friends!<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cehhs.utk.edu\/krss\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/16\/2026\/01\/trio-copy-296x300.jpg\")
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