The Breath of Fresh Air Outdoor Play Summit is a two-day Outdoor Play Canada-led Summit where thought leaders, practitioners, researchers, and policy makers can connect and share best practices. This innovative national forum on outdoor play historically took place in an open air environment. This year the Summit will be held virtually and will be streamed from the Ottawa Forest...
Thank you to Dr. Renee Umstattd Meyer (Baylor University) and Dr. J. Aaron Hipp (North Carolina State University) for providing this post. This article was originally published in The Conversation. Outdoor play is critical for child development – it decreases stress, increases communication and social skills, attention and physical activity, and enhances physical development. During COVID-19, opportunities for children...
July 29, 2021 A new report from the Lawson Foundation and Outdoor Play Canada, 'Funding for Outdoor Play in Canada' - released today - identifies funding trends as well as current and potential funders of outdoor play. Based on an environmental scan, a grant seeker survey, and interviews with funders, this report outlines the drivers of...
In 2020 the Lawson Foundation published a report and position on increasing outdoor play in early learning child care environments in the context of COVID-19. With input from OPC Leadership Group member Frank Welsh, the Lawson Foundation recently revisited the guidelines and published an update through First Policy Response. Read the updated report, 'Outdoor early learning helps kids....
On July 12, 2021, ParticipACTION is celebrating 50 years of inspiring and supporting Canadians to get active! As part of the celebration, ParticipACTION invited Canadians to take a trip down memory lane and remember some of their most iconic commercials (BodyBreak anyone?). Check out these commercials and more on the ParticipACTION website....
Outdoor Play Canada (OPC) and Sask in motion are thrilled to announce the transfer of Sask in motion’s Active Toy Guide and Adventure Calendar to OPC. OPC hopes to uphold the creativity and playfulness of these legacy projects and expand both projects to be national in scope and reach, to help OPC in its mission...
On Friday, June 18th, OPC's Dr. Louise de Lannoy presented at the 2021 Virtual Play Conference, an annual educational conference held by the US Play Coalition. This year, due to pandemic restrictions, the conference was held online from April 1st to June 30th, 2021 with weekly networking events and presentations, recorded and available for viewing...
On April 13th, 2021, the federal and Nova Scotia provincial governments announced they were allocating $7 million for the creation of new, or enhancement of existing, outdoor learning spaces in ~250 elementary schools in Nova Scotia. A government news release outlined that "Schools will be asked to ensure that the spaces are aligned with curriculum and...
On March 30th, 2021 at 12pm CST, Sask in Motion will be hosting their final Leaders' Series webinar. The panel talk will focus on the City of Calgary's experience creating a play charter and adventure playground, featuring OPC Leadership Group member Heather Cowie, in addition to Adam Bienenstock (Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds), Stephanie Won (City of Calgary)...
La Forêt Éphémère, or The Ephemeral Forest, at Parc Jarry in Montreal, was an initiative led by the community park group Coalition des amis du Parc Jarry (CAP Jarry) and funded by a TD Park People Winter Grant, to give cast-off Christmas trees a second life, promote time outdoors, and foster community. Residents of Montreal were...
