Canada’s four-season climate means that spending time outdoors year-round requires a lot of gear — from waterproof rainwear to warm winter layers. While outdoor play is essential for children’s development and well-being, not everyone has equal access to the clothing and equipment needed to enjoy time outside safely and comfortably. High-quality outdoor gear can be expensive...
Thank you to Yousif Al-Baldawi, BSc, MSc student at the University of Ottawa, for providing this post. Are Outdoor-Focused Childcare Programs Safe? A Look at Injuries in Canadian Early Childhood Education Programs Injury Statistics in Outdoor Compared to Conventional Early Childhood Education (ECE) Programs in Canada: A Lay Summary Outdoor play is widely recognized as essential for children’s...
Thank you to Michelle Stahlhut, Forsker, PT, PhD (Center for Klinisk Forskning og Forebyggelse) for providing this post on behalf of the Danish MOVEOUT-SPECIAL Project Team. Researchers from the Danish MOVEOUT-SPECIAL project have published a scoping review highlighting what is currently known about education outside the classroom (EOtC) for children with neurodevelopmental disorders in special education...
(This posting was originally published on the HALO website) Congratulations to OPC team members Drs. Mark Tremblay (OPC Board President), Louise de Lannoy (Executive Director) and Maeghan James (Postdoctoral fellow) on their presentations at the International Society of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity (ISBNPA) Congress, June 11-14, 2025! See the presentations below. Duncan S, Tremblay MS, de Lannoy...
Thank you to Ivana Polackova, Dr. Louise de Lannoy, and Taylor Bradbury for providing this post. This post is featured on Ciernalabu. Less than five per cent of Canadian teenagers spend at least two hours a day outdoors in physical activity – despite the fact that this very time frame brings significant benefits for their mental well-being...
Thank you to Dr. Kerry Crofton for providing this post. This article was originally published in Mindful. In the summer of 2014, I participated in the first-ever digital detox retreat, Camp Grounded in Northern California. My camp name was Momma Zen. Each morning, I led mindfulness practice to ease the adult campers’ edgy tech cravings, guiding them through simple breath...
Thank you to Mads Bølling, PhD from (Center for Clinical Research and Prevention) and Karen Seierøe Barfod, PhD (VIA University College) for providing this post on behalf of the international network of PhD Students in School-based Outdoor Learning and Teaching. Part I – A global PhD network for research and collaboration: Delegating the future researchers in school-based...
We are now accepting applications for the Outdoor Play Canada Subcommittees! Please see details below: We are looking for individuals to join our Subcommittees who are: OPC members (this is a requirement; if you're not a member, please join to be eligible for consideration (it's free!): https://www.outdoorplaycanada.ca/join-us/ Involved in outdoor play initiatives in Canada (i.e., as an outdoor play...
Thank you to Dr. Yang Liu, Professor in Physical and Health Education, School of Physical Education, Shanghai University of Sport, China and Ms. Bei Liu, Master student in Physical and Health Education, School of Physical Education, Shanghai University of Sport, China for providing this post. The preschool period is a critical window for the development of...
April 24th is Healthy Environments for Learning Day, led by the Canadian Partnership for Children's Health & Environment! The 2025 campaign centers on protecting children from extreme heat in schools and child care settings (including outdoor play and learning spaces) in Canada. This campaign has been co-signed by 40+ organizations, including Outdoor Play Canada. Check-out the full...
