September 30th is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, an opportunity for the public to recognize and commemorate the legacy of residential schools, the intergenerational harm they caused to Indigenous families and communities, and to honour those affected by this injustice. This federal holiday is an effort on behalf of the Government of Canada...
[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="center" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][message type="normal" border="no" background_color="#5dc269"]The 2025 Outdoor Play Canada Awards were presented at the biennnial Breath of Fresh Air Outdoor Play Summit at Wesley Clover Parks in Ottawa, Canada.[/message][/vc_column][/vc_row] [vc_empty_space height="64px"] [icons icon="fa-trophy" size="fa-4x" type="normal" icon_animation="" link="" target="_blank" icon_color="#3f8963" position="center"] [vc_empty_space height="32px"] Policy Award [vc_empty_space height="32px"] The Outdoor Play Canada Policy Award recognizes and celebrates...
Thank you to current and former PhD Students Anastasia Bengry, Katrine Bergkvist Borch, Kirsten Føns, Trude Iversen, Gabriele Lauterbach, Kassandra L’Heureux, Marie C. Vermund, and researchers Karen Seierøe Barfod, PhD (VIA University College) and Mads Bølling, PhD (Center for Clinical Research and Prevention) for providing this post on behalf of the international network of PhD...
SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2025 — Ottawa, Canada – Outdoor play is as advantageous for adults as it is for children and should be integrated more often into healthcare practice, according to new global research released today by Outdoor Play Canada. A three-year study and consultations with more than 200 global experts representing all inhabited continents found...
Thank you to Michelle E. E. Bauer, Research Associate, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, UBC, for providing this post. Findings from this work are available in the following open-access article: Risky Play and Resilience If you were to ask people if exploring the world, facing challenges, and overcoming obstacles could help people become more resilient, what...
Thank you to Dr Monica McGlynn-Stewart, professor at George Brown College, for providing this guest post. In our recent article we discuss a three-year qualitative research study (2020-2023) in which we explored the impact on early years educators’ knowledge, perspectives, and pedagogies when introduced to Indigenous perspectives on Land-Based Learning in 10 urban preschool early learning...
Thank you to current and former PhD Students Lisa Frances, Antoine Deschamps, Emilie Skoglys, Yannick Lacoste, Marie-Claude Beaudry, Theres Mühlberg, Elena Diana, Tommaso Reato, Dorte Eggersen, Salvatore Laneri, Katrine Bergkvist Borg, and researchers Mads Bølling, PhD (Center for Clinical Research and Prevention) and Karen Seierøe Barfod, PhD (VIA University College) for providing this post on...
Celebrating One Year of Outdoor Play at the CCOP On June 26th, the Canadian Centre for Outdoor Play (CCOP) hosted its first-ever Open House to celebrate one year of the Forest Explorers licensed outdoor early learning program and launch of the CCOP at Wesley Clover Parks. Families, educators, and community members joined us for an evening...
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...
