The Learning from Indigenous Perspectives: Land-Based Learning in the Early Years research project was a four-year initiative (2020-2024) based at The School of Early Childhood at George Brown College, Toronto, Ontario. It aimed to incorporate Indigenous perspectives and pedagogies into early years education. The project involved 20 educators from 10 childcare centres across Toronto. As the...
Applying an Indigenous Two-Eyed Seeing approach – taking the strengths from both Indigenous and Western ways of knowing, this resource guide was developed by Katy Cameron, a First Nations female and MSc former graduate student with the HALO Research Lab, as an information tool for families, practitioners and professionals on environmental considerations when playing outdoors in...
The Lawson Foundation’s Outdoor Play Strategy 2.0 (OPS 2.0) was a pan-Canadian initiative focused on building adult capacity to support outdoor play in early childhood education (ECE). This resource translates the evidence and learning from OPS 2.0 into a practical resource that ECE leaders—such as faculty, directors, and pedagogical leaders— can use on their journey...
Promoting Life-skills in Aboriginal Youth (PLAY), by Right to Play Canada, is a program that trains locally-hired Community Mentors to deliver weekly play-based programs that promote healthy living, healthy relationships, education and employability life-skills to Indigenous children and youth. The program aims to provide safe play spaces, life-skills training, healthy food, inclusive physical activities, leadership...
Spirit North is a national charitable organization that uses Land-based activities to improve the health and well-being of Indigenous youth, empowering them to be unstoppable in sport, school, and health. Their programs have increased capacity in education, community, and health. Their activities include cross-country skiing, mountain biking, cross-country running, canoeing, Land-based games and activities, and multi-community...
Outdoor Play Canada is proud to support Take Me Outside’s Outdoor Learning Resource Hub, a living document and comprehensive guide that highlights outdoor learning organizations throughout the country. Regardless of your experience or expertise in outdoor learning, you can explore this directory to learn more about what each of these featured organizations are up to, and...
NatureFolx is a land-based, outdoor curriculum and content development organization. They work with private schools, outdoor organizations and not-for-profits to create curriculum and content for them to use with their students or clients. NatureFolx aims to develop accessible land-based curriculum that takes into account both western and traditional knowledge systems. NatureFolx donates a portion of their profits...
Spirit North is a not-for-profit organization that aims to empower Indigenous youth through sport and play. Their 2021-2022 Community Impact Report provides a 5-year overview of their initiatives, shares stories of success, and highlights their reach, impact, and vision. In particular, they highlight how sport and play can serve to advance reconciliation in Canada, by...
The 2022 Park People Report focuses on how collaboration, mindfulness, and power-sharing in parks can help nurture and repair relationships between ourselves, our communities, and the wider natural world. The report includes data on the latest national and local trends in parks including the observed trend of increased interested in adventure play in parks (e.g.,...
The Outdoor Learning Store is a charitable social enterprise with 100% of proceeds going back to outdoor learning non-profit initiatives. Their resources and equipment are organized according to season (spring, summer, fall, winter) and audience (student, educator). Check-out their Outdoor and Indigenous Learning Resources! Check out the two-page overview of their Summer Outdoor Learning Resources & Equipment...
