From 2015-2017, Vivo for Healthier Generations implemented its Play Ambassadors pilot outdoor play program in north-central Calgary. The goals of this program were to: 1) Increase unstructured, outdoor play through the creation of enriching environments for play. 2) Increase the quality of unstructured, outdoor play by training community members as Play Ambassadors in an evidence-based curriculum for...
The 'create nurturing outside environments: supporting infant and young children's free movement and active play' project by Regroupement des Centres de la Petite Enfance de la Montérégie (RCPEM) provided information and training to six pilot communities to address limitations in outdoor play, outdoor play spaces, and parental attitudes to outdoor play. They developed and tested...
Nature and Why It’s Essential for Kids’ Brains: Information for Parents and Caregivers info sheet from ementalhealth.ca provides information on what spontaneous outdoor play is, the health benefits of spontaneous outdoor play for children's physical and mental health based on evidence from the Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play, and the disadvantages of indoor play...
The Canadian Parks and Recreation Association hosts free webinars throughout the year that offer tools, resources, and best practices for parks and recreation practitioners in Canada. Check out the webinar series (including recordings of past webinars) here....
Rockyview Play is an outdoor play space consultant firm that designs and builds nature-based projects for schools, communities, developers, municipalities, day care centres, and private clients. Their outdoor nature-based designs include the Dermot District Park Natural Playground in Edmonton, the Natural Playscape in Banff, and the Nellie McClung School naturescape model in Calgary. Learn more about...
The Wanuskewin Heritage Park interpretive playground in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, designed by Earthscape Play in collaboration with Crosby Hanna & Associates, was designed as an inviting space for children to explore and challenge themselves while making subtle connections (gathering circles, bison sculpture, rubbing rock) to the cultures and stories of the many Indigenous Peoples who have...
The Nature for Health and Equity Briefing, by the Friends of the Earth Europe and Institute for European Environmental Policy, provides an overview of the impact a lack of access to nature and natural areas has on health inequality. Topics in the briefing include: nature for children and adolescents, for well-being, for a sense of...
Mentoring Nature Connections is a British Columbia-based blog dedicated to supporting teachers in gaining confidence with outdoor teaching and learning. Resources on this site focus on Reggio-inspired practices, including: Student-led learning Collaboration between parents, teachers, other community members Use of '100 languages' to communicate Environment as a third teacher Teacher as a facilitator Loose parts...
The Lion and The Mouse, a Montreal-based community organization that facilitates outdoor play programs in the city, offers Pop-Up Adventure Playgrounds in line with the work of Pop-Up Adventure Play. By introducing loose parts and inviting children to lead the way, these Pop-Ups encourage the re-appropriation of public space for play and nurture a culture...
The O'Brien Farm Foundation is among 8 recipients of the Lawson Foundation’s Outdoor Play Strategy 2.0 funding pool. Their project, entitled ‘Informing Early Learning and Child Care Legislation in Newfoundland and Labrador’ aims to demonstrate the Cloudberry Forest School as a learning lab. They will identify best practices, risk management procedures, appropriate ratios, health and safety...
