News
Through knowledge mobilization, we want to connect and align efforts by sharing resources, tools, training, research and stories. Browse through the latest news items related to outdoor play.
The Countdown has begun for the Canadian Parks Conference
Posted by Joel Barnes on September 19, 2019
The second edition of the Canadian Parks Conference will be held at the Québec City Convention Centre from October 7 to October 10, 2019 on the topic Parks for all and all for parks. The issues that will be addressed include collaboration, connecting to nature, conservation, and leadership. The event is coming up soon. If you don’t have your tickets yet, don’t miss this opportunity to participate in our national get‑together! ...
UNICEF CANADA RELEASES THE FIRST BASELINE REPORT OF THE CANADIAN INDEX OF CHILD AND YOUTH WELL-BEING
Posted by Lindsay Crompton on September 6, 2019
A comprehensive new report from UNICEF Canada asked children how their lives are going. The results show that Canada is a tough place to grow up. Only 55 per cent of children in Canada report a high level of life satisfaction, with 27 per cent feeling sad or hopeless for long periods of time and 1 in 3 reporting weekly symptoms linked to mental distress, including headaches and stomach aches. These alarming statistics are part of the key...
Ready, Set, Go Outside: Preschoolers’ Physical Activity Indoors versus Outdoors
Posted by Sophie Rodenburg on August 22, 2019
Thank you to Amber Fyfe-Johnson, ND, PhD (Washington State University) & Pooja Tandon, MD, MPH (Seattle Children’s Research Institute, University of Washington) for providing this post. The preschool years are a critical period in life for growth, development, and for laying the foundation for healthy eating and physical activity behaviors. Research suggests that many preschoolers in early childhood educational settings do not meet current recommendations for physical activity.1 Ample evidence has found that children are more physically...
Breath of Fresh Air 2019 Outdoor Play Summit – September 27-29th, 2019!
Posted by Sophie Rodenburg on August 9, 2019
Are you looking for a Breath of Fresh Air? The first national Outdoor Play Summit is only 50 days away! Join us September 27-29th, 2019 for a national forum on outdoor play, taking place in an open-air environment, located at the Ottawa Forest and Nature Schools and Wesley Clover Park’s Campground, where thought leaders, practitioners, researchers and policymakers can connect and share best practices. Outdoor Play Canada is happy to be partnering with Child and...
2019 World Wildlife Fund Kids’ Run for Nature – Canadian Results
Posted by Sophie Rodenburg on August 6, 2019
This year’s ‘Kid’s Run for Nature’ raised over $180,000 in support of the conservation work of World Wildlife Fund Canada. The nation-wide movement, which was founded in 2015, now takes place in over 25 locations from coast to coast. Throughout the months of May, June, and July 2019, events were held in a variety of communities across Canada. The events featured a 1...
Kicking it back to the old days: Quebec town creates free-play zones
Posted by Sophie Rodenburg on July 26, 2019
Ever since an unnecessary threat from police against a six-year-old simply playing a game of road hockey in front of his home, the residents in the town of Beloeil, Quebec have grown upset about the lack of opportunity that their kids have to play freely outside. Since then, street-play initiatives have resulted in the designation of 48 residential streets as ‘free play zones’, in order to increase...
Alberta Recreation & Parks Association: Release of Play Charter Guides
Posted by Sophie Rodenburg on July 10, 2019
The Alberta Recreation and Parks Association is a not-for-profit organization committed to building healthier, happier communities and citizens by developing and promoting recreation and parks. On Monday they released their Play Charter Guides. These ‘how to’ guides are intended to help municipalities and organizations improve play in their communities. They are based on the experiences of the city of Calgary who, since 2016, facilitated the creation, signing, and ongoing appraisal of the...
Stay in or play out: how much does the weather influence physical activity in school children?
Posted by Sophie Rodenburg on July 5, 2019
Have you ever wondered how much daily weather conditions can actually impact physical activity levels in children and on which days of the week the impact is more prominent? To date, there is strong evidence that moderate-to-vigorous physical activity is associated with many health benefits in childhood. In Canada, insufficient physical activity in children remains a major public health concern. Recent studies from various regions indicate that weather conditions can play a role in determining...
Summer of PLEY Series – Halifax, Nova Scotia
Posted by Sophie Rodenburg on June 27, 2019
Play Outside NS shares a common goal of promoting, facilitating and communicating the importance of outdoor play in the early years, to foster health and well-being. Join them this July and August for a series of knowledge sharing events with “Summer to PLEY” (Physical Literacy in the Early Years). The series is funded by the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation (Research NS) and the Dalhousie Medical Research Foundation. This summer they are welcoming Dr. Mariana Brussoni,...
Study: Is your home yard influencing your child’s outdoor play?
Posted by Sophie Rodenburg on June 21, 2019
These days the primary goal of most home buyers is to maximize the size of their home, even if it sacrifices outdoor yard space. But how does this affect our children’s outdoor play? A recent Australian study published in Public Health Research & Practice, titled “Associations between the home yard and preschoolers’ outdoor play and physical activity,” discusses the relationship between home yard layout and children’s outdoor play. The study sampled over 1500 toddlers and...