Okanagan College is among 8 recipients of the Lawson Foundation's Outdoor Play Strategy 2.0 funding pool. Their project, entitled 'Outdoor Pedagogy in Early Childhood Education: From Colleges to Communities' aims to shift post-secondary ECE programs towards incorporating the outdoors in their pedagogy. Faculty at three post-secondary ECE programs in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and New Brunswick will increase...
The Trottibus is a walking school bus project initiated by the Canadian Cancer Society to help elementary school children walk to school together in the morning, accompanied by parents and volunteers. The program aims to promote physical activity among children, parents, and volunteers, all while reducing car traffic around schools. Just like with a school...
Child Nature Alliance of Canada (CNAC)'s online resource portal Thrive Outside now includes a Teacher's Guidebook for bringing learning outside. This resource includes a number of strategies, tips, and ideas, including how to meet your curriculum in the outdoors, document learning in play, proposing outdoor learning to your administration, and more! Check out the guidebook here. Read...
This winter (and eventually, spring), the City of Calgary is continuing its self-directed, drop-in program that uses natural elements such as snow, tree stumps, tree cookies, branches, twigs and rocks to inspire active and creative outdoor play, and connect people, young and old, to nature, with onsite play ambassadors to inspire play. Parents are encouraged...
The Raising Canada Reports are published annually and provide an in-depth review of the top 10 threats to childhood. In 2020, the report focused on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on these threats. In subsequent reports, the lasting impacts of COVID-19 on children's physical activity and play have continued to be a central theme...
Outdoor Play Canada is proud to present the Outdoor Adventure Calendar. Every day features a new active outdoor adventure for families. Activities include outdoor and indoor ideas, small group and individual activities, ideas requiring minimal equipment, and parent-free options to give dad and mom a break. Get ideas for your next outdoor adventure here....
On June 17th, 2020, ParticipACTION launched the 14th edition of the Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth. This report is the most comprehensive assessment of child and youth physical activity in Canada across 14 indicators, based on data from multiple sources including the best available peer-reviewed research. Canadian children and youth received a...
Adapted with permission from Ottawa Public Health. Ottawa Public Health has put together a guideline on how to get active and get outside safely during COVID-19. They provide guidance on precautions to take when using sidewalks, streets, multiuse paths and dog parks. The guideline also includes a useful chart to help identify who can be safely active...
The 2020 Play: health and well-being information sheet by Play Wales is an update from the version originally published in 2012. This information sheet describes why play is important for children’s physical and mental health and provides guidance on ways to support good quality play. Specific focus is given to play as an important source...
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) on 20 November 2019, Play Wales published a new report where children and teenagers talk about what’s good about the play opportunities in their local area and how satisfied they are about when, how and where they can...
