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...
Developed based on Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ experience working in partnership with Active Sudbury under the guidance of Sport for Life, Public Health Sudbury & Districts has created an exemplary guide for public health professionals to work collaboratively and efficiently within a multi-sector, community-based partnership to address physical literacy. The document presents ways in...
The World Playground Research Institute has created a comprehensive article database, offering access to peer-reviewed articles and evidence-based studies on playground design, play environments, and their impact on child development. Curated by industry experts, the database supports educators, researchers, policymakers, and designers in promoting high-quality, inclusive, and engaging play spaces. Click here to access the World...
Park People’s 2024 Canadian City Parks Report, titled "Bridging the Gap," examines how partnerships and collaborations can help overcome the pressing challenges facing Canada’s park sector today. With insights from cities across Canada, this sixth annual edition highlights strategies to advance urban park development and management while fostering vibrant, inclusive, and resilient spaces for all. To...
The Canadian Centre for Outdoor Play (CCOP) recently hosted a special webinar on the newly launched Outdoor ECE Framework, formally known as, Educators Teaching Educators: Canada’s Outdoor Early Childhood Education Continuous Professional Learning Framework. Developed by the CCOP, this innovative framework was brought to fruition using valuable insights from early learning professionals across Canada, with the...
Outdoor Play Canada and Children & Nature Denmark recently came together to present a special webinar on supporting outdoor play and learning for children disabilities. This session highlighted the ongoing work of two national outdoor play organizations and research findings on inclusive and accessible outdoor play and learning from both Canada and Denmark. To watch this...
The Canadian Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA) has recently developed the Activate Your Neighbourhood (AYN) guide - filled with ideas, links, and resources - to help Canadians reimagine, rethink, and repurpose the spaces in their neighbourhoods to support and encourage physical activity and social connections. To find out more about the AYN tactical guide, created for people who...
Child Health BC, with partners Sport for Life Society, YMCA of Greater Vancouver, Childhood Healthy Living Foundation, and BC Recreation and Parks Association developed the Appetite to Play program to build physical activity, physical literacy, and food literacy capacity in early years settings. Appetite to Play provides a web resource, toolkit, and training workshops for...
Kim Hiscott, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Andrew Fleck Children's Services sat down with Debbie Groff, Child Care Deputy Senior Administrator for the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) in Washington State. In 2021, Washington State became the first state in the US to license outdoor, nature-based childcare programs for preschool and school-age children....
Playful Mindset is a national, charitable organization currently operating in the Ottawa, Ontario region with plans to expand nationally in coming years. Their mission is to disrupt adverse childhood experiences and support children and caregivers' mental health through outdoor play. They offer a number of Outdoor Play Support Groups, including: Grief & Loss Gender Based...
