The Healthy Kids Community Challenge was a program funded by the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care from 2015-2018 in Ontario that supported 45 communities in Ontario in improving children’s health through the promotion of healthy behaviours (improving physical activity and healthy eating, reducing screen time). Themes that were part of this program included ‘Run. Jump. Play. Every Day.’ which aimed to promote physical activity through active play, sport, and transportation, and ‘Power Off and Play’ which aimed to promote physical activity and active play while reducing screen time.

In Thunder Bay and the City of Greater Sudbury, stakeholders in the community were provided a full day training session on the importance of play. Additionally in Thunder Bay, two parent engagement adventure playdays were hosted at local elementary schools, and a community adventure playday hosted for families. These playdays aimed to promote community stakeholder understanding of play, and guide parents and stakeholders alike in providing opportunities for play in various contexts.

In communities north of Lake Superior, stakeholders were provided 5 half-day training sessions on the importance of play, covering topics such as learning through play, exploring risk through play, the adult’s role in play provision, and the global well-being of the child. Parents were provided 5 half-day parent engagement adventure playdays with the aim of nurturing families’ well-being and children’s development through self-directed, loose parts play. Initiatives in Thunder Bay and north of Lake Superior were delivered by PLAYLearnThink and informed by the Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play.

Learn more about the Healthy Kids Community Challenge here.

Read the Evaluation Report of Theme 1: Run. Jump. Play. Every Day. here

Read the Evaluation Report of Theme 4: Power Off and Play here.