This article was first published by the Global Alliance – Cities4Children (www.cities4children.org/blog) and authored by Sarah Sabry and Anupama Nallari, Urban Hub @ Save the Children Between 2020 and 2026, Paris transformed 300 school streets, fully redesigning around 100 of them. This article shares key lessons from the ground and practical steps to help other cities plan and...
This article was originally published in Children, Youth and Environments 36(1), 2026 When we published our paper “Environmental Scan of Child and Youth Outdoor Play-Based Projects, Programs, Activities and Services Available in Canada during the COVID-19 Pandemic,” pandemic-related restrictions were in full swing in Canada, and thankfully, educators and administrators were reacting by bringing the learning...
Thank you to Owen Wiseman, director of Nature Quant, for providing this post! Beyond Access: Why Outdoor Play Needs Healthier Nature, Not Just More Space As a healthcare provider, I spend a lot of time talking with families about the foundations of health: sleep, movement, nutrition, stress, social connections, and daily routines. But one theme continuously shows...
Thank you to Laurel Donison (Lecturer) and Marlene Frederick (Kindergarten Teacher and Forest School Course Instructor) with King’s University College at Western University for providing this post. Trail Blazers: King’s University College is implementing a Forest School Pedagogy and Practice course in the Childhood and Youth Studies Department. A new trail is being blazed at King’s University...
Thank you to Gerben Helleman, PhD candidate at Delft University of Technology, for providing this post. Playing outdoors: how children perceive and value the public space as a place to play Outdoor play can positively affect children’s personal development and health. But how do children perceive and value public space as a place to play, and which...
Thank you to Cécile Tang (Project Coordinator) and Hannah Raudssus (Project Assistant) with the Canadian Centre for Outdoor Play’s SPROUT-able Project, for providing this post. On May 8th and 9th, two of us from the SPROUT-able team had the opportunity to attend and lead two workshops at the Early Years Outdoor Play Conference 2026 held in Espanola, ON. The conference was organized by Our Children, Our Future,...
Thank you to the Saskatchewan collective for providing this post! The Outdoor Play Collective of Saskatchewan is a province-wide collaboration dedicated to advancing outdoor play as an essential part of everyday life. With a shared vision of a Saskatchewan where people of all ages engage in outdoor play year-round, the collective works to ensure that opportunities to...
Thank you to Cécile Tang, Project Coordinator with the SPROUT-able project at Outdoor Play Canada, for providing this post. The SPROUT-able project is excited to share a series of free, bilingual videos and tip sheets designed to help early childhood educators (ECEs) and families support children with disabilities in outdoor play. Covering topics from risky play to sensory needs and...
Thank you to Morgan Potter and Valerie Carson, from the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation, at the University of Alberta, for providing this post! Before children are able to contribute to the game winning goal on their hockey team or deliver a flawless pass to their friend in the soccer game at recess, they need...
The importance of outdoor play and learning in the lives of children and communities has never been greater. Growing evidence reveals the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social benefits of outdoor activity for children. Despite these benefits, trends toward indoor lifestyles, urbanization, digital entertainment and schooling, and safety concerns have led to a notable decline in outdoor time....
