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Safety & Outdoor Play

Thank you to Taylor Bradbury, CHEO HALO Research Group Placement Student, Carleton University BHSc, for providing this post. It is widely accepted that time spent participating in outdoor physical activity (OPA) can have a positive impact on adolescent well-being, including mental health1. But how much OPA should youth be getting, and to what extent does it...

Get Outside and Play and Nature Play are hosting the Outdoor Play in the Early Years Conference again this year, May 2-4, 2025, in Calgary. There will be something for everyone. Whether you stay within the fenced yard or venture out to local natural spaces, the 28 sessions will inspire and offer new ideas. The conference starts...

Outdoor Play Canada is looking to hire a full-time Canadian Centre for Outdoor Play (CCOP) Fellow for one year to build capacity and thought-leadership for outdoor play stakeholders. As the CCOP Fellow, your role will be to lead advocacy and thought-leadership initiatives for the promotion of outdoor play in the early years, in collaboration with...

Save the Date! The Breath of Fresh Air Summit 2025 will run from September 25-27, 2025 at the Ottawa Forest and Nature School and Wesley Clover Parks Campground in Ottawa ON! This three-day Outdoor Play Summit will bring together thought leaders, practitioners, researchers, and policy makers from across Canada and internationally to connect and share best outdoor...

BREAKING NEWS. Outdoor Play Canada, the Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group at the CHEO Research Institute, Andrew Fleck Children’s Services, Algonquin College and the Canadian Disability Participation Project have recently been awarded funding for a 4-year project to address challenges in the built and social environment for outdoor play and learning in natural spaces for young children living...

Thank you to Sarah Forrest, second year journalism student at Carleton University, for providing this post. Outdoor risky play is key for childhood development, says Canadian Paediatric Society, but it’s not quite so simple. In a statement released on Jan. 25, CPS defined risky play as “thrilling and exciting forms of free play that involve uncertainty of...

SaskOutdoors was recently interviewed by CBC on why it is important to get outdoors in the winter, how to do so safely, and where to go for resources to support outdoor play in all seasons. In their chat, Justine Wheeler, Outdoor Play Coordinator for SaskOutdoors, gave a shout-out to Outdoor Play Canada and the Outdoor...

POSITION: MSc / PhD Studentship Opportunity (through Carleton University)  PERIOD: January 2024 (for 2 years - MSc, 3 years - PhD)   SALARY: MSc: $20,000 annually + $1000 Professional Development Allowance – for two years  PhD: $25,000 annually + $2500 Professional Development Allowance – for three years  REPORTS TO: Dr. Mark Tremblay, Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research...