After a school year that saw students spend hours in front of screens and little time playing outdoors, a shift appears to be happening this summer break. With many parents continuing to work from home, and summer camp programs closed or limited in capacity, children are suddenly experiencing the freedom to roam on their own. In...
On July 15th, 2020, Active Bradford hosted the virtual JU:MP (Join Us: Move Play) Play Symposium 2020 to explore play in the modern world with like minded people. Outdoor Play Canada Research Manager Louise de Lannoy spoke at the event about the founding of Outdoor Play Canada, its mission, and strategic direction moving through the...
Press Release: Summer homework – get kids outside and recalibrate healthy lifestyles A national survey commissioned by ParticipACTION shows evidence of collateral damage to the lifestyles of Canadian children and youth consequent to public health restrictions imposed to help contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Restricted access to playgrounds, schools, childcare, playdates, and instructions to “stay home” have...
In a recent story for the newly-launched New Brunswick tourism website, Dr. Willi Broeren, a family doctor in Fredericton and an outdoors enthusiast, put together a compelling list of 8 benefits of spending time in nature, pulling from research in psychology, epidemiology, neuroscience, and medicine. The list includes: Spending time in nature makes us happy Access...
In a recent blog post for the Child & Nature Network, Trish O'Kane, lecturer at the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Vermont, discusses her personal path to discovering nature as a source of healing, how her experiences motivated her to create a community-based course for undergraduate students to connect...
In a recent article for The Conversation, Negin Riazi, PhD Candidate, and Guy Faulkner, Professor, in the School of Kinesiology at the University of British Columbia, discuss the importance of independent mobility for children's mental and physical health and development, the impact of COVID-19 on children's ability to get outdoors freely, as well as the...
In a note at the request of the Play Safety Forum (including Play England, Play Scotland, Play Wales and PlayBoard Northern Ireland), Professor David Ball, Tim Gill and Andy Yates summarized evidence on the effect of restricting children's play as it relates to 1) reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission, and conversely, 2) negatively impacting...
In her recent article for The Guardian, Laura Laker discusses the innovative ways several cities around the world have changed to keep kids healthy, sociable and outdoors. Ms. Laker highlights concerns over city planning that prioritizes cars and the economy over the environment and quality of life, and contrasts those concerns with examples of how child-friendly...
In a recent blog post for Child and Nature Alliance of Canada, Petra Eperjesi, manager of National Programs at Forest School Canada, outdoor teacher and parent, describes her rediscovery of play as the language of children and as a therapeutic outlet, as she participates in her son's make-belief game involving a troll, the powerful FLASH,...
In a recent piece for the New York Times, Lorraine Allen discusses the impact of COVID-19 related confinement on children in Spain and Italy. Her article centres around the findings from a recent study collaboratively produced by researchers from Miguel Hernandez University (Spain) and University of Perugia (Italy; publication under review), which describes increases in irritability,...
