The Breath of Fresh Air Outdoor Play Summit is a two-day Outdoor Play Canada-led Summit where thought leaders, practitioners, researchers, and policy makers can connect and share best practices. This innovative national forum on outdoor play historically took place in an open air environment. This year the Summit will be held virtually and will be streamed from the Ottawa Forest...
Thank you to Carrie Millar, Dr. Jennifer Leo and Dr. Kelly Arbour Nicitopoulos for providing this post. Launched in 2019, Promoting Inclusive Play in Alberta (PiPA) is a collaborative initiative between The Steadward Centre for Personal & Physical Achievement at the University of Alberta and Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities. The aim of the initiative is to...
Thank you to Chloe Dragon Smith and Robert Grandjambe for providing this post. This article was originally published in briarpatch Magazine. Standing on the shores of Pine Lake, the wind ruffles my hair, rippling the surface of the water with the same gentle tendrils that envelop my body. We are one, the lake and I. We always...
July 29, 2021 A new report from the Lawson Foundation and Outdoor Play Canada, 'Funding for Outdoor Play in Canada' - released today - identifies funding trends as well as current and potential funders of outdoor play. Based on an environmental scan, a grant seeker survey, and interviews with funders, this report outlines the drivers of...
Congratulations to OPC Leadership Group member, Dr. Mariana Brussoni, on her new appointment as Director of the Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) at the University of British Columbia! Dr. Brussoni's appointment follows the recent leadership of Dr. Marin Guhn and Dr. Kim Schonert-Reichl, as well as the leadership of Dr. Clyde Hertzman, the founding director of...
In 2020 the Lawson Foundation published a report and position on increasing outdoor play in early learning child care environments in the context of COVID-19. With input from OPC Leadership Group member Frank Welsh, the Lawson Foundation recently revisited the guidelines and published an update through First Policy Response. Read the updated report, 'Outdoor early learning helps kids....
Thank you to Dr. Nicholas Ravanelli and Dr. Shawnda Morrison for providing this post Are you feeling the heat this summer? The Active Heatwave study is being conducted by Dr. Nicholas Ravanelli (PhD, CSEP-CEP) and Outdoor Play Canada member Dr. Shawnda Morrison (PhD, CSEP-CEP), to investigate how children and adults perceive ambient temperature changes throughout the summer. Why...
Outdoor Play Canada (OPC) and Sask in motion are thrilled to announce the transfer of Sask in motion’s Active Toy Guide and Adventure Calendar to OPC. OPC hopes to uphold the creativity and playfulness of these legacy projects and expand both projects to be national in scope and reach, to help OPC in its mission...
On Friday, June 18th, OPC's Dr. Louise de Lannoy presented at the 2021 Virtual Play Conference, an annual educational conference held by the US Play Coalition. This year, due to pandemic restrictions, the conference was held online from April 1st to June 30th, 2021 with weekly networking events and presentations, recorded and available for viewing...
Thank you to Dr. Lauren Pinault, Statistics Canada, for providing this post. Greenness is linked to good health It may not surprise you to learn that living in areas that are surrounded by greenness, such as large trees, gardens, and natural vegetation, can be beneficial to our health. We have previously shown that higher levels of greenness around the home are associated with a lower risk...
