


15 hidden treasures on our website to spark your child’s love of active play
Whether you’re a parent, educator, coach, or someone who interacts with kids in any other of a multitude of ways, there’s so much here for you on Active for Life. Check out this collection of ways to get kids moving.

A free professional development opportunity for early childhood educators in Canada
Learn Through Active Play is a new, free program designed to support the ECEs tasked with educating our children.

Celebrating the first International Day of Play
In 2024, the first-ever International Day of Play will be observed and celebrated on June 11. For children, this is big news.

The importance of active play in the early years
Active play plays an essential role in kids’ development, and early years educators are uniquely positioned to incorporate active play.

Early years activity resources at ActivePlay.ca
ActivePlay.ca is a new website with ideas and resources for early years educators who want to ensure the children in their care get the play opportunities they need.

An Indigenous mother’s view of active play
A Cayuga mother reflects on how she raised her children to love being active, and how she’s watching her grandkids be raised the same way.

Benefits of active play are more than just physical
As an elementary teacher, here are three ways I see physical education, extracurricular activities, and outdoor play have a positive impact on my students.

My kids’ favourite toy? An old plastic barrel. Seriously.
I don’t remember why or where we got the barrel, but for my kids, it’s been the best play prompt. It encourages their creativity and movement.

Parenting through the pandemic: Simple tips to help you cope
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve been thrust into extremely difficult and unprecedented days. It’s important to be kind to yourself.

No stroller potatoes! Why babies need active play every day
It’s important that we offer babies lots of time to move their bodies freely, unrestrained by car seats, swings, or bouncy chairs. Learn why.

Play centres offer ideas for kids to play their own way
For many children in early-years programs, learning happens at play centres—themed play areas with a specific focus. Here’s how to create simple play centres at home.

If in doubt, let them out: kids have a right to play
November 20 marks the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Infographic: Be a “lifeguard parent”
Here’s how parents can know when to intervene in their children’s risky play, and how to help facilitate acceptable risk.

APPLE Model helps early childhood educators incorporate physical literacy
The model was developed as a framework to help ECEs understand how to incorporate physical literacy into their playrooms and playgrounds.

Safety hacks for kids’ active play
From parking lots to playgrounds, children will play anywhere they get the chance. They can’t help it—play is part of kids’ DNA. It’s important for parents to keep kids safe and coach them on how to assess the risks around them. This challenge is made easier by sharing little “hacks” that set age-appropriate limits for children … Continued

5 fun and active trampoline games
With some creativity, trampolines can be used for a lot more than just jumping. Children love to leap, but when you add a variety of activities to the usual jump routine, kids will bounce their way to even more fun. Safety should always come first, so before your child gets hopping, keep these safety tips … Continued

Active play by design: The coolest kindergarten ever
Children today don’t get enough active play time. And that’s a health issue because it’s during active free play that children fill up on their daily requirement of daily physical activity. The problem is not that children have stopped playing, but that the nature of the games they play has changed. In this digital era … Continued

Celebrate a month of activity with this Advent calendar printable
This printable is a great way to add some fun and movement to the lead-up to Christmas.

Help your kids learn to love to move with our parent promise
Help your children learn to love moving their bodies

12 days of fun: A holiday activity list
This holiday season, there are plenty of outdoor and indoor activities families can enjoy together

This mom asked her son a scary question and his answer blew her away
Never forget what’s important to your children

Kids missing out on summer camp fun because they lack basic skills
Children are losing physical and social competencies

Playground zen, or how I learned to keep worrying but let my kid fall
Stay in the moment and trust your children to take a chance

8 little-known games to play with your kids
If, like many parents, you’ve found yourself running out of new play ideas for your kids, try these creative and fun lesser-known ones!