Topics: Health

Few kids today meet the recommended guidelines for daily physical activity. Here’s what we can do about it.

We talked to a registered dietitian about nutrition for kids who are always on the move.

CBRM Recreation, in partnership with FrameWork Cycle & Fitness, is currently offering a Try A Fat Bike program in various communities within the CBRM. Why fat tire bike? Why try a fat tire bike? Fat bikes are durable, versatile, comfortable, and can go places you’ve never cycled before. Make no mistake, although these bikes handle … Continued

Managing screen time isn’t just something parents need to do for their kids. It’s also something we need to do for ourselves.

During the seasonal limbo when it’s too cold for golf yet not snowy enough to start cross-country skiing, you might wonder what there is to do with a golf course’s wide open, flurry-dusted acreage. Well, look no further than your own two feet! In line with the CBRM Recreation initiative to support opportunities for adults … Continued

A growing number of teachers are now starting to look for ways to encourage kids to move more during class time, including taking their classes outdoors.

Have you heard of disc golf? If you’re looking for a fun way to stay active and get outdoors this fall, then why not give it a try? Disc golf is an intergenerational sport where participants try to throw special flying discs or Frisbees into an above-ground target. The sport is based on the rules of golf, but instead of … Continued

Highlighting the scale of the decline in children’s mobility, researcher Negin Riazi points to a study conducted in England that showed a staggering drop in the number of children ages seven to eight who walked to school independently, from 80 percent in 1971 to just nine percent in 1990. According to Riazi, this scale of … Continued

This September, Cape Breton will play host to the first-ever Just Paddle It! Festival in Eskasoni. The event, hosted by Atlantic Division Canoe Kayak Canada (ADCKC), in partnership with CBRM Recreation, Eskasoni First Nation, and several other community stakeholders, will take place Sept. 20-22 in Crane Cove and will offer canoe, kayak, and stand-up paddle sessions. … Continued

Risky play is necessary for healthy child development. Here’s some advice for how how parents can assess risk in their children’s 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

When the weather cooperates, it’s a good time to start thinking about how to get our kids to school. Recently, there’s been a significant push for active school travel (AST). Programs are popping up across Canada to identify routes and educate students and their parents on safe active transportation. In Alberta, Ever Active Schools has … Continued

Connecting residents with nature CBRM Recreation is committed to connecting residents to nature. Being a community surrounded by water, we think it’s important to provide recreational opportunities that take advantage of our natural resources. One program we’ve introduced is standup paddleboarding, also known as SUP. This is an excellent activity that can become a lifelong passion. The … Continued

Your child gets ready to jump from the monkey bars and you get ready for a trip to the hospital. Is this a reasonable reaction? Unless there’s a pit of poisonous serpents or a bed of nails below, probably not. As Dr. Mariana Brussoni of the University of British Columbia points out, statistics show that … Continued

The Ability Toolkit: A Resource for Parents of Children and Youth with a Disability is an information booklet intended to aid parents in helping children of all abilities to meet the physical activity recommendations of the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines. The toolkit explains the guidelines, provides advice for modifying physical activities to make them more … Continued

Editor’s note: This article was updated on April 19, 2025. As parents, we want to give our children every opportunity to succeed and live a life that is healthy, happy, and active. Enrolling our children in sport and physical activity programs provides a multitude of mental, physical, and social benefits. But, on occasion, the benefits … Continued

Research indicates that gross motor skills are a major predictor of a child’s school readiness. In essence they reflect “brain skills,” yet many parents and caregivers overlook their importance. When infants and toddlers move their arms, legs, and other large body parts with large muscle groups, they are developing their gross motor skills. However, studies … Continued

“It’s never too early to build confidence and motivation that lasts a lifetime.” -Rising New York Road Runners   Runners know the secret to why running is good for our minds and bodies. There is plenty of research and science to back it up. Running makes us happy, it can help us lose or maintain weight, … Continued

If your child has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or struggles with focus, you’ll be happy to hear that a simple walk in your local park might be beneficial. CBC News recently reported that a review of hundreds of studies found time spent outdoors can result in improved attention span, self-discipline, and stress reduction. “Researchers also … Continued

Middle school is a tough time to find activities to participate in. It can be nearly impossible in rural communities. The Cape Breton Regional Municipality Recreation Department along with the Department of Communities Culture and Heritage decided to mend this gap for young girls ages 12-16 with the program “After The Bell” (ATB). ATB is a … Continued

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

Editor’s note: This article was updated March 12, 2021. Every year, Canadians celebrate Bike to School Week. You can take part by encouraging your child or student to ride to school during this week and beyond. When done safely, cycling to and from school leads to children who are healthy, happy, and ready to study … Continued

We live in a world overflowing with technology. Cars talk to us, phones entertain us, houses are “smart,” and wristwatches monitor our vitals. Are we living in Brave New World or 1984? Whichever we imagine, one thing is certain: our attachment to technology strains our connection with nature. Staying connected to the natural world is … Continued

Learning to ride a bike without training wheels is a rite of passage for many of us. This journey for most comes with many falls, cuts and bruises even with our helmets, elbow and knee pads on. Though there is not a way to completely bypass falling off our first bike, there is a steadier way … Continued