Topics: Sports & Rec

There is a lot of money in kids’ sports. In Canada alone, recent research suggests that youth sport has become an industry worth $8.7 billion per year. Unfortunately, amid this flow of dollars, and the sometimes astronomical cost for parents, many kids from lower-income homes are getting left on the sidelines. Enter Tim Adams with … Continued

She really liked that Jermaine took time to coach the kids about how to play and taught them some basics like dribbling, moving their feet, and shooting. She thought it would be great if it was actually a Raptors player teaching the kids to play, and is hoping that she might get coached by a … Continued

Most people think of libraries as places for quiet contemplation. But it turns out libraries today are not just places where people can go to read and check out books—they’re increasingly becoming community hubs where families can access a wide variety of activities and resources to be physically and mentally active. In this month’s podcast, Active … Continued

There’s an excitement in the air every time we tell students there’s an upcoming sports tournament. The schoolyard is filled with students in grades four to six practicing during recess to get ready for the tryouts. Typically, there are over 60 students trying out for one team. Most elementary school teams have 15 players on … 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

Teaching a child to ride a bike must be one of the toughest activities. It certainly has been in our house. “Parent fail” reverberates in my head when my daughter tearfully says she doesn’t want to ride her bike. We started with a pedal-less strider bike, which was great for her to learn to balance … 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

Across Canada, parks are adding BMX tracks and pump tracks to appeal to older and more adventurous kids. But these features aren’t only fun for big kids. Even children as young as three years old can develop the fundamental movement skills they need to master a balance bike on the track, with a little help … Continued

A new free multisport program in Nova Scotia is helping more Cape Breton Island children develop physical literacy while learning how to play various sports. Capers in the Community launched this summer and is being offered at no cost in towns throughout the Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM). The four-day camp gives children ages five to … Continued

Basketball united us for several weeks in May and June, leaving an indelible impact on people across the country. “We The North” was a rallying cry for every Canadian to celebrate an amazing sports story, an incredible story of teamwork, and an opportunity to showcase the diversity, not just of the Raptors, but of Canada. … 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

At first, the concept doesn’t seem groundbreaking: Help kids play and enjoy sports. But, as a recent New York Times op-ed points out, Norway’s approach to youth and sport is different because it really puts children, and their priorities, at its centre. In the article, Tom Farrey explores how the country places value on kids’ … Continued

Risky play can be an intimidating concept for parents and caregivers to try to implement with their children. How much risk is too much? How can play remain safe? Dr. Mariana Brussoni recognizes the dilemma. In fact, she’s an expert on the subject. Her research focuses on caregivers’ perceptions of risk and safety when it … 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

We don’t sell commercial ad space on Active for Life, but once in a while, we recognize advertising campaigns that promote important messages. This is the case with the Visa ad campaign developed for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which started earlier this month. The campaign video shows a series of female soccer players … Continued

With the Toronto Raptors’ deep run in the NBA playoffs, and now a franchise-first NBA championship, everyone in Canada is talking basketball. And as often happens when the “home” team finds success, kids everywhere want to start playing and emulating their heroes. Jr. NBA Basketball is now making it easier than ever to get the … Continued

But role models are not enough to change the lives of Canadian girls

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

Parents can insist sports clubs train and screen all coaches

On a summer afternoon, you might find four-year-olds digging in the mud with sticks while six-year-olds toss stones into a creek and eight-year-olds climb trees or build a fort. Welcome to the Into the Wild nature camp at WinSport’s Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, Alta., where unstructured, child-led, risky play is the name of the … 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

Physical activity as a powerful and positive social outlet Sheppard, a lacrosse player, decides to start up a team to provide his students with physical activity and a positive social outlet. It takes some convincing—“I don’t like to run,” one boy tells Sheppard—but the Kugluktuk Grizzlies are born. At practices, Sheppard shows them how to … Continued

Ready, Aim, Kick! to the rescue One particularly difficult day, we tried an activity called Ready, Aim, Kick! (see Activity #6) from the APPLE Seeds program. This robust program introduces physical literacy skills in a sequential way within everyday play. Ready, Aim, Kick! involves playing kicking games using targets and a variety of materials, including pylons, … Continued

From a sporting standpoint, the thing I enjoy most about coaching girls is the fact that they listen. They listen because they want to get it right. Getting it right is important because they want to be socially accepted, and in their early years of participation, social acceptance is their number one reason for getting … Continued