One Community’s Experiment With a Phone-Free Childhood time.com/7314325/bala...

⁠Are Playgrounds Too Safe? The Benefits of Risky Play, interview w/our Lab's Rachel Ramsden - E.19, Screen Less Play More podcast: screenlessplaymore.com Rachel reflects on her PhD research, interviewing young kids about playing outside and what we can learn from children about playground design.

Important research underlining the many ways in which local authority policy making marginalises space for play (house building, finance, austerity, post-covid, Brexit, focus on physical activity, etc.) But some hope that “thoughtful planning” can work. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

2025 Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play will be released Sept. 25 - marking 10 years since the original statement! 2025 Statement is global in scope & highlights benefits of active outdoor play for all cultures, abilities, communities, and the environment. www.outdoorplaycanada.ca/aop10/

*JOB POSTING: Let Grow is currently looking for a bilingual (English/French) Canadian School Account Manager to act as a point of contact for schools across Canada, playing a key role in shaping their presence in Canada and supporting schools in implementing Let Grow programs. letgrow.org/careers/

Exciting book post! First look at a hard copy of the book I wrote with Zoe Sills. #eyfs #riskyplay #edusky

"Kids who learn to trust their instincts, pause before reacting and rely on trusted adults are better prepared to navigate both the playground and the online world with confidence and care." www.huffpost.com/entry/teachi...

Rachel Ramsden's upcoming presentations on outdoor play in Canadian early learning & child care centres - including our cross-Canada survey and study focused on children's perspectives on outdoor, risky play. At the 2025 Breath of Fresh Air Summit | Ottawa, ON 🗓 Sept 25-27 outdoorplaysummit.ca

‘How to give children the freedom to #play across the city - not just in playgrounds’ My article in @uk.theconversation.com #Play creates dynamic neighbourhoods, intergenerational encounters, & meaningful participation in #urbanspaces – if only we let it happen theconversation.com/how-to-give-...

New instant print kids camera from myFirst inspires outdoor play: “We wanted to create something that motivates kids to step outside and see the world through their own eyes. This camera makes every moment an adventure worth capturing.” www.digitaljournal.com/business/new...

"To enjoy the rewards of play, you have to take risks, but adults are often too consumed by self-consciousness to run with someone’s silly idea, let alone suggest one." | 'What Adults Forget About Friendship' By Rhaina Cohen, for The Atlantic getpocket.com/explore/item...

We're excited to be taking part in the upcoming 2025 Breath of Fresh Air Outdoor Play Summit, taking place at the Ottawa Forest and Nature School & Wesley Clover Parks Campground, Sept 25-27! outdoorplaysummit.ca

The number of children injured or killed by cars while walking or riding a bike has fallen steadily since the 1970s, but CDC researcher note that this decline is not because streets are safer, but because fewer kids are out and about in the first place.

"So the apparently frivolous work around play and joy is really critical right now, so that we can start coming together again." Interview with Mouna Andraos and Melissa Mongiat, founders of the Montreal-based design studio Daily tous les jours www.azuremagazine.com/article/ever...

The @outsideplayubc.bsky.social has a resource page that covers topics such as outdoor play, playground designs, children's independence, risky play, and more! You can find infographics, books, podcasts, radio interviews and other resources related to outdoor play. www.outsideplay.org/resources

Our kids’ recess at school is essential to well-being and learning — and shouldn’t be scaled back theconversation.com/our-kids-rec... #Play #ECinCanada @theconversation.com

Risky play is defined as thrilling and exciting activities. It's a type of play where #children test their limits, explore boundaries, and develop valuable skills like risk assessment, problem-solving, and resilience. #publicspace #outdoorplay #riskyplay

What Kids Told Us About How to Get Them Off Their Phones www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv... | By Lenore Skenazy, Zach Rausch & Jonathan Haidt 👉 Plus, what adults can do - article mentions our online tool helping parents support outdoor play ✨ www.outsideplay.org/tool-microsi...

"Part of the school’s philosophy is about risk-taking as a fundamental part of creating confidence." Principal Richard Messina | In @novakovicto.bsky.social 's article on the outdoor play space at Toronto's Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study www.designlinesmagazine.com/sara-jackman...

Mariana Brussoni, talking to @infobae.bsky.social (Argentina) about importance of children's risky play: “El juego arriesgado fortalece la autoestima y la tolerancia a la frustración en los chicos” www.infobae.com/educacion/20... @mbrussoni.bsky.social

Outdoor play and learning in elementary schools (K-7) | Tedstyle Talk by Megan Zeni @roomtoplay.bsky.social - as part of Take Me Outside National Outdoor Learning Conference 2025 www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Tae...

"Let Your Kid Climb That Tree" - Henry Abbott looks at the importance of children's risky play, including connection to injury prevention in professional athletes, via @theatlantic.com [ Also available here: www.aol.com/let-kid-clim... ]

New national Risky Play Position Statement released in Australia! "This Position Statement challenges the current Australian narrative around risky play and highlights a benefit-risk approach to risky play for all young children." www.playaustralia.org.au/national-ris...

Children are far better off playing in the sun than sitting in a stuffy classroom www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/07... | Also available via MSN www.msn.com/en-ca/lifest...

Just out 📣 in @JEnvPsych- 'Differential Effects Of An Urban Outdoor Environment On 4-5 Year Old Children’s Attention In School' - with @GemmaGoldenberg, Molly Atkinson, @jan_dubiel www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

"But play is essential, and play is loud. Kids yelp, squeal, cheer, chant, and crash into things. That’s how they express joy, test boundaries, and connect with one another." Katherine Johnson Martinko: Let Kids Be Loud. In Defense of Outdoor Play | After Babel www.afterbabel.com/p/let-kids-b...

"When kids play in nature, something changes. They become more present. They take risks, are eager to solve problems, and find joy in small discoveries." entrepreneurship.babson.edu/outdoor-play...

"[Keeping] kids safe in the heat comes down to adults using their common sense." | How hot is too hot for kids to play outside? by Adam Berne via @npr.org www.npr.org/2025/06/24/n...

Conference in Montreal seeks to address lack of outdoor play spaces for neurodivergent kids globalnews.ca/video/111957...

Pediatrician prescribes healthy dose of outdoor play | Dr. Peter Nieman, via Calgary Herald calgaryherald.com/health/famil...

Helping children thrive through risky play - by Sarah Reader via Calgary's Child Magazine mydigitalpublication.com/publication/...

Play is not a luxury–it is a fundamental right of every child. Play is not optional–it is the essence of human development skills. Play is not just a pastime—it is the learning language and the emotional and biological imperative of children. www.unicef.org/digitaleduca... @unicef.org #Play

UN International Day of Play: celebrating the power of play globalnews.ca/video/112356...

✨ Happy International Day of Play! - from all of us at the Outside Play Lab 🌿 This year's theme -- Choose play - every day! -- is a reminder of just how essential play is to children's development and their well-being. www.unicef.org/parenting/da...

What is outdoor play like in early learning and child care programs across Canada?🌿 Rachel Ramsden and Dr. Mariana Brussoni cover key findings and recommendations from our Measuring Early Childhood Outside study in the May edition of the Atkinson Centre Newsletter mailchi.mp/utoronto/rec...

How do we create a playful city? Interview with Neasa Ni Bhriain @aplayfulcity.bsky.social via Evergreen Canada www.evergreen.ca/stories/how-...

"At a time when the geography of childhood is contracting, when the secret spaces of childhood are disappearing, when kids spend less time outdoors or unsupervised, children’s museums play a number of critical roles" www.bloomberg.com/news/feature... via @bloomberg.com

"It is so hard to ask kids to learn, read, and write, when so many adults are no longer doing the work it takes to ensure they are really learning, reading, and writing." www.404media.co/teachers-are...

Montreal school’s inclusive playground a model for outdoor play — and a push joy www.ctvnews.ca/montreal/art...

When designing outdoor play spaces, you need to think about shade. Shade Lookbook: A Guide to Designing Sun Safety outlines how to do that www.bccancer.bc.ca/prevent/Docu... | By Breann Corcoran,Trang Nguyen, Prof. Susan Herrington, & UBC SALA's Wenyao Li, Qiushi Liu, Tara Shahbazi and Olivia Yeung

👉 Jonathan Haidt was recently a guest on What Now? with Trevor Noah, where he talked about his book The Anxious Generation. Conversation included Canadian Pediatric Society's Position Statement on Outdoor Risky Play & Dr. Mariana Brussoni's work (see around 19min): www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ey4X...

Playing and exploring outdoors brings risk – and that’s good for children theconversation.com/playing-and-... via @uk.theconversation.com

NEW RESOURCE! From California Partners Project - online guide (in English and Spanish) to help families increase their outdoor time, including time spent playing outside. 🌿 Look for us on pg. 6 - as part of info on supporting children's independence! www.calpartnersproject.org/techlifebala...

Alexandra Lange @langealexandra.bsky.social wins the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Criticism, for a collection of essays on making urban spaces more family friendly, via CityLab @bloomberg.com www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...

This research from Australia asked: could digital technologies be designed to foster nature connection? theconversation.com/tech-can-hel... | By @kellievella.bsky.social & Madeleine Dobson via @theconversation.com

🌍 Let’s make PLAY the key to a brighter future! 🌱 Join us at the 2025 BoFA Summit to explore how play connects generations, tackles climate change, and promotes health! Come for the fun, stay for the change! 🌳 Click here to register: 👇 outdoorplaysummit.ca __ #BoFA25 #Play

New from UNICEF: The importance of outdoor play (and how to support it) www.unicef.org/eca/stories/...

"Boredom itself isn't inherently bad, and it can serve as a catalyst for creativity, self-reflection, and problem-solving" - from article Kids Are More Bored Than Ever www.parents.com/kids-are-bor...

“Children’s worlds have shrunk enormously over the last 50 years” -- from ‘We need to reclaim childhood’: UK ministers urged to restore right to play, via @financialtimes.com www.ft.com/content/0731...

CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS for the 2026 Children the Heart of the Matter Conference -- Rooted in Nature: Exploring Outdoor Play and our Connection to the Land! Dr. Mariana Brussoni will be the keynote speaker for the conference! www.childcareoptions.ca/children-the... @mbrussoni.bsky.social