Information for parents and caregivers of young children on the importance of free and active play, including recommended websites that provide ideas and online activities to get started, and standards of practice for childcare settings.
- Active play is freely chosen, unstructured, and fun physical activity that gets the heart pumping
- Active play is an important part healthy childhood development as it:
- Promotes physical growth and skill development
- Builds confidence and problem-solving abilities
- Teaches cooperation and social skills
- Active play sets children up to have fun and positive experiences while gaining the skills, abilities, and motivation to take part in physical activity for life.
Feeling uncertain about the safety of allowing the child or children in your care to play freely outdoors? Explore the outside play tool designed to help caregivers feel more confident allowing for outdoor play.
Background information
- Canadian 24-hour movement guidelines for the early years (0-4) (video) - Build Your Best Day
- The division of responsibility in activity - Ellyn Satter Institute
Ready-to-use activities, ideas, and videos
- Active for life - Active for Life
- Have a ball together - Best Start
- Healthy eating and physical activity in the early years - Appetite to Play
- Raising our healthy kids - Raising Our Healthy Kids
- Recipe for an active day checklist (PDF) - Active for Life
- Recipe for an active year checklist (PDF) - Active for Life
- YPlay: Virtual activities - YMCA of Greater Vancouver
National resources
- Unstructured play: Toolkit - Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA)
Northern Health resources
- Child and youth safety - Northern Health
- School and youth health: Physical activity - Northern Health
Standards of practice
- Childcare standard of practice: Active play fact sheet (PDF) - Government of BC
- Standard of practice: Active play (PDF) - British Columbia Director of Licensing
- Standard of practice: Safe play space (PDF) - British Columbia Director of Licensing