“It’s really fun to have more than one space to play in,” says Bell, who goes to Edmonton’s St. Boniface school.

According to the 2009 Canadian Health Measures Survey, 31% of boys and 25% of girls aged 15 - 19 were obese or overweight.

Less than half of the kids get enough exercise for healthy growth and development. That statistic is pushing educators and parents to search for ways (such as creative play areas and more games and outdoor activities) to help their children be more active and to have more time to just play.

One Canadian encouraging unstructured play is Olympic rower Silken Laumann. She asks parents to set aside at least one night a week for outdoor play with their children such as going for a walk, throwing a Frisbee, or riding bicycles together.

“Kids have an enormous need for movement, for fresh air and exercise. The kids need it 10 times as much as we do, and many of our kids in Canada are being cheated,” says Laumann, who has two children.

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“The benefits from play are huge. Movement, such as jumping, skipping, and throwing, relieves stress and teaches coordination and athletic ability. Play encourages imagination and teaches social skills to kids. They learn how to fix things and how to make a game work. They also learn how to make someone feel better, so a game continues, all without adult interference.”

She also adds that play helps kids to enjoy their childhood, before their lives become even more structured as adults.

“Play and joy are quite close together. When we run and jump we feel joy and that gives us hope,” says Laumann. “I always say to parents that play is not a ‘nice to have’ but a ‘need to have.’”

She adds that parents are their kids’ greatest role models.

“Particularly with family-oriented physical activity…When those habits are developed early as a family, those habits continue into the kids’ teenage years,” says Laumann.

Parents who struggle with being active themselves can still help their children, says Laumann. Get them involved in community activities, and take them to the playground to play with others. Parents could also get involved in Play in the Park Days.

Parents can also push for strong gym programs in their children’s schools and offer to supervise neighbourhood kids playing in their yard.

Cathy Sitko, Rachel Bell’s principal, says the St. Boniface naturescape, which is two years old, encourages learning outside and cooperative play.

“I never have had to deal with any problems in that space. I deal with problems from the soccer field or the hallway, but there has been no arguing, pushing, or injuries in the naturescape.”

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She added the space encourages high-level thinking, problem solving, and lots of dialogue among the kids.

St. Boniface parents and staff planned the naturescape six years ago with a landscape architect. They asked the kids to draw the perfect outside play space.

Consulting kids about their play areas is something the City of Edmonton has been doing when creating new “design spaces,” says Kim Sanderson, who works for the city in Community Services and is a member of the International Play Association.

“We are trying to design play spaces that encourage physical activity and free play for kids of all ages,” he says, pointing to spaces in Edmonton’s Hawrelak Park, Belgravia Park, or the Yellowbird area as examples.

“By having climbing walls, skateboarding paths, pathways for hide and seek and other games for the younger kids, facades of houses and buildings to stimulate creative thought, and green spaces, we want to create a community that kids will want to keep coming back to,” he says.

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Learn More

Family TLC
Looking for family activities, including games, sports, and outdoor activities? This website offers lots of ideas for different age groups for every month of the year.

How Can My Family and I Be More Active in Our Leisure Time?
The more active you are with your children, the more likely they are to be active as they get older. Here are some ideas to become active together.

Pioneer Children: Toys and Games
Here are some great pioneer games to play with your family, including “rolling the hoop,” “shadow tag,” “fox and geese,” and “drop the handkerchief.”

PlaySport
PlaySport games encourage fun, free play while helping kids develop skills to participate in all kinds of sports. Activity leaders can search for activities based on the equipment you have, the skills you want to teach and the space you have available. Registration is required, but the resources are free.