Outside Play Lab
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outsideplayubc.bsky.social
Outside Play Lab
@outsideplayubc.bsky.social
We study children's outdoor #RiskyPlay & #InjuryPrevention. We're a team of researchers, led by Dr. Mariana Brussoni (@mbrussoni.bsky.social), based at The University of British Columbia & BC Children's Hospital Research Institute. www.outsideplay.org
Our Lab's Rachel Ramsden is one of the 2026 Children The Heart of The Matter Conference panelists!

Conference will be held Jan 30 & 31, with sessions centred around the theme Rooted in Nature: Exploring Outdoor Play and Our Connection to the Land.

www.childcareoptions.ca/children-the...
November 18, 2025 at 8:18 PM
NEW RELEASE! Drs. Mariana Brussoni and Megan Zeni's book, Embracing Risky Play at School, is now available to pre-order! Scheduled release date: Jan. 2026
If you're in Canada, visit: outdoorlearning.com/product/embr...
For US and other international orders, visit: www.tcpress.com/embracing-ri...
Embracing Risky Play at School: Getting Kids Outdoors to Explore, Learn, and Grow - Outdoor Learning School & Store
NEW RELEASE! Pre-orders Available Anticipated shipping date: End of January Children are naturally drawn to risky play—taking physical chances, seeking excitement, and satisfying curiosity—and are mor...
outdoorlearning.com
November 17, 2025 at 5:14 PM
[Ipswich, Australia:] New playground equipment encourages children to learn through 'risky play' www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10...
Adventurous play the new normal as kids take to 'risky' new equipment
'Cliff riders' have sparked concern among some community members, but 20 have been installed across the country in an effort to help children learn through risk-taking.
www.abc.net.au
November 12, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Reposted by Outside Play Lab
🎉 It’s here 🎉

The 2025 Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play is officially live!

Packed with new insights, sector-specific recommendations, and grounded in 9 key themes, this updated Statement is your go-to guide for supporting active outdoor play for all! 🌿

www.outdoorplaycanada.ca/aop10/
September 25, 2025 at 12:53 PM
How can active outdoor play build a better planet? -- Active For Life looks at the 2025 Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play activeforlife.com/outdoor-play... @outdoorplayca.bsky.social
How can active outdoor play build a better planet?
With its 2025 position statement on active outdoor play, Outdoor Play Canada envisions a world in which play builds healthier, more resilient communities.
activeforlife.com
October 21, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Move over, helicopter parents. Try being a lifeguard parent instead - by Katherine Martinko, for @theglobeandmail.com www.theglobeandmail.com/life/advice/...
Move over, helicopter parents. Try being a lifeguard parent instead
A lifeguard parent sits on the sidelines, ready to dive in if necessary – but otherwise, they stay out of the way
www.theglobeandmail.com
October 16, 2025 at 6:43 PM
One Community’s Experiment With a Phone-Free Childhood time.com/7314325/bala...
One Community's Experiment With a Phone-Free Childhood
The Balance Project, a parent-run movement, works to encourage childhood independence and get kids off screens
time.com
September 9, 2025 at 9:22 PM
⁠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.
- Raising balanced, thriving, kids in the digital age.
Raising balanced, thriving, kids in the digital age.
screenlessplaymore.com
September 5, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Reposted by Outside Play Lab
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...
UK children face barriers to outdoor play due to poor planning, says study
‘Fragmented’ policies leading councils to prioritise approval of housebuilding over parks, researchers find
www.theguardian.com
September 5, 2025 at 7:10 PM
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/
September 3, 2025 at 6:24 PM
*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/
Careers at Let Grow
At Let Grow, we are passionate about fostering independence, resilience, and creativity in children. Learn about joining our team.
letgrow.org
August 28, 2025 at 10:44 PM
Reposted by Outside Play Lab
Exciting book post! First look at a hard copy of the book I wrote with Zoe Sills. #eyfs #riskyplay #edusky
August 13, 2025 at 8:11 PM
"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...
'Stranger Danger' Doesn't Cut It Anymore For Kids. Here's Why, According To Safety Experts.
Kids need situational awareness — from crossing the street to navigating the internet. But many parents don't know how to teach it.
www.huffpost.com
August 22, 2025 at 4:27 PM
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
August 20, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Reposted by Outside Play Lab
‘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-...
How to give children the freedom to play all across the city – not just in playgrounds
Play should be promoted in cities to bolster children’s right to play anywhere.
theconversation.com
July 16, 2025 at 11:24 AM
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...
New instant print kids camera from myFirst inspires outdoor play
Debuting at CES 2025, the world’s largest consumer technology showcase, myFirst has launched the Camera Insta 20 instant print kids camera. Designed for children ages 5 to 12, this lightweight device lets kids snap photos and print them in better quality and quicker than ever—without messy ink cartridges. With built-in frames, filters, and sticker-printing options, it’s made to inspire outdoor exploration, storytelling, and hands-on creativity.
www.digitaljournal.com
August 20, 2025 at 5:18 PM
"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...
What Adults Forget About Friendship
Just catching up can feel stale. Playing and wasting time together like kids do is how you make memories.
getpocket.com
August 19, 2025 at 8:06 PM
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
Home - Breath Of Fresh Air | Outdoor Play Summit
Breath of Fresh Air Outdoor Play Summit Days Hours Minutes Breath of Fresh Air Outdoor Play Summit At the Ottawa Forest and Nature School & Wesley Clover Parks Campground September 25-27th, 2025 Regis...
outdoorplaysummit.ca
August 14, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Reposted by Outside Play Lab
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.
Kids need freedom. Dangerous roads make it hard to grant it.
Bigger cars, distracted drivers and worried parents mean fewer kids are roaming freely.
www.washingtonpost.com
August 13, 2025 at 4:38 PM
"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...
Everyday Enchantments: In Conversation with Daily tous les jours
Daily tous les jours co-founders Mouna Andraos and Melissa Mongiat reflect on 15 years of delightfully unconventional design practice.
www.azuremagazine.com
August 11, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Reposted by Outside Play Lab
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
Resources
www.outsideplay.org
August 11, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Reposted by Outside Play Lab
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
Our kids’ recess at school is essential to well-being and learning — and shouldn’t be scaled back
Time to play, move, connect with peers and breathe is a vital part of learning and essential to academic motivation.
theconversation.com
July 29, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Reposted by Outside Play Lab
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
August 9, 2025 at 12:44 PM
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...
What Kids Told Us About How to Get Them Off Their Phones
Children who were raised on screens need more freedom out in the real world.
www.theatlantic.com
August 6, 2025 at 4:45 PM
"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...
This Innovative Playground Balances Risk and Reward
Sara Jackman Playground announces itself with a colourful medley of interactive elements along the Jackman Institute of Child Study.
www.designlinesmagazine.com
July 30, 2025 at 7:21 PM