Welcome to Play Outside NS

Play Outside NS publishes the latest on the activities and research of Dalhousie University’s PLEY (Physical Literacy in the Early Years) project. Readers will also be able to check in on great Nova Scotia play stories, get insights on children’s play from across the country and catch up on news from the international community.

It’s all kicking off with the Summer of PLEY, a series of events for kids and adults scheduled for July and August. First out of the sandbox is a loose parts play pop-up on the Halifax Commons – the kids won’t want to miss this. Save the date for July 22. More details soon.

A special guest is lined up for a public talk in August on a developing theme – risk and play. This topic continues to generate interest and engage a broad range of people including parents, caregivers, researchers, designers, healthcare professionals, educators, recreation leaders and more. The speaker’s evidence-based research, candour and common sense are well respected by media, academics and the broader play community. Stay tuned for more details…

There is more in store that we will be sharing here, on Twitter and on Facebook. We hope you will be able to join us in person and/or online. We’re always interested in your thoughts and comments.

But wait, it’s not just about us. This week there have been a couple of international media stories focused exclusively on play. The US experience offers An Illustrated History of New York City’s Playgrounds published in The Atlantic‘s CITYLAB. Interesting perspectives and did we mention great graphics too?

In the UK, The Guardian ran Children are stuck inside more than ever – how can we give them back their freedom? in their Cities section. It’s a fair question – how do we do it? Both publications have a longstanding commitment to reporting on children’s play.

To close out this first post, hats off to funders, volunteers, kids and teachers of a growing international movement – Outdoor Classroom Day. It’s happening in a community near you on May 23. Get the kids outside. Bravo to the 20+ Nova Scotia schools taking part this year…