Outdoor Play Strategy: Phase 1.5 (2018-2020) 

Exploring a focus on early childhood education

As the first phase of the Outdoor Play Strategy moved towards completion, the Foundation began to think about next steps and how to achieve measurable impact. We decided to explore early childhood education as a focus for our future work. 

Advancing Outdoor Play and Early Childhood Education: A Discussion Paper

We published Advancing Outdoor Play and Early Childhood Education: A Discussion Paper as a reflection of the exploratory symposium we held in 2018 which ultimately laid the groundwork for developing the Outdoor Play Strategy 2.0.

• Discussion Paper – Advancing Outdoor Play and Early Childhood Education
• Executive Summary (2 pager)
• Stakeholders in Outdoor Play diagram (image)
• Outdoor Play – An ecosystem lens diagram (image)
• Discussion paper front cover (image)

En français:

• Document d’orientation – Promouvoir le jeu extérieur et l’éducation à la petite enfance
• Sommaire exécutif (2 pages)
• Graphique : Les acteurs clés du jeu extérieur (image)
• Graphique : Le jeu extérieur – une vision écosystémique (image)
• Page couverture du document de travail (image)

Increasing Outdoor Play and Early Learning and Child Care in the Context of COVID-19

In July 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic we engaged a group of advisors to support the development of a policy statement, Increasing Outdoor Play and Early Learning and Child Care in the Context of COVID-19, to draw attention to the outdoors as a distinct ELCC setting that supports quality early childhood education and pandemic mitigation measures. 

The statement includes guiding principles and recommendations to support the reopening and ongoing implementation of high quality ELCC programs during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read the Statement and Media Release (PDF) 

Lisez l’avis et le Communiqué de presse (PDF)