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Advertisement 1This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. There’s no better Canadian experience than a bunch of adults and kids chasing a puck while sporting their favourite NHL team sweaters. Core memories are made when families enjoy the outdoors together, not sitting alone in a basement staring at a screen. Photo by Gordon Beck /The GazetteReviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.Article contentWith the cold weather closing in and winter soon upon us, Canadians are getting into hibernation mode. Bikes are in storage, summer running gear is at the back of the closet and kayaks and paddle boards are stowed away until next spring. But as much as we love to cozy up under a blanket and binge watch Netflix during the winter months, it’s important to make getting outside a daily habit.Sign In or Create an Accountor View more offersArticle contentThis is especially true for kids who even in the best weather need prodding to step away from their screens. During the summer, getting outdoors is easy. But playgrounds are less inviting in the cold weather months and pulling on boots, snow pants and the rest of winter’s gear is a barrier to spontaneous outdoor play. But kids need to move, a statement that seems obvious, but only 39 per cent of Canadian children and youth (5-17 years) meet the recommended 60 minutes of moderate-vigorous physical activity a day.Article contentArticle contentAdvertisement 1Story continues belowThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Article contentBefore indoor gaming became popular, there was little expectation of kids spending all day indoors. But the outdoors looked different then. Neighbourhoods were full of backyard rinks, road hockey games, snow forts and toboggan hills. But unsupervised, unstructured outdoor play has almost disappeared. And some Canadian municipalities have bylaws discouraging kids from playing in the streets. There’s also been a trend toward closing popular toboggan runs based on concerns about kids getting hurt.Article contentWorried about the normalization of sedentary indoor play, a group of Canadian health and exercise researchers representing 14 different organizations created a Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play. Published in 2015 and geared to children 3-12 years of age, the experts reminded parents, school administrators and communities that for kids, active outdoor play is an important part of a healthy upbringing.Article content“When children are outside, they move more, sit less and play longer, behaviours associated with improved cholesterol levels, blood pressure, body composition, bone density, cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal fitness and aspects of mental, social and environmental health,” the experts said.Article contentAdvertisement 2Story continues belowThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Article contentThe Position Statement also championed letting kids explore the outdoors without adults in tow.Article contentRead More Fitness: Physical education has no age limit Fitness: Is there an express route to building muscle? Advertisement 1Story continues belowThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Article content“Outdoor play that occurs in minimally structured, free and accessible environments facilitates socialization with peers, the community and the environment, reduces feelings of isolation, builds inter-personal skills and facilitates healthy development,” said the 2015 Position Statement.Article contentTen years later, the same group of Canadian experts updated the Position Statement, this time expanding its target audience to include all ages and crafting is message with a larger international team of 130 researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and other active outdoor groups.Article content“Together as a collective of the outdoor play sector, we want to build healthier, more resilient communities by making active outdoor play part of daily life, ensuring that everyone has equitable access and opportunities to engage in active outdoor play,” said the 2025 Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play.Advertisement 1This advertisement has not loaded yet.Trending About Last Night: Cole Caufield takes league lead in goal scoring Montreal Canadiens At 7-foot-9, Terrebonne's Olivier Rioux makes NCAA basketball history Basketball Update: Up to 20 cm of snow coming Sunday as first winter storm looms for Montreal Weather Stu's Slapshots: Canadiens' Jakub Dobes shows there is crying in hockey Hockey Inside Out Zurkowsky: Davis Alexander does it again as Alouettes head to Grey Cup Montreal Alouettes Advertisement 2AdvertisementThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article contentAdvocating the benefits of making outdoor activities part of our daily routine is an attempt to turn the clock back to a time when enjoying the fresh air was more compelling than sitting alone in front of a screen. To assist in the cause the experts urge municipalities to improve access to spaces that promote active outdoor play.Article content“When we play outdoors, we engage in more physical activity and less sedentary behaviour and screen time leading to better sleep,” said the advocates of outdoor play.Article contentDuring the COVID years, we saw a lot of municipalities turn their focus to outdoor recreation. With access to public indoor spaces limited, cross-country ski trails were opened on golf courses, ice rinks were installed in local parks and walking and cycling paths maintained during the winter months. The community responded positively to these efforts, heading outdoors in record numbers to walk, ski, skate and play.Article contentBut it’s not only municipal recreation departments that need to create more environments for citizens to get out and play. Educational institutions, from elementary to universities, can install outdoor gyms, skating rinks and play structures that encourage active, creative and unsupervised physical activity in school yards and campuses.Article contentAdvertisement 3Story continues belowThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Article content“We recommend increasing opportunities for active play in all settings where people live, learn, work and play,” said the 2025 Position Statement.Article contentBut families themselves have the greatest potential to move society outdoors and away from passive indoor activities. Normalizing the practice of getting a daily dose of fresh air and exercise can create a healthy routine that spans a lifetime.Article contentKeep in mind there’s no need to pack everyone in the car in pursuit of the perfect outdoor activity. Sometimes a snowball fight in the backyard or enjoying a game of street hockey at the end of the driveway is just the right activity to get everyone out of the house. There’s no better Canadian experience than a bunch of adults and kids chasing a puck while sporting their favourite NHL team sweaters. Invite the neighbours, friends and classmates to join in. Core memories are made when families enjoy the outdoors together, not sitting alone in a basement staring at a screen.Article contentAdvertisement 2This advertisement has not loaded yet. Featured Local Savings
