Ottawa – Many athletes have started on their path to the Olympic Games from the playground. Not with drills or targeted practice under the eye of a coach, but with arguably the most important element of all sports–play with peers.
Playgrounds are a foundational space for unstructured play. They are where we learn to bond, to foster tolerance, test our boundaries, and trust ourselves. It is on the playground that we often learn our first lessons in resilience, friendship, and teamwork–all vital skills not only in sport, but in life.
Despite its importance, unstructured play has been on the decline in recent years. Only 28% of kids in Canada aged 5-17 are meeting national guidelines for physical activity, while over 80% are exceeding the recommended amount of daily screen time. In Canada’s most populous province, Ontario, one in four schoolyards have been assessed as unsuitable for play.
In response, Cadillac Fairview is launching CF Play Makers, a program designed to bring back play. Through CF Play Makers, Cadillac Fairview is committed to refurbishing play spaces so that communities can thrive.
For the Bring Back Play campaign, CF Play Makers has teamed up with the Canadian Olympic Committee, as well as Team Canada Olympians Damian Warner and Ellie Black. The goal is to remind adults, often the gatekeepers of play, how important unstructured play is to the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of kids.
Courtesy: https://olympic.ca/