Season: Summer

Physical literacy is big part of these music camps

It’s one thing to talk about limiting screen time, but another to actually do it. So we asked our readers how you keep your kids active and off screens.

Whether your child is skateboarding, cycling, or scootering, here’s how you can pick the right helmet for them.

Welcome to week 2 of Active for Life’s summer day camp! This week, you’ll find many music-themed games and activities for your kids.

First up in our Day Camp at Home series are animal-themed games and activities that’ll keep you and your kids active, engaged, and having fun.

Our resources team has created this new collection of summer group activities and games that support both physical literacy and physical distancing.

Through the summer, Active for Life is publishing free weekly “Day Camp At Home” activity plans for busy families like yours.

What to do when your kids are melting faster than an abandoned popsicle? These activity ideas will help keep them cool.

Have you heard of disc golf? If you’re looking for a fun way to stay active and get outdoors this fall, then why not give it a try? Disc golf is an intergenerational sport where participants try to throw special flying discs or Frisbees into an above-ground target. The sport is based on the rules of golf, but instead of … Continued

Connecting residents with nature CBRM Recreation is committed to connecting residents to nature. Being a community surrounded by water, we think it’s important to provide recreational opportunities that take advantage of our natural resources. One program we’ve introduced is standup paddleboarding, also known as SUP. This is an excellent activity that can become a lifelong passion. The … Continued

The summer slide. I’m not talking about the park or water variety. It’s the worry parents and teachers have that kids may lose some of their educational progress while on summer vacation. Will all their knowledge go slip-sliding away? We know that kids learn social skills, teamwork, and physical skills through play. But what if we … Continued

A new free multisport program in Nova Scotia is helping more Cape Breton Island children develop physical literacy while learning how to play various sports. Capers in the Community launched this summer and is being offered at no cost in towns throughout the Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM). The four-day camp gives children ages five to … Continued

Earlier this year, my wife and I wanted to plan an outdoor birthday party for our four-year-old. We decided to organize it at our local beach, Petrie Island, in Ottawa. We contacted Friends of Petrie Island, an organization responsible for educating the public about the importance of nature, preservation, and ecology. It also helps organize … Continued

The end of the school year is quickly approaching and summer is just around the corner. As a parent, you may be feeling “end-of-year stress,” especially when you contemplate the cost of summer camps, family vacations, and other expensive summer activities. To help you keep your budget in check, we asked our AFL role models for ideas for how to spend … Continued

“It’s never too early to build confidence and motivation that lasts a lifetime.” -Rising New York Road Runners   Runners know the secret to why running is good for our minds and bodies. There is plenty of research and science to back it up. Running makes us happy, it can help us lose or maintain weight, … Continued

On a summer afternoon, you might find four-year-olds digging in the mud with sticks while six-year-olds toss stones into a creek and eight-year-olds climb trees or build a fort. Welcome to the Into the Wild nature camp at WinSport’s Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, Alta., where unstructured, child-led, risky play is the name of the … Continued

Learning to ride a bike without training wheels is a rite of passage for many of us. This journey for most comes with many falls, cuts and bruises even with our helmets, elbow and knee pads on. Though there is not a way to completely bypass falling off our first bike, there is a steadier way … Continued

Tips to keep your family active all year long

A fun water activity for the family

Picnic play ideas for the whole family

Use household items for water fun this summer

It’s summer! If you’re looking for the perfect ingredients for backyard fun, add a pinch of friends and family, a dash of laughter, a smidge of silly, a dab of imagination, and a sprinkle of … sprinklers! Sun and waterplay go together like lemonade and ice cubes. When the temperatures go up, kids love to … Continued

My family has a summer tradition of pre-dinner swims at our local swimming hole in the Elbow River in Calgary. Last summer, as my husband got home from work, we hopped on our bikes and headed down to the river to cool off almost every evening. My daughters both loved this family activity and begged … Continued

Here are some sun safety tips to remember: Pay attention to the UV index. Sun protection is necessary when the UV Index is 3 or higher, and even when it’s cloudy. When playing outdoors, pick a place with shaded areas or a cooling center nearby. If you can’t find a shady spot, use a sun … Continued