


Kids enjoy music and physical activity at The Saskatchewan Music Camps
Physical literacy is big part of these music camps

How to get your kids to love being active
When kids have learned to love physical activity, it means that they’ve developed their own internal, intrinsic motivation to move.

How physical literacy in childcare benefits children, parents, and ECEs
According to a Canadian study in early child care centres, the benefits of adding more active play time into daily routines are more than just physical.

Looking for a boredom buster? Try these printable activity dice
Looking for quick and easy activities for kids? Simply print this out, cut it, fold it, and glue it into a cube—then roll for an active challenge.

The brain-building benefits of physical literacy
We’ve been studying how providing early childhood educators with physical literacy training affects the children in their care.

Is it time for pediatricians to prescribe physical activity?
Few kids today meet the recommended guidelines for daily physical activity. Here’s what we can do about it.

How educators can use the APPLE Model
The model helps early childhood educators incorporate activities that will encourage young children to develop physical literacy.

15 signs that your child is physically literate
One key indicator is showing confidence while attempting new activities

Why developing physical literacy is so important for kids
New research highlights the importance of fundamental movement skills, and shows why some kids gravitate towards sedentary activities.

Is competition in sports healthy for kids?
Many parents have asked me if I think competition is healthy for kids. Is it healthy? Is it “toxic”? Does it diminish self-confidence?

Why free play outside should be a part of every PE program
Physical education doesn’t just happen in a gymnasium. I’m a big proponent of active free play outside during physical education (PE) class. In my PE classes, I plan for quite a lot of it when the weather allows. There are so many benefits of free play outside that cannot be replicated in the gymnasium. In most … Continued

Active for Life continues to study preschool physical literacy programming
Thanks to funding from the federal government, the Early Years Physical Literacy Research Team will move on to phase two.

2019 holiday gift guide: Top toys for active kids
Get straight to the “merry and bright” portion of your holiday without having to scramble for the perfect gift. With the holiday season just around the corner, here are our picks for the best new active toys that will help develop your children’s physical literacy and keep them moving into the new year and beyond. … Continued

APPLE Model helps early childhood educators incorporate physical literacy
The model was developed as a framework to help ECEs understand how to incorporate physical literacy into their playrooms and playgrounds.

How to use a fortune teller
The Active for Life fortune teller inspires movement, from balancing on one foot to catching a ball to crab-walking.

Free multisport program helps more kids develop physical literacy
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

‘We the North’: Toronto Raptors inspire new generation of basketball fans
Basketball united us for several weeks in May and June, leaving an indelible impact on people across the country. “We The North” was a rallying cry for every Canadian to celebrate an amazing sports story, an incredible story of teamwork, and an opportunity to showcase the diversity, not just of the Raptors, but of Canada. … Continued

A look at Norway’s youth sport model
At first, the concept doesn’t seem groundbreaking: Help kids play and enjoy sports. But, as a recent New York Times op-ed points out, Norway’s approach to youth and sport is different because it really puts children, and their priorities, at its centre. In the article, Tom Farrey explores how the country places value on kids’ … Continued

Gross motor skills and your child
Research indicates that gross motor skills are a major predictor of a child’s school readiness. In essence they reflect “brain skills,” yet many parents and caregivers overlook their importance. When infants and toddlers move their arms, legs, and other large body parts with large muscle groups, they are developing their gross motor skills. However, studies … Continued

Celebrate Bike to School Week with these tips
Did you know that Bike to School Week is happening in communities across Canada from May 27 to 31 this year? Celebrate by encouraging your child or student to ride to school this week and beyond. When done safely, cycling to and from school leads to children who are healthy, happy, and ready to study from fresh air … Continued

Winnipeg boosts physical literacy in early education
In Winnipeg, early childhood educators and caregivers are learning how to address a whole new dimension of infant and toddler development: physical literacy. Recently, the Access and Engagement & Physical Literacy working committees from the Winnipeg Community Sport Policy saw the need to promote physical literacy as a means to combat health risks for children … Continued

Active for Life podcast: Dr. John Cairney on the importance of physical literacy
Dr. John Cairney wears many hats. He’s a professor in the kinesiology and physical education faculty at the University of Toronto, as well as director of the Infant and Child Health Lab at both U of T and McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont. He’s also the chair of Sport for Life’s research group for physical … Continued

Build your own physical literacy lesson plans
As a teacher, do you want to help children develop physical literacy? Would you like an easy shortcut for creating your own lesson plans to do so? Luckily, there’s a range of excellent free resources available at Active for Life. One of the most useful is Active for Life’s (AfL) interactive online Lesson Plan Builder. While AfL’s pre-made … Continued

How US Lacrosse is integrating physical literacy into practices
US Lacrosse is advocating a new approach to developing its youngest players: physical literacy warm-ups. Led by personal trainer Brett Klika’s work, US Lacrosse is promoting the idea of adding movement-based exercises to practices in order to develop greater all-round movement skills and athleticism. The exercises involve creative movement circuits where young players are invited to … Continued