Grant: Operating Grant

Our fondest childhood memories are often of play. Whether jumping in a pile of leaves, catching bugs, or climbing a tree, children are often happiest when playing freely outdoors. Play is a childhood need so basic, it is enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, yet time for play has been increasingly eroded. Increasing evidence indicates the importance of outdoor play time for children's health and well-being. Our research seeks to gain the perspective of children aged 10-13 years and their parents on why they are motivated - or not - to play outside. We will use children's and parents' perspectives to develop an index of the playability of outdoor environments - the extent to which a given environment is friendly for outdoor play. An environment with high playability is easily and safely accessible and contains stimulating play opportunities. Girls and boys prioritize different aspects of their environment for play, so we expect to develop different indices of playability for girls compared to boys, and parents vs. children. We will test the relationship between the playability index and the health and well-being of children living in cities across Canada. The playability index will be useful for designing our urban environments to meet children's needs and positively influence their health.