Children's Unstructured Play and Active Outdoor Play Position Statements - balancing risk and benefits

Posted March 13, 2019

In the new Children's Unstructured Play Position Statement the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) recognizes unstructured play as a child’s right and a critical component to child and youth health and well-being.They have released a statement, toolkit and policy guides on a new websiteat https://www.cpha.ca/unstructured-play

 

CPHA recommends actions to reduce barriers limiting opportunities for unstructured play at school and in the community. CPHA calls upon all parents/caregivers, educators, child care providers, school boards, public health professionals, the private sector and all levels of governments and Indigenous peoples’ governments to improve access to unstructured, child-led play.

 

The benefits of unstructured and active outdoor play are described in the evidence-based Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play published by ParticipACTION in 2015

 

 The Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health  also supports the Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play. (http://www.phn-rsp.ca/aop.php)  through the Pan-Canadian Public Health Network, 2018.

 

These position statements encourage “a risk-benefit approach to balance injury prevention and childhood development benefits”.

 

How can we ensure that falls and injuries from falls are being considered and acted upon in the context of using these documents?