EarthPlay for Earth Day is the centrepiece of the Earth Day Canada 2017 campaign.
Why? As a child, play used to mean spending long lazy days outside with friends, building forts, playing on the street until dark, climbing a tree, playing soccer or road hockey … just playing hard all day long. This kind of self directed play is disappearing in the age of tablets and computer games, with most children spending less than one hour per day playing outside. Parents are driving kids to school and taking them to indoor activities by car.
Outdoor play matters because it gets kids feeling connected to the environment, builds their connection to nature and fosters qualities like self reliance, inclusion, and ingenuity.
Earth Day Canada believes that outdoor play is essential for building the next generation of environmental leaders in Canada “because kids who don’t get outside, who aren’t stimulated by their environment, won’t grow up with any motivation to protect our planet.”
What can you do?
Join the campaign to raise awareness of EarthPlay for Earth Day by posting a vintage photo of your play memory on Facebook or Twitter, with the hashtags #PLAYmemory and #ED2017. More info here.
The ParticipACTION 150 Play List is a great way to get outdoors and start being more active with your family. There are badges and prizes up for grabs with so many fun ideas on this ultimate EarthPlay adventure list. Have you tried pickle ball? Ringette? Kickball? Dog sledding? Or broomball? There is so much more to choose from! Do you think you can you finish every item on the list this year?
We’ve talked about Earth Day, Every Day for the past few years on Earth Day. Let’s prepare the next generation for the challenges ahead by making sure they play the right way, every day.
