• “In our busy lives, we fail to celebrate the mysteries of nature and the wonders of the living world. As we hurry along, we do not notice the humble moss in the crack of the sidewalk as a sign of growth.”
    Cornelia Hahn Oberlander
    Landscape Architect
    more >
  • “For me, creating playful environments means following children's instincts and creating neighbourhood spaces where kids can play daily in natural outdoor settings, free of charge.”
    Tim Gill, Author
    No Fear - Growing up in a risk averse society
    more >
  • “Not going outside is a risk to a child’s psychological health, a risk to their sense of confidence, a risk to their physical health, and a risk to their sense of wonder.”
    Richard Louv, Author
    Last Child in the Woods
    more     >
  • “Play is valuable in children's physical exercise and growth and in their development of motor skills. Natural outdoor play environments offer important opportunities for children to value the environment around them.”
    International Play Association
    (Canada)
    more     >

CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

photo of boy running

SUNDAY Evening

Film Screening: Play Again

At a time when children spend more time in the virtual world
than the natural world, PLAY AGAIN unplugs a group of media savvy teens and takes them on their first wilderness adventure, documenting the wonder that comes from time spent in nature and inspiring action for a sustainable future.
View Play Again>>

DOWNLOAD FINAL HCHS PROGRAM

MONDAY Morning

Opening Remarks: Landon Pearson

The Honourable Landon Pearson O.C. is a long-time advocate for the rights and well-being of children. She has received many awards, including the Canada Volunteer Award in 1990 and several honorary doctorates. In 2005, she was one among 1000 women world wide nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for her work on behalf of children. In July 2008 she was appointed to the Order of Canada as an Officer.

Visual Overview: Work of Cornelia Hahn Oberlander
Designing for Active Play and Interaction with the Natural World

Cornelia Hahn Oberlander’s highly acclaimed work in landscape architecture has supported the integration of natural, healthy design into children’s playgrounds and community spaces for decades. She is kindly provided her perspective on the issues that relate to children, play and our natural world.

Keynote Speaker: Tim Gill
Outdoor Play, Planning, Policy and Rethinking Childhood

Tim Gill is one of the UK’s leading thinkers on childhood and an effective advocate for change. His work focuses on children’s play and free time. Tim’s book No Fear: Growing up in a risk averse society was published by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in 2007. Tim believes that children have the potential to be more resilient, capable, creative and able to learn than we give them credit for.
View Tim Gill's Presentation on SlideShare

Keynote Speaker: Catherine O'Brien
Land Use and Transportation Planning Guidelines as a Tool

Catherine O’Brien, Ph.D. is a leading Canadian expert in planning child and youth friendly communities. Her writing and research also focus on opportunities to pursue sustainable happiness. This is a concept that Dr. O’Brien defines as “Happiness that contributes to individual, community and/or global well-being and does not exploit other people, the environment, or future generations.”
View Catherine O'Brien's Presentation on SlideShare

Speaker: Kelly Murumets
Shifting a Social Norm

President & CEO, ParticipACTION

MONDAY Afternoon

Panel Discussion: Tim Gill, Dr. Catherine O’Brien, Kelly Murumets
Shifting a Culture 'Inside Out'

Plenary and Breakaway Sessions: Cross-Sector Tools for Collaborative Change
 
Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card as a Tool

Dr. Rachel Colley, Researcher, CHEO-HALO, Lead Wwriter, Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card
Kelly Murumets, President & CEO, ParticipACTION

Child Friendly Planning—Taking it Outside

Bob Yates, Urban Planner, Consultant, Yates, Thorn and Associates
Kim Sanderson, City of Edmonton

Designing Outdoor Spaces to Support a Child’s Right to Play Outside and Connect with Natural Spaces

Jamie Nicholls, PhD Candidate, McGill University: CHILD Project and Outdoor Criteria Findings
Cam Collyer, Program Director, Evergreen Learning Grounds
Valerie Fronczek, International Play Association
View Jamie Nicholls' Presentation on SlideShare

Natural Leaders: Youth Engagement

Youth Delegates
Maheengun Shawanda, founder, Great Lakes Cultural Camps

TUESDAY Morning

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Andrew Pipe
Children, Health and the Outdoors—Send Your Children Outside to Play

Currently Chief of the Division of Prevention and Rehabilitation at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Dr. Pipe is a Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa. He is currently involved in clinical research assessing new approaches to smoking cessation, strategies designed to facilitate exercise adoption, and novel initiatives to prevent
cardiovascular disease.
View Dr. Pipe's Presentation on YouTube
View Dr. Pipe's Presentation on SlideShare

TUESDAY Afternoon

Panel Discussion:
Knowledge to Community and Political Action: The Critical Nature of Cross-Sector Dialogue

Plenary and Breakaway Sessions: Creation of an Indicator—Measuring Outdoor Time for Canadian Kids

Rachel Colley, CHEO-HALO, Active Healthy Kids Canada
Joel Barnes, CHEO-HALO, Active Healthy Kids Canada

Play, Active Transportation and Risk Management:
Understanding our perceptions of risk, concrete solutions to why not, the benefits of child-friendly spaces

Tim Gill, Author, No Fear: growing up in a risk averse society
Bob Yates, Urban Planner, Consultant
Wallace Beaton, School Travel Planning, Green Communities of Canada

Spacial Design, Nature and the Built Environment

Adam Bienenstock, President, Natural Playgrounds
Cam Collyer, Program Director, Evergreen Learning Grounds

Panel Discussion:
Next Steps: Action Tools to Take Away and Building on Momentum

Next Step Concept: Your Inner Child by Lindsay Legari, Youth Delegate

View Lindsay Legari's Presentation on SlideShare