Manitouwadge Among Northshore Communities to Enjoy Pop-Up Adventure Play Event
MANITOUWADGE, ON – Tuesday, May 29th, families took to the baseball diamond behind the Recreation Centre for another initiative from the Healthy Kids Challenge: the Pop-Up Adventure Play for families. The event was described by organizers as “An evening where children are in charge. When imaginations and creativity will soar.”
The event was also follow-up to the 3hr ‘Creating Engaging PLAY Spaces Workshop‘ held earlier the same day in Manitouwadge and promoted as being for policy makers, recreation departments, school boards and ‘anyone who is interested in creating outdoor play environments for children’.
As seen in the photos below the play space was transformed by participating families who used the variety of loose parts, tools, paints and other items made available by organizers. At the back of the field was an area set up for water play where kids and parents were playing, laughing and running around.
This type of minimally directed play encourages kids to discover problem solving skills while boosting their self-confidence. Events like this also bring families together strengthening community ties as families play along side each other.
From the Power Off and Play information package (click here for the full PDF):
It is well established through research and practice that play is essential to a child’s physical health and emotional well-being. Play stimulates all aspects of a child’s development including the physical, social, cognitive, emotional and spiritual aspects. It is through self-directed play that children, armed with curiosity and a spirit of inquiry, explore their environment and construct knowledge about the world around them. In doing so they prepare the foundation on which they will build a life of resilience, creativity, self-confidence and life-long learning.
Play is also essential for the continued growth of adults. That’s why PLAYLearnThink workshops incorporate playful ways of engaging participants. Whether working as a group on a challenging task or experimenting with various materials, the focus is always the use of play to nurture creativity and foster the exploration of risk which leads to great feats of problem solving and innovation.
Healthy Kids Community Challenge, Superior North Greenstone is promoting Power Off and Play and encouraging children and families to build a balanced day that is not filled with screen time. We’re excited for this series of workshops across the region and excited to promote the concept of unstructured, outdoor play for children as a means to power off their devices and PLAY!
