title: Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play.
abstract: A diverse, cross-sectorial group of partners, stakeholders and researchers, collaborated to develop an evidence-informed Position Statement on active outdoor play for children aged 3-12 years. The Position Statement was created in response to practitioner, academic, legal, insurance and public debate, dialogue and disagreement on the relative benefits and harms of active (including risky) outdoor play. The Position Statement development process was informed by two systematic reviews, a critical appraisal of the current literature and existing position statements, engagement of research experts (N=9) and cross-sectorial individuals/organizations (N=17), and an extensive stakeholder consultation process (N=1908). More than 95% of the stakeholders consulted strongly agreed or somewhat agreed with the Position Statement; 14/17 participating individuals/organizations endorsed it; and over 1000 additional individuals and organizations requested their name be listed as a supporter. The final Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play states: "Access to active play in nature and outdoors--with its risks--is essential for healthy child development. We recommend increasing children's opportunities for self-directed play outdoors in all settings--at home, at school, in child care, the community and nature." The full Position Statement provides context for the statement, evidence supporting it, and a series of recommendations to increase active outdoor play opportunities to promote healthy child development.
authors.affiliation: Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K1H 8L1, Canada. mtremblay@cheo.on.ca.|Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, University of Ottawa, 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K1H 8L1, Canada. mtremblay@cheo.on.ca.|School of Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa, 125 University Private, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 1A2, Canada. mtremblay@cheo.on.ca.
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Tremblay
authors.affiliation: Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K1H 8L1, Canada. casgray@cheo.on.ca.
authors.forename: Casey
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.affiliation: KidActive, 559A, Burtron Lane, Combermere, Ontario, K0J 1L0, Canada. sbabcock@kidactive.ca.
authors.forename: Shawna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Babcock
authors.affiliation: Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K1H 8L1, Canada. jbarnes@cheo.on.ca.
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.affiliation: ParticipACTION, 77 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1M2, Canada. ccbradstreet@participACTION.com.
authors.forename: Christa Costas
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Bradstreet
authors.affiliation: Canadian Parks Council, 455 Hunter Street West, Peterborough, Ontario, K9H 2M7, Canada. dcarr@parks-parcs.ca.
authors.forename: Dawn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.affiliation: Evaluation Platform on Obesity Prevention, Quebec Heart and Lung Research Institute, Laval University, 2725 Chemin Ste-Foy, Québec City, Québec, G1V 4G5, Canada. guylaine.chabot@criucpq.ulaval.ca.
authors.forename: Guylaine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chabot
authors.affiliation: Best Start Resource Centre-Health Nexus, 180 Dundas Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1Z8, Canada. l.choquette@healthnexus.ca.
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Choquette
authors.affiliation: PHE Canada, 301-2197 Riverside Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1H 7X3, Canada. dchorney@ualberta.ca.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chorney
authors.affiliation: Evergreen, 550 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3X8, Canada.
authors.forename: Cam
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Collyer
authors.affiliation: School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, University of British Columbia, 379-2357 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, B6T 1Z4, Canada. ccollyer@evergreen.ca.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Herrington
authors.affiliation: ParticipACTION, 77 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1M2, Canada. kjanson@participACTION.com.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Janson
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen's University, 99 University Avenue, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 2P5, Canada. ian.janssen@queensu.ca.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.affiliation: Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K1H 8L1, Canada. rlarouche@cheo.on.ca.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Larouche
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, Carruthers Hall, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 2P5, Canada. will.pickett@queensu.ca.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pickett
authors.affiliation: Forest School Canada, Child and Nature Alliance of Canada, 411 Corkstown Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K2K 2Y1, Canada. sbabcock@kidactive.ca.
authors.forename: Marlene
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Power
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education and Health, College of Early Childhood Education, Queen Maud University, Thrond Nergaardsvei 7, NO-7044 Trondheim, Norway. ebs@dmmh.no.
authors.forename: Ellen Beate Hansen
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Sandseter
authors.affiliation: PLAYbynature, 226 Albany Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M5R 3C6, Canada. dcarr@parks-parcs.ca.
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.affiliation: British Columbia Injury Research & Prevention Unit, Department of Pediatrics, School of Population & Public Health, Child & Family Research Institute, British Columbia Children's Hospital, University of British Columbia, , F511-4480 Oak Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6H 3V4, Canada. guylaine.chabot@criucpq.ulaval.ca.
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brussoni
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D004777:Environment; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D010988:Play and Playthings
keywords: health promotion; injury; physical activity; playground; risk taking; safety