How to move your indoor youth programming to the park

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, children and youth in grades 6 to 10 report playing outdoors for just 15 minutes per day on average.  

This has serious consequences for their health and wellbeing: children spending less time outdoors has been linked to decreased appreciation of the environment, health problems including obesity and vitamin D deficiency, attention difficulties, and higher rates of emotional illnesses like anxiety and depression.

Moving youth programming outdoors to a park is a wonderful opportunity to connect kids with nature, foster creativity, and encourage physical activity. So, how can we encourage young people to leave the couch and reconnect with nature? 

We spoke with Shakeera Solomon from Vision of Hope Resource Centre in Brampton—who received a TD Park People Grant in 2019—about what they learned when they brought their monthly Youth Council programming outdoors into the park.

Here are Shakeera’s tips for moving your indoor programming outside.

Assess Your Surroundings

First up, observe your local park to see which aspects could be appealing for youth and suitable for your programs. Check for amenities like restrooms, shaded areas, picnic tables, and open spaces. Identify any potential safety hazards (such as bodies of water or uneven ground) that might require extra supervision for youth participants.

Next, take note of the surrounding area: are you near a school, convenience store, or other location that youth are already drawn to? If so, this could make your park a great spot for outreach! 

When Vision of Hope chose to move their monthly Youth Council meetings from the east Brampton Resource Centre, they picked Anne Nash Park—a small, local park with just a modest play area because of its prime location beside an elementary school. This way, the Youth Council caught the attention of kids from the elementary school and those passing by on their way home from school. Their new visibility helped the Youth Council attract many more members who now regularly attend meetings and events. 

Tips:

• Where possible, choose parks that are close to transit stops and accessible for people with disabilities.
• Consider your available facilities, and what might need to be brought from elsewhere. For example, plan to bring portable handwashing stations or hand sanitizer if restrooms are unavailable.
• Determine your “Plan B” in case of poor weather. Are there covered areas available in your park, or would you need to postpone your programming?

Involve the Whole Community

Hosting a gathering in a park is a great way to deepen relationships in your community. By involving parents, park staff, and other partner organizations in your outdoor programming, you can help create stronger community bounds.

As Shakeera explains, when youth-focused programs happened indoors, parents would wait on the sidelines and kill time on their own. But when programming moved into the park, parents interacted in a whole new way. In the small park, it became awkward for parents not to talk, and so they started chatting and getting to know one another. When parents connect, there are many benefits, particularly in an underserved community. Parents who know one another are much more likely to support each other and build resilience in times of need.

Tips:

• Check with your local park authorities to see if permits are required and ensure the program aligns with park rules.
• Communicate with parents in advance, providing clear instructions about the location, schedule, and what kids should bring (e.g., water bottles, sturdy shoes, weather-appropriate clothing).
• Consider contacting local nature or environment-focused groups to partner on your programming. Could they offer special activities for your youth?

Get Inspired by Your Park

Adapting indoor activities to the outdoor environment offers incredible opportunities to get creative. For example, storytelling can become a nature scavenger hunt, and art projects can use natural materials. Think about how you’ll use the unique character of your park to inspire your youth participants, and how you might encourage them to feel a sense of ownership and responsibility towards the space.

Shakeera told us bringing programming to the park helped the youth feel that the space was truly theirs. She was even surprised when her group eagerly suggested organizing a park clean-up. That’s when she realized the park had really become “their place.”

She observed their pride when they posed for a team photo with gloves and garbage bags.

Tips

• Establish outdoor rules for safety and respect for nature, such as “stay within boundaries” and “leave no trace.”
• Take advantage of the park’s environment with activities like leaf rubbings, bug hunts, birdwatching, or tree identification.
• Encourage creative play using natural elements like sticks, rocks, and leaves.
• Ensure activities accommodate all abilities and provide alternative options as needed. Balance high-energy activities like relay races with calmer ones like nature journaling or storytime.