Why Active Outdoor Play Matters: A Conversation with Dr. Louise de Lannoy

Today I’m chatting with Dr. Louise de Lannoy from Outdoor Play Canada—someone I’ve admired for years. I first heard Louise speak at Take Me Outside in Banff and later at the Breath of Fresh Air Summit, and every single time I hear her talk, I leave feeling both grounded and fired up.

Outdoor Play Canada has been leading the research, advocacy, and national conversation around kids’ right to real, active, messy, risky play—the kind of play children desperately need but are getting less and less of in schools. And this year, they released an updated Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play that gives educators across Canada a powerful tool to support more freedom, more movement, and more joy outdoors.

In this episode, Louise and I dive into:

Why an Updated Position Statement Was Needed

• What has changed in the last decade
• The growing barriers teachers face
• Why equity and access must be at the centre of conversations about play

What the Research Actually Says

Louise breaks down the biggest misconceptions about risky play and shares some of the most compelling findings teachers should know—from injury data to SEL benefits to how outdoor play supports academic readiness.

How to Support Risky Play in Schools

• How to start small and build confidence
• Ways to talk to administrators and parents about safety
• Using the Position Statement to advocate at the school or district level

Outdoor Play, SEL, and Curriculum

We explore how risk, challenge, and movement support:

• emotional regulation
• resilience
• executive functioning
• problem-solving
• and overall learning

Louise also shares so many practical and teacher-friendly tips that you can start using right away—even if your school feels risk-averse or you’re not sure where to begin.

If you’re an educator who wants to offer more outdoor play, feel more confident with risk, and ground your practice in research, this conversation will inspire you and give you concrete tools to take back to your school.

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