RESEARCH STUDIES

Active Studies

PROmoting Early Childhood Outside (PRO-ECO) 1.0

In partnership with the YMCA of Greater Vancouver, this study is to develop and evaluate the PRO-ECO study to promote children’s outdoor play in early learning and child care.

PROmoting Early Childhood Outside (PRO-ECO) 2.0

In this study, we are working with Indigenous organizations, elders, and partners that support and deliver early learning child care (ELCC) programs across BC to develop, implement and evaluate the PRO-ECO program to support children’s outdoor play in ELCC programs. This study expands the PRO-ECO 1.0, a pilot study.

Measuring Early Childhood Outside

This is a survey study to understand the current context for outdoor play in early learning and child care centres in Canada.

Bring Education Out (BE OUT)

This study is developing the Outdoor Play and Learning in Schools digital tool to support elementary school teachers who wish to facilitate outdoor play and learning.

Playability – Independent Outdoor Play for 10-13 year olds

We studied what motivates 10-13 year old children and their parents in playing outside independently.

Virtual Risk Management (VirMA)

Using a VR technology, this study explores how childhood risk experiences influence how children deal with risk in everyday situations.

Past Studies

Grandparents and Grandchildren’s Outdoor Play

This study looked at the influence of outdoor play on children between 3 and 5 years old and their grandparents.

FUN2

This study will develop an online tool for children and their parents/guardians to use together to learn more about why outdoor play is important.

Early Childhood Outside (ECO) Educational App – Randomized Controlled Trial

We studied the effect of the ECO education app on early learning and child care educators’ tolerance for children’s risky play and providing risky play opportunities for children at their centre.

Early Childhood Outside (ECO) Educational App

This study is to develop an online educational app to reframe perceptions of children’s risky play of early learning and child care (ELCC) educators and administrators.

Go Play Outside! (GPO) Educational App

This study developed an educational app for parents to help them learn the importance of outdoor play for children.

Nature Play Meets Risky Play

This study investigated how introducing risky play through the use of natural elements (e.g., trees) influences children’s development and wellbeing.

Play Worth Remembering

This online survey study was conducted to understand the types of landscapes that people considered memorable for play when they were kids.

Child and Youth Burden of Injury

This study examined 378 children who attended the BC Children’s Hospital for an injury to understand how injuries affected children and their families.

Fathers’ Injury Prevention

This study examined fathers’ attitudes and practices towards preventing injury and keeping children safe in Canadian urban and rural settings.