Why is play in early childhood important?

Early childhood free play experiences can influence a child’s developmental, mental and physical health, impacting them for the rest of their lives.

The PLACE Research Lab worked in collaboration with Strathcona County: Recreation, Parks and Culture, to better understand whether and how innovative preschool spaces foster free play.

During this project Strathcona County invested in Love to Play, an innovative play-based space and curriculum for their preschool program.  Through the research we explored the immediate health and health equity benefits realized from this innovative play space and curriculum.

  • Dr. Candace Nykiforuk, School of Public Health, University of Alberta (Nominated Principal Investigator)
  • Dr. Jane Hewes, Grant MacEwan University (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Dr. Jeff Bisanz, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Alberta (Co-Investigator)
  • Dr. Rebecca Gokiert, Faculty of Extension, University of Alberta (Co-Investigator)
  • Dr. Ana Paula Belon, PLACE Research Lab, School of Public Health, University of Alberta (Co-Investigator)
  • Strathcona County, Recreation, Parks and Culture
  • 2014-2016 Canadian Institutes of Health Research: Operating Grant – Population Health Intervention Research to Promote Health and Health Equity
  • 2014-2016 Alberta Centre for Child Family and Community Research
  • Onojeghuo, A.R., Nykiforuk, C.I.J., Belon, A.P., & Hewes, J. (2019). Behavioral mapping of children’s physical activities and social behaviors in an indoor preschool facility: methodological challenges in revealing the influence of space in play. International Journal of Health Geographics 18(1):26 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12942-019-0191-y
  • Nykiforuk, C.I.J., Hewes, J., Belon, A.P., Paradis, D., Gallagher, E., Gokiert, R., Bisanz, J. & Nieuwendyk, L. (2018): Evaluating child-friendly spaces: insights from a participatory mixed methods study of a municipality’s free-play preschool and space. Cities & Health. Full text available: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23748834.2018.1548894
  • Onojeghuo, A., & Nykiforuk, C.I.J. (2019, April). Secondary data analysis of the Love to Play Program at the Ardrossan Recreation Complex using Geographic Information Systems (GIS): volume 3 – spatial and gender analyses. Edmonton, AB: University of Alberta.
  • Onojeghuo, A., & Nykiforuk, C.I.J. (2019, April). Secondary data analysis of the Love to Play Program at the Ardrossan Recreation Complex using Geographic Information Systems (GIS): volume 2 – descriptive analysis. Edmonton, AB: University of Alberta.
  • Onojeghuo, A., & Nykiforuk, C.I.J. (2019, April). Secondary data analysis of the Love to Play Program at the Ardrossan Recreation Complex using Geographic Information Systems (GIS): volume 1 – methodology. Edmonton, AB: University of Alberta.

Project Categories

Our Approach
Community Based and Population Health Interventions Natural Experiments and Government-led Population-health Interventions Innovative Interdisciplinary Methods Healthy Public Policy Collaborate and Engage with Partners
Research Program Areas
Community Environments Public Policy and Well-being Play Chronic Disease Prevention