TY - JOUR
T1 - 2025 Position statement on active outdoor play
AU - Lee, Eun-Young
AU - de Lannoy, Louise
AU - Kim, Yeong-Bae
AU - Rathod, Apoorva
AU - James, Maeghan E
AU - Lopes, Olivia
AU - Nasrallah, Brianna
AU - Thankarajah, Anujah
AU - Adjei-Boadi, Dina
AU - de Barros, Maria Isabel Amando
AU - Duncan, Scott
AU - Miller, Robyn Monro
AU - Mygind, Lærke
AU - Vanderloo, Leigh M
AU - Wang, Po-Yu
AU - Tremblay, Mark S
AU - AOP10 Steering Committee Group
AU - Bentsen, Peter
N1 - © 2025. The Author(s).
PY - 2025/9/25
Y1 - 2025/9/25
N2 - BACKGROUND: In 2015, the Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play was released in Canada, emphasizing the critical role of active outdoor play-with its risks-in fostering children's healthy development. Building on this foundation, a 10-year update of the Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play (AOP10) was initiated to broaden its scope and impact, by encompassing all age groups and extending its reach conceptually and globally. Here we explain and present the new 2025 Position Statement.METHODS: Development of the 2025 Position Statement was informed by 18 rigorous literature reviews, a series of leadership group meetings, three rounds of draft AOP10 surveys, followed by extensive communication, translation, production, and dissemination activities.RESULTS: The 2025 Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play states: "Active outdoor play promotes holistic health and well-being for people of all ages, communities, and environments, and for our entire planet. It is critical given the multiple global challenges we face today (e.g., social and health inequities, climate change and digital addiction). Together, as a collective of the outdoor play sector, we recommend increasing opportunities for active outdoor play in all settings where people live, learn, work, and play. To achieve this, it is important to collaborate across sectors, settings, and societies to preserve, promote, and value equitable access to active play outdoors and in nature." We also provide key evidence pertaining to the nine core themes that informed the development of the 2025 Position Statement and offer recommendations across sectors, calling for multi-sectoral, multi-level collaborations. Across all three survey rounds, responses indicated strong support for the 2025 Position Statement and its supporting content (Round 3: 93-98%). Comprehensive, proactive knowledge translation and dissemination plans were executed to maximize the reach and impact of the 2025 Position Statement.CONCLUSIONS: The 2025 Position Statement calls for systemic changes that prioritize equitable access to active outdoor play opportunities and aims to create healthier communities. Achieved through international collaboration and consensus, the 2025 Position Statement aspires to connect, advise, inspire, and activate active outdoor play worldwide.
AB - BACKGROUND: In 2015, the Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play was released in Canada, emphasizing the critical role of active outdoor play-with its risks-in fostering children's healthy development. Building on this foundation, a 10-year update of the Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play (AOP10) was initiated to broaden its scope and impact, by encompassing all age groups and extending its reach conceptually and globally. Here we explain and present the new 2025 Position Statement.METHODS: Development of the 2025 Position Statement was informed by 18 rigorous literature reviews, a series of leadership group meetings, three rounds of draft AOP10 surveys, followed by extensive communication, translation, production, and dissemination activities.RESULTS: The 2025 Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play states: "Active outdoor play promotes holistic health and well-being for people of all ages, communities, and environments, and for our entire planet. It is critical given the multiple global challenges we face today (e.g., social and health inequities, climate change and digital addiction). Together, as a collective of the outdoor play sector, we recommend increasing opportunities for active outdoor play in all settings where people live, learn, work, and play. To achieve this, it is important to collaborate across sectors, settings, and societies to preserve, promote, and value equitable access to active play outdoors and in nature." We also provide key evidence pertaining to the nine core themes that informed the development of the 2025 Position Statement and offer recommendations across sectors, calling for multi-sectoral, multi-level collaborations. Across all three survey rounds, responses indicated strong support for the 2025 Position Statement and its supporting content (Round 3: 93-98%). Comprehensive, proactive knowledge translation and dissemination plans were executed to maximize the reach and impact of the 2025 Position Statement.CONCLUSIONS: The 2025 Position Statement calls for systemic changes that prioritize equitable access to active outdoor play opportunities and aims to create healthier communities. Achieved through international collaboration and consensus, the 2025 Position Statement aspires to connect, advise, inspire, and activate active outdoor play worldwide.
KW - Humans
KW - Play and Playthings
KW - Exercise
KW - Canada
KW - Health Promotion
KW - Child
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105017185279&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s12966-025-01813-9
DO - 10.1186/s12966-025-01813-9
M3 - Review
C2 - 40999404
SN - 1479-5868
VL - 22
SP - 117
JO - The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity
JF - The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity
IS - 1
M1 - 117
ER -