Outdoor learning gives children space to test ideas, solve problems, and follow their natural curiosity. Whether they’re climbing, digging, observing insects, or inventing games with friends, they’re building essential skills:

  • Confidence through risk‑taking and physical challenges
  • Creativity through open‑ended play
  • Resilience through trial, error, and discovery
  • Well‑being through fresh air, movement, and connection to nature

This is the heart of our OPEN DOORS philosophy — seeing children as capable, curious learners who grow through outdoor exploration.

What OPEN DOORS Is

OPEN DOORS, established in 2017, is Family Day’s dedicated outdoor‑learning initiative. It reflects our long‑standing commitment to ensuring that children experience meaningful, year‑round, all‑weather outdoor play across all of our programs. OPEN DOORS strengthens our belief that outdoor environments are essential spaces for children to explore, take risks, build relationships, and develop a deep connection with the natural world.

Rather than a standalone program, OPEN DOORS is a shared organizational commitment — one that brings Educators, families, and communities together to champion outdoor learning as a vital part of every child’s day. It guides how we design our outdoor spaces, how we support Educators, and how we remove barriers so that all children can fully participate in rich, nature‑based experiences.

What OPEN DOORS Looks Like in Practice

OPEN DOORS reflects our ongoing commitment to providing year‑round, all‑weather outdoor experiences across all Family Day programs. We design environments where children can freely explore open‑ended, nature‑based activities supported by responsive Educators who nurture curiosity, creativity, and resilience.      

This commitment is brought to life through meaningful initiatives such as:

  • Get OUT and MOVE, our annual outdoor event that engages more than 900 children, families, and staff
  • Enhanced outdoor learning spaces that are inclusive and accessible and that invite exploration and imaginative play
  • Extended outdoor time built into daily routines
  • All‑weather clothing that ensures children can participate comfortably in every season

We invest in professional learning and resources that deepen Educators’ understanding of the benefits of outdoor play. By reducing barriers and equipping our teams with knowledge and tools, OPEN DOORS helps create a culture where outdoor learning is accessible, valued, and embedded in everyday practice.

We are also supported by dedicated Outdoor Champions both within Family Day and across our broader community. Through partnerships such as the Physical Literacy Champions of Peel, we collaborate with organizations, school boards, and community partners to share resources, ideas, and professional learning opportunities that strengthen outdoor play and physical literacy for children and families.

Family Day also contributes to broader conversations about outdoor learning through leadership participation in initiatives such as the National Panel on Regulating Outdoor and Land-Based Early Childhood Education, part of a 5-year initiative of the Canadian Centre for Outdoor Play that aims to bring together outdoor ECE practice, research, and policy to mainstream outdoor play and learning for the early years.

At Family Day, we champion excellence by ensuring that meaningful outdoor play supports children in building healthy lifestyles and a strong foundation for the future.

Why OPEN DOORS Connects So Naturally to Outdoor Learning

Outdoor environments are the perfect expression of OPEN DOORS because they offer:

  • Freedom — children move, climb, dig, and explore without the constraints of indoor space
  • Complexity — nature provides endless loose parts, textures, sounds, and challenges
  • Real‑world learning — weather, seasons, insects, soil, water, shadows… all become teachers
  • Well‑being — fresh air, movement, and sensory experiences support mental health

 

Our Commitment to Active Outdoor Play

At Family Day, we believe that outdoor play is essential to children’s healthy growth, confidence, and joy. Our approach aligns with Outdoor Play Canada’s Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play, which highlights that:

  ⇒  Active outdoor play supports physical, emotional, and social development

  ⇒  Children benefit from frequent, self‑directed play in natural spaces

  ⇒  Age‑appropriate risk‑taking helps build resilience and problem‑solving skills

  ⇒  Caregivers and communities play a key role in protecting children’s right to play outdoors

These principles guide how we design our outdoor environments and how we support children’s daily experiences in nature. We are committed to giving children the time, space, and freedom they need to explore, imagine, and grow.

You can also view Outdoor Play Canada’s Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play video.

 

Learning Outdoors, Together

Throughout the year, we create and share resources that encourage families to step outside, explore, and learn together.  Whether it’s celebrating the planet, jumping into muddy fun, or simply spending more time outdoors, we believe that some of the most impactful learning happens outside.

Explore Family Engagement Resources

We’ve brought together a blend of our own family‑friendly resources and helpful online links that offer guidance on dressing for the weather, staying safe in different conditions, and discovering everyday ways to learn outdoors together.

Explore Mud Day Ideas

International Mud Day (every June 29th) is a messy, sensory, joyful learning at its best. Children dig, splash, sculpt, and experiment — discovering textures, temperatures, and the science of soil.

Explore Earth Day Activities

We celebrate Earth Day (every April 22nd) with hands‑on experiences that help children care for the planet — planting seeds, sorting recyclables, exploring natural materials, and noticing the beauty around them.

OPEN DOORS proudly presents Get OUT and MOVE for Family Day — our annual outdoor fundraising event that brings together more than 900 children, families, and community members for a joyful celebration of movement, creativity, and nature.

Designed for all ages and abilities, the event reflects our commitment to year‑round outdoor learning and meaningful family engagement.

Each year, families gather in a welcoming natural space to explore hands‑on activities that highlight culture, wellness, and the environment. Supported by Educators, staff, and community partners, Get OUT and MOVE creates memorable shared experiences while raising funds that strengthen OPEN DOORS initiatives across Family Day programs.

It’s a vibrant, high‑energy day filled with discovery, connection, and community spirit — all in support of helping children thrive outdoors.