Free to Play

Free to Play is a national initiative that strengthens opportunities for outdoor play in the Greater Edmonton Area. The program supports projects that foster safe, engaging environments where children can move their bodies, stretch their imaginations, test their boundaries and build meaningful connections. These experiences nurture creativity, curiosity and confidence while giving kids the freedom to explore in joyful, unstructured ways. The program supports projects that create meaningful outdoor play opportunities, including nature-based programming, open-ended adventures, cultural play traditions, caregiver involvement, or re-imagining underused community spaces for play. Free to Play works to remove barriers and open more doors for children to play outside, encouraging kids to move, imagine, take healthy risks, and connect with others away from screens and into welcoming outdoor spaces. Free to Play is led by Community Foundations of Canada and made possible through support from the Waltons Trust, the Lawson Foundation and Canadian Jumpstart Charities. Through local community foundations like Edmonton Community Foundation, the program invests in projects that help children experience the joy and benefits of outdoor play. The fund supports initiatives from nature-based programs and land-based learning to family-led initiatives, giving children opportunities to explore, challenge themselves and develop real-world skills. Funded projects give children opportunities to build confidence, independence, creativity, and social connection. All funded activities must be completed by 2028, with the program being delivered over multiple years across 22 participating community foundations in Canada.