Rising rates of obesity and related chronic disease tell us that getting kids active should be a top priority for parents, schools, and all Canadians. Here are some tips on how you can help your family become more active, eat nutritiously, and build stronger bonds.

Becoming a lifeguard is more than a just a job and earning money, it provides life skills that are transferable for any career path one may take – such as building confidence, leadership and improving your ability to work as part of a team. Take a look at some of the ways that lifeguarding can help you or your children gain life-long skills both on poolside and outside a working environment.

The experience of summer camp, whether it’s a day camp or an overnight camp, is incredibly impactful on a child’s life. It is often their first time away from home without family or friends. For young children, it can be a big step, but it allows them to grow and learn about themselves, while creating life-long memories.

Marika Heilker started out as a youth camper at YMCA Camp Elphinstone. Now, the 19-year-old is preparing to return to the Sunshine Coast facility as a counsellor for the second time in 2022.

When Marika Heilker thinks back on her early experiences at YMCA Camp Elphinstone, she’s mindful of how the young adults serving as camp counsellors made a lasting impression – one that she still feels to this day.

There are lots of great resources with activity ideas for young children. Here are three of our current favourites.

It’s confusing to figure out which direction we should be pulled among these highs and lows in our world– and we’re the adults! Can you imagine how it is for the children in our lives?

February is a great month to talk about mental health, as in some places across Canada and around the world, the second week of February is dedicated to honouring Children’s Mental Health. If you’d like to do similar honouring in your practice for that week, or ongoing with the children in your lives, mindfulness is a great place to start. Why? Mindfulness is key to helping children manage stress and anxiety, and it helps foster the growth of a child’s self-regulation, positive emotions, and self-compassion. If you need suggestions as to where to start with Mindfulness, BigLifeJournal’s 5 Fun Mindfulness Activities for Kids has got you covered.

If you’re looking to decrease screen time and get your kids more active, basketball can do exactly that. Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world, it’s accessible and a fantastic sport to start at a young age. Getting kids to learn basic skills has many benefits all of which have the potential to create a solid foundation for later in life. We took the time to break down two huge benefits of getting kids in the game at a young age. Read on for more information.