Playing Together

We received a Neighbourhood Small Grant from the Vancouver Foundation and Family Services of Greater Vancouver for “Playing Together”. This project will promote more widespread use of the playboxes, particularly among newcomer and low-income families who often face significant barriers to participation in community activities.

The City of New Westminster partnered with New Westminster School District, Fraser Health, Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation, and SCOPE BC to place four Live 5-2-1-0 playboxes with toys and equipment for community use in Qayqayt Elementary School, Grimston Park, Hume Park, and Moody Park. The playboxes are filled with basketballs, soccer balls, flying discs, skipping ropes, hula hoops, sand toys and other equipment along with an outdoor games playbook. The partners are now preparing a multicultural booklet featuring games from a variety of communities and cultures.

Live 5-2-1-0 encourages kids and families to adopt healthy habits, offering four easy to remember daily guidelines for kids’ health: enjoy 5 or more vegetables and fruits every day; power down and keep screen time to no more than 2 hours a day; play actively at least 1 hour each day; and choose zero sugary drinks!

In September and early October, we will visit parent groups connected to immigrant, indigenous and family services organizations to encourage the families to use the playboxes. We will invite families to a celebration on October 27th in Upper Hume Park to meet their neighbours and learn new games together.

The October 27th event will feature a wide range of game equipment, offer healthy snacks and present small prizes to the kids. Animators will lead activities and support participants of all ages to learn new games.

The grant will be used for basic supplies for the October 27th event. We will ask local organizations and businesses for donations or equipment loans, and community members are also encouraged to donate gently-used toys and play equipment best used outdoors.