Katie Bakken
Oct 25, 2025
We’re lucky to live in the Foothills, where children and families can play and explore in the pockets of nature across our beautiful towns and region.
After decades of research, we now know free outdoor play is critical to a child’s healthy development and well-being. According to Outdoor Play Canada, “When children are outside, they move more, sit less and play longer — behaviours associated with improved cholesterol levels, blood pressure, body composition, bone density, cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal fitness and aspects of mental, social and environmental health.”
Time spent indoors also carries often unacknowledged risks, such as increased exposure to allergens and infectious diseases as well as increased sedentary time which can lead to reduced physical fitness and poor mental health.
Dreaming of a world where children have the time, space and support to play, learn and grow through adventurous, self-directed outdoor play, we launched Connections Nature Play Forest School in 2023 under the umbrella of the Diamond Valley Sustainable Living Centre.
Our licensed childcare program features one-to-five ratios and provides opportunities for three- to six-year-olds to spend their days following their interests and curiosities while co-creating meaningful outdoor play and learning experiences with certified early childhood educators who are also trained in the Forest and Nature School approach to learning.
Forest School offers opportunities for children to develop their self-confidence while learning important life-skills such as self-assessing for physical and emotional safety, managing our emotions, problem-solving, communication, active lifestyle habits and more.
So that the wider community can benefit from all Forest School has to offer, we also run several public events throughout the year to encourage local families to spend quality time together outside and this fall we have two great opportunities on offer.
Our second annual Pumpkin Hunt in the Sheep River Valley behind Black Diamond’s Oilfields Arena is ready for families to check out. Enjoy a beautiful fall walk in the forest, while searching for wooden pumpkins among the trees.
The Pumpkin Hunt follows a half-kilometre loop trail in the forest and will be open for families to enjoy until Nov. 1. The total distance from the parking area by the C. Kendrick Memorial Skate Park is one kilometre.
On Saturday, Nov. 1, check out our Fall Community Campfire from 3 to 5 p.m. at Bob Lockhead Lions Memorial Park in the Foothills Lions Campground by the bridge in Black Diamond. At this free event sponsored by Foothills Energy Co-op, Diamond Valley Youth Foundation and Foothills Lions Club, families can warm up by the fire, get silly at the campfire singalong, play old time games, and enjoy tasty treats like hot chocolate and marshmallows.
Make a day of it. Come on out to Diamond Valley to enjoy a fall afternoon walk hunting for pumpkins, then cap off the afternoon by taking in the Fall Community Campfire.
Stay tuned for our January Family Winter Play Day Forest School Open House.
If you’re interested in learning more about Diamond Valley’s only Forest School or hearing about our community events, follow Connections Nature Play on Facebook or Instagram, visit dvslc.ca or call 403-498-4939.
Katie Bakken is the program director for Connections Nature Play Forest School.