On Tuesday, the Wolves Soccer Academy welcomed a special mixed training session on the field with Welcome to Play and the U13 girls. With the Wolves currently between seasons—having just wrapped up their indoor season and preparing to begin outdoor in a few weeks—it was the perfect opportunity to bring programs together!

It was absolutely incredible to see kids from different parts of the Free Play community training side by side, learning from each other, and sharing the game. Moments like this are a powerful example of the Free Play pathway in action — from Welcome to Play all the way to the Wolves program.❤️

Thanks to CN Rail, children in our Food to Play program are not just eating better—they’re learning skills that will last a lifetime. In our last survey, 86% of kids reported feeling more knowledgeable about healthy foods and habits, and families are noticing kids making healthier choices at home.

With over $90K invested, CN’s support reaches 24 schools and 480 kids, providing daily snacks for everyone. To date, that’s over 27,000 nutritious snacks helping kids stay fueled for play and learning. Their investment is more than money—it’s support that strengthens communities and helps kids thrive, both in Free Play and at home!

Belmont Sobeys has become one of the strongest supporters of our Food to Play program—not only through financial contributions, but by truly showing up for the kids we serve. Store owner Jerry and assistant manager Jason regularly attend tournament days, jumping into games and bringing an energy that kids immediately connect with.

Beyond the field, their team also works alongside our Food to Play Manager and certified nutritionist, Dacia, to help prepare food hampers, super snacks, and daily snacks that keep kids fueled and ready to play. The impact is clear: kids now recognize Jerry and Jason and even look for them when visiting Belmont Sobeys. It’s a powerful example of what happens when a local business becomes a true part of the community.

Stories like Samen’s are a reminder that the lesson kiddos our learning through our Free to play and Wolves programs have a big impact, not only on the field, but in all aspects of their life.

As told by his mother, Samen has gone through Free to Play, the U11 Wolves and is now part of the U13  Wolves Boys Soccer Team. She has noticed Samen is learning, he’s applying the lessons he has been learning from his coaches to lead his siblings when doing activities at home

It’s moments like these that show the real impact of our programs. The lessons learned aren’t just staying on the field, kids are taking teamwork, leadership, and respect home, and into their communities!

Some of our favourite moments at Free Play for Kids come when our Welcome to Play program helps newcomers adapt to life in Canada through play. Last Tuesday, these kiddos got to see and play hockey for the very first time!

In quick succession, the intro to hockey went from confusion and fear into ear-to-ear smiles on all their faces. Even with the wrong-handed stick or without skates, these kiddos are instantly having fun and learning about Canadian culture at the deepest of levels — play.

A big thank you to the Government of Alberta for their support in making experiences like this possible!

What a season for the Wolves! Our U13 Boys brought home Silver, and our U15 and U17 teams fought hard to finish in the top tiers. The dedication from our players and coaches was incredible, and we couldn’t have done it without the amazing support from our parents. It’s been a season full of growth and pride for the whole club!

We’re excited to highlight 5 of our coaches who are participating in the Trucking HR Grant program! Thanks to this grant, their salaries are subsidized up to 70% from January through April, helping support their important work with our kiddos!

We love when the community comes together to support Edmonton, but we are overwhelmed with the initiative here from the Gamblin family.

Tyler Gamblin and his family, friends, and neighbours have built a Rainbow Ice House for a fundraiser! Some stats:
🧊 664 blocks
💦 Approx 1975 litres of water
⏰ 50+ hrs work

As a result, they raised $6,000 for Free Play, we cannot thank Tyler Gamblin and the family enough for their support this January with their incredible Ice Cabin!

Our Welcome to Play team hosted a Community Connect event to welcome newcomers to Canada through sport and culture. The kiddos had a blast playing ball hockey and soccer, learned about eye health and annual eye exams (Sponsored by the Alberta Association of Optometrists), enjoyed some snacks, and finished the evening watching the Oilers play!

It was a fun, active event of learning, sport, and community connection! A big thank-you to the Alberta Association of Optometrists for their support!

On January 15th, Kiddos' from Ermineskin school joined us at the first super tournament of season 2! Ermineskin School is located in Maskwacis, Alberta, and they’ll be joining our Super Tournaments once a month going forward. 

The kids there love playing sports and have really enjoyed learning about SEL (Social Emotional Learning). The SEL topic for that week was Trying New Things which fit the day perfectly. They took a one-hour bus ride to Edmonton, met 20 other schools, made new friends, and played in a totally new environment! That’s Trying New Things in action 👏