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 👏

This week, through our Sport to Life lesson, we learned the importance of trying new things.

It's important that Kids learn to take risks because it develops resilience, enhances creativity, builds confidence, and fosters adaptability.

Our Wolves coach, T-Boy, Fayia, was named as the recipient of the West Conference's Student-Athlete Community Service Award!

Fayia currently serves as head coach of our Wolves U15 Boys Soccer Team and was a former player under our Free Footie programs. 

He dedicates countless hours both on and off the field—leading training sessions twice a week, managing games, and helping players navigate registration and day-to-day logistics.

Last week, Food to Play was thrilled to introduce our West region kids to a delicious Garlic & Parsley potato recipe! Alongside learning fun facts about potatoes, we explored different dietary needs and personal food choices — including vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free, and Halal practices.

Our focus was helping kids understand that no matter the reason behind someone’s eating style, everyone belongs, and everyone has the power to choose foods that work for them.

This past week, we explored the topic: Lead – Thinking of Others. Each day, our coaches brought awareness to valuing other perspectives, being role models, and approaching challenges with fairness and compromise.

The Regional Manager oversees the day-to-day delivery and operations of Free Play for Kids programs within their region, ensuring smooth execution, proper staffing, and strong relationships with families. This role also supports the technical delivery of sports programming and promotes a positive team culture.

As a strategic leader, the Regional Manager drives operational excellence and ensures all Free Play initiatives reflect our mission to provide safe, accessible, and inclusive play opportunities that empower communities.

If you feel you have the skills and qualifications for this role, we want to hear from you!

The Administrative Specialist supports the smooth daily operations of Free Play for Kids by managing logistics, communication, and essential administrative tasks. This role helps reduce the workload of Regional Managers and staff, allowing them to focus on delivering programs and creating community impact.

Key duties include organizing bookings, maintaining data systems, coordinating communications, supporting volunteers, managing inboxes and calls, and assisting with operational efficiency across the organization.

If you feel you have the skills and qualifications for this role, we want to hear from you!

Free Play for Kids is seeking energetic and dedicated individuals to join our team as Jr. Wolves Ball Hockey/Soccer Academies Head Coaches.

In this role, you will serve as both a coach and a mentor—creating a safe, positive, and inclusive environment where all kids can play, belong, and grow.

If you feel you are interested and qualified for this position, we want to hear from you!

Join the newly made 3v3 basketball league where you’ll experience a fast-paced competition and get plenty of touches. This initiative offers a league format while also keeping a pick-up energy, making it ideal for hoopers seeking more game time or if you just want to develop skills and compete, all are welcome!

Season includes 8 weeks of games with 2-3 per week. The Fee to participate is $125.

*Players part of our Wolves Basketball program are eligible to enter at a discounted rate.