When people talk about helping children grow into healthy adults, the conversation often focuses on academics, screen time, or structured activities. But two of the most powerful influences on a child’s development are often much simpler: access to physical play and access to healthy food.
Programs like Free Play For Kids that combine sport, mentorship, and nutrition can transform the daily lives of children who may not otherwise have those opportunities. In Edmonton, a growing partnership between Alberta Blue Cross and Free Play for Kids is doing exactly that.
Through a shared commitment to youth wellness, the organizations are helping children thrive through sport while ensuring that food insecurity does not prevent kids from participating in the activities that support their physical and emotional development.
Alberta Blue Cross Supports Free Play for Kids Through Nutrition and Sport
This year’s Nutrition Month theme, “Nourish to Flourish,” highlights the connection between healthy eating and overall well-being. The message aligns closely with the work being done through the partnership between Alberta Blue Cross and Free Play for Kids.
Free Play for Kids operates daily after-school programming across Edmonton schools, providing safe, inclusive spaces where children can play, learn new skills, and stay active. The program focuses not only on sport and movement, but also on mentorship, teamwork, and personal confidence.
However, participation in sport often depends on something fundamental: having the energy and nourishment to take part.
That is where Alberta Blue Cross has stepped in as the program’s dedicated snack sponsor, ensuring that every child participating in Free Play for Kids receives a reliable daily snack.
For many children, that simple support makes a meaningful difference.
Addressing Food Insecurity Through After-School Programs
For families experiencing food insecurity, after-school hours can be a difficult time. Children may arrive at sports programs hungry or without access to nutritious food until dinner later in the evening. That reality can affect energy levels, focus, and the ability to fully participate in physical activity.
Providing healthy snacks during after-school programming helps remove that barrier.
According to Brian Geislinger, senior vice-president of Corporate Relations and Community Engagement with Alberta Blue Cross, the partnership reflects a long-term commitment to community wellness.
“This is the fourth year of our partnership with Free Play for Kids,” says Geislinger. “By ensuring children receive a reliable, healthy snack every day, we’re helping reduce food insecurity and removing barriers to sport participation.”
The initiative recognizes that wellness extends beyond health benefits and insurance coverage. Supporting programs that keep children active and nourished helps build stronger communities.
Supporting Hundreds of Edmonton Children Through Play
The impact of the partnership continues to grow each year.
In 2025, Alberta Blue Cross supplied more than 9,000 healthy snacks to children participating in Free Play for Kids programs. Those snacks supported 480 children across 24 schools in Edmonton, giving young participants the energy needed to stay active and engaged throughout the program.
Beyond the physical activity itself, the after-school environment offers mentorship and structured programming that helps kids build confidence, social skills, and a sense of belonging.
Free Play for Kids is built around the idea that every child deserves a safe and inclusive space to play. Coaches and mentors guide participants through games, skill development, and team activities designed to build both physical and emotional resilience.
For many children, the program becomes a highlight of their day.
Food Literacy Is Part of the Learning Experience
One of the unique aspects of the Free Play for Kids programming is its focus on food literacy. Through the organization’s Food to Play program, children participate in weekly sessions that teach them how nutrition supports their bodies and athletic performance.
Rather than simply providing food, the program helps kids understand why healthy choices matter.
Children learn how different foods affect energy levels, concentration, and recovery after activity. They explore how balanced meals help their bodies move, grow, and stay strong.
According to Tim Adams, executive director at Free Play for Kids, those lessons extend far beyond the playing field.
“When kids understand how nutrition fuels their bodies and physical activity builds their confidence, they develop skills that serve them in every part of life,” Adams explains. “Alberta Blue Cross’s partnership doesn’t just remove barriers to participation—it reinforces our belief that every child deserves the opportunity to discover what they’re capable of.”
By connecting nutrition education with sport and play, the program helps children build lifelong habits that support wellness.
