Sport 4 Life Cochrane has delivered activity bags to Cochrane families to help make physical activity more accessible at home. 

The bags include balls, cones, bean bags and skipping ropes. 

Sport 4 Life Board Member Ashley Fox says they had set aside some equipment from previous programs that they were hoping to use at an event at Spray Lakes in June but that's been cancelled like so many other upcoming events due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"We looked to the equipment that we had and we realized that there's a lot of families who are likely looking for new ways to engage in playfulness, an activity together maybe for some stress relief, a break throughout their day. We thought that these activity bags loaded with cones and pylons and balls and skipping ropes and some of the things that are maybe found traditionally in a school equipment room, maybe bringing them into the home will encourage people to try something new and engage in some playfulness together."

Fox says they've delivered 10 bags to local families. 

"We were able to connect with families in the community through some of our partner organizations who said 'yeah, you know this is something that we want to make sure is still part of what's going on in our family and we could use a little assistance."

"As families navigate new schedules, online learning and the lack of their recreational and sport activities, our hope at Sport 4 Life Cochrane is that they will find ways to remain active. The value that time in nature has for our physical and mental health as well as moving our bodies as part of learning, fun, stress relief and connection is ever so prominent."

She says they're hoping to start the conversation about the importance of physical activity.

"One of the things that we're hoping by delivering these is that there will be more conversations amongst families and amongst individuals around what physical activity may do to help people right now again both from getting out, we get to enjoy spring and nature that's upon us but also just knowing that physical activity can be really helpful for times of high stress."

Sport 4 Life Cochrane is a local non-profit organization with a vision of Cochrane residents participating in and valuing a range of physical activity and sport opportunities in support of a healthy, connected, engaged community.  

Fox encourages anyone looking for more information on how to add more physical activity into your day to visit their website here.