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BackgroundChildren’s engagement in active free play has declined across recent generations. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine perceptions of intergenerational changes in active free play among families from rural areas. We addressed two research questions: (1) How has active free play changed across three generations? (2) What suggestions do participants have for reviving active free play?MethodsData were collected via 49 individual interviews with members of 16 families (15 grandparents, 16 parents, and 18 children) residing in rural areas/small towns in the Province of Alberta (Canada). Interview recordings were transcribed verbatim and subjected to thematic analysis guided by an ecological framework of active free play.ResultsFactors that depicted the changing nature of active free play were coded in the themes of less imagination/more technology, safety concerns, surveillance, other children to play with, purposeful physical activity, play spaces/organized activities, and the good parenting ideal. Suggestions for reviving active free play were coded in the themes of enhance facilities to keep kids entertained, provide more opportunities for supervised play, create more community events, and decrease use of technology.ConclusionsThese results reinforce the need to consider multiple levels of social ecology in the study of active free play, and highlight the importance of community-based initiatives to revive active free play in ways that are consistent with contemporary notions of good parenting.

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This study examined how exemplary youth sport parents support their daughters in competitive team sport. Individual interviews were first conducted with eight coaches (three women and five men). Coaches were then invited to nominate exemplary youth sport parents. Interviews were subsequently conducted with 10 nominated parents (seven mothers and three fathers). Interpretive description methodology (Thorne, 2016) was used. Results were organized around three categories: being autonomy supportive (represented by the themes of not forcing a direction, sharing goals, fostering independence, and emphasizing effort and having fun), building healthy relationships (trusting and communicating with coaches and supporting the team and club), and coping with emotional demands (assisting before competitions and monitoring emotions during and after competitions). Theoretically, the results highlight the value of autonomysupportive parenting styles and parents' emotional intelligence.