The Role of Toronto's Neighborhood Landscape Characteristics in Facilitating Outdoor Play During the COVID-19 Outbreak

This article explores the relationship of neighborhood landscape characteristics on outdoor play for children living in Toronto during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used a nation-wide online survey that reported changes in outdoor activities in and analyzed responses in relation to landscape affordances that facilitate outdoor play. Results show that living in areas with more landscape structures and higher population density is associated with greater declines in outdoor activities, and children who used neighborhood trails were more likely to show an increase in outdoor activities during the first wave of COVID-19. This indicates that landscape characteristics may support children's physical activity when playgrounds are closed.