Lunchtime Film Series: Growing Up Canadian: Play (2003)

(46 min | Distributed by the National Film Board of Canada)

Step into Canada’s biggest playground—winter—and explore how play has shaped childhood across the country for over a century.

From homemade toys and backyard adventures to must-have store-bought treasures like Eaton’s Beauty dolls and cowboy-inspired gear, Play captures the evolving world of fun for Canadian kids. As trends changed, so did the ways children connected, imagined, and explored.

The film also looks at how adults introduced organized clubs, camps, and playgrounds—often with the goal of keeping kids on the right path. Yet, the true spirit of play has always included a sense of independence, curiosity, and a little bit of rule-breaking adventure.

Play is part of the six-part documentary series Growing Up Canadian, which examines the myths and realities of childhood through family life, school, work, play, health, and media. Together, these stories highlight the powerful role youth experiences have played in shaping Canada throughout the 20th century.

The screening takes place in the main gallery at Eptek Art & Culture Centre, located at 130 Heather Moyse Drive on the Summerside waterfront, next to the Harbourfront Theatre.

Film admission is free
Gallery admission by donation (suggested $5)