Course Description
This course builds upon lifespan development perspectives and theories by examining the impact of leisure and recreation on growth and development through the lifecycle. Students will explore the relationship between leisure experiences and family and childhood peer relations; career involvement; retirement; healthy aging and prevalent health issues in the Canadian population. Students will implement physical recreation and creative arts activities intended to promote health and wellness throughout the lifespan.
Course Content
Leisure Perspective: Growth, Development and Health
- Leisure awareness, lifestyle and health
- Role and value of play behaviour in childhood development
- Cognitive benefits of leisure and recreation across the lifespan
- Psychosocial benefits of recreation and leisure experiences across the lifespan
- Role of recreation and leisure in social support and friendship
- Role and value of sports and physical activity on fitness and health
- Impact of leisure skills and experiences on family, career and retirement
- Exercise and lifestyle to promote healthy aging
- Leisure activity, spirituality and health
Prevalent Health Issues and Leisure
- Multicultural perspective
- Prevalent health issues include: childhood diabetes, asthma and being overweight
- Stress and psychosocial issues: low self esteem, learning issues, issues of misbehaviour, bullying
- Poverty, unemployment, divorce, racism and other issues which impact upon individual and family health
- Health issues addressed through recreation and leisure activities and experiences
Leisure and Recreation Activities
- Breadth: physical recreation activities which promote the physical, psychosocial and cognitive developmental needs of children, adolescents and adults
- Breadth: creative arts activities which promote the physical, psychosocial and cognitive developmental needs of children, adolescents and adults
- Depth: technical proficiency, in one recreation activity
- Recreation resources for children, youth and adults
Methods Of Instruction
- Lecture/discussion
- Small group activities
- Community experiences
- Media
Means of Assessment
This course will conform to Douglas College policy regarding the number and weighting of evaluations.
An evaluation schedule is presented at the beginning of the course. Typical means of evaluation will include a combination of written assignments, presentations and testing.
This is a graded course
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- apply the leisure perspective to understanding growth, development and health throughout the lifespan
- discuss the impact of leisure and recreation on cognitive, psychosocial and physical development throughout the lifespan
- discuss the impact of leisure experiences on family relationships, childhood peer relations, career involvement, retirement and healthy aging
- discuss the role of leisure and recreation in responding to prevalent health issues in the Canadian population
- demonstrate depth and breadth in recreation activities across the lifespan.
Textbook Materials
A list of recommended textbooks and materials is provided for students at the beginning of each semester.
Resources include:
- selected readings from a variety of therapeutic recreation practice textbooks
- selected audio-visual and computer resources
- selected readings from books and journals