When Kids Discover the Joy of Movement: Alex House and Sport for Life’s Winning Partnership

Surrey/White Rock, BC — The first day rugby coaches arrived at Alex House, most children had never heard of the sport. Many looked skeptical. But by week two, something magical was happening: coaches were running, sweating, and laughing alongside the kids, and the energy was absolutely contagious.

“By the end, they were fully into it,” said Breanna Timoffee, KP Program Supervisor and Alex House Physical Literacy Lead, reflecting on children who’d gone from curious to completely engaged. “The coaches weren’t just teaching—they were playing right alongside them.”

This transformation is happening across Alex House’s entire network through a partnership with Sport for Life’s Move for Life (MFL) initiative. It’s proof that when you give children the right opportunity, they don’t just learn new skills—they discover that movement can be pure joy.

A Neighbourhood House with Big Dreams

Alex House isn’t just about childcare—it’s about building community. As a neighbourhood house serving Surrey/White Rock and part of the Association of Neighbourhood Houses of BC, Alex House creates spaces where people from all backgrounds can learn, grow, and thrive together.

The organization runs family programs, youth spaces, community events, and one-to-one supports, all guided by a commitment to inclusion and equity. Within this mission, the Move for Life partnership tackles something fundamental: helping every child develop the confidence and skills to be active for life.

Through this initiative, Alex House introduced over 80 children to tennis and rugby through MFL sports partners, Tennis BC and Bayside Rugby Club. Eighty percent of the children had no previous experience with either sport. Ten ECEs received training to lead these activities.

The Secret: Start with the Educators

Breanna discovered the key to success early on: “If the educators aren’t excited about physical literacy, it doesn’t happen. We start by building staff enthusiasm, because they’re the ones who bring it to life for the kids.”

This insight transformed their approach. Instead of simply dropping in a program, Physical Literacy for the Early Years mentor Dr. Dawne Clark works directly with Alex House physical literacy leads, providing ongoing education to build their confidence and movement skills.

Staff participate in Sport for Life’s physical literacy training and BC’s Appetite to Play program. They now have a rainy-day activity handbook with over 20 outdoor activities—proving that Vancouver’s famous rain can’t stop active learning.

From “What’s Rugby?” to “Can We Play Again?”

This summer’s sports programs brought the partnership’s impact into sharp focus. With Move for Life funding, professional tennis and rugby coaches introduced 80 children to sports most had never tried.

Tennis sessions in June focused on hand-eye coordination and racquet skills. But it was rugby that truly captured imaginations. Over four weeks of twice-weekly sessions, children went from asking, “What’s rugby?” to begging to play again.

The difference? Coaches who dove right in. Instead of standing on the sidelines giving instructions, they were sprinting, passing, and celebrating with the kids.

Parents immediately noticed the change. “It’s so cool they’re trying sports they’d never get at school,” one parent told Timoffee. Another parent shared, “My son plays rugby with Bayside and loves it. It’s so great that they can come to our daycare and teach the children here.”

Bayside Rugby, a valued Move for Life partner, played a key role in making the sessions such a success. Tennis coaches were provided by Tennis BC.

Impact That Reaches Far Beyond Sports

The benefits go well beyond learning to pass a rugby ball or swing a tennis racquet. At Alex House’s previous, smaller location, Timoffee worked with four educators to dramatically increase outdoor playtime—often well beyond licensing requirements.

What started as a push to add just 15–30 minutes a day grew into a major shift. Educators began planning longer walks, extending playground time, and even bringing art supplies and toys like Magna-Tiles outdoors. They worked closely with families to ensure every child had proper rain gear, sunscreen, and hats, which made it easier for staff to commit to being outside in all weather.

Soon, some programs were spending 2–4 hours a day outdoors. The payoff was obvious: children were more physically active, better able to regulate their emotions, and engaged more positively with peers and educators. Children ate their lunches with greater appetite, naps were deeper, and the overall classroom atmosphere became calmer.

“When kids spend real time being active outside, everything else just works better,” said Dr. Dawne Clark. “You can feel the difference in the way the group moves through the day.”

Building Something That Lasts

Alex House operates an impressive network: 9 hubs, 19 locations, over 100 staff, and 700–900 child spaces from toddlers to age 12. With Ling Hao as the new program curriculum development manager, they’re scaling this success across their expanding network.

“We’ve been given this wonderful opportunity through Move for Life,” Clark reflected. “Now we’re focused on making it a lasting part of what we do.”

The team is already planning exciting next steps. They hope to bring soccer to Alex House this fall—a sport most children know and love. They’re also adding equipment like pickleball sets to keep tennis skills growing long after the coaching sessions end.

A Model for Communities Everywhere

For Alex House, physical literacy connects directly to community building. Just as the organization serves families, youth, and seniors, this work develops habits and confidence that last a lifetime.

The partnership proves something powerful: when you invest in educators first, create joyful experiences for children, and commit to long-term change, magic happens. Hundreds of children are discovering the joy of movement and gaining confidence through sports they might never have tried otherwise.

As Timoffee put it: “We’re building a culture where movement is part of everyday life—for everyone.” That’s a vision worth moving toward.

The Move for Life project is funded by the Peace Arch Hospital Foundation.