Jillian

I love to run. In the calendar year after my twins were born, I did 4 half marathons. At that time, it was a coping mechanism and a little taste of normalcy and the life I lived before I became a mom. But I was also eager to run WITH my girls. Once I was able to run with them in the chariot, I could bring them on some of my runs. I even pushed them through a handful of short races!

I had to learn a LOT when I became a mother - but one thing I knew instinctually was that my kids needed to move. Sitting in a stroller or carseat wasn't the best thing for them, so we ALWAYS included a stop at a playground on our runs. To vary things up, we'd run in different directions and try different parks. If we had to drive around the city to run an errand, we would find a playground to explore in a new neighbourhood. All our exploration eventually led to @EdmontonPlaygrounds - our Instagram account about all the best parks in and around the city.

I'm so passionate about playgrounds for kids - and I strongly feel that they are a gateway to activity for the whole family. It starts with a playground - maybe it expands to a game in the field, or exploring the forest, or trying a new sport. I am so heartened by how many like-minded parents follow Edmonton Playgrounds and share this passion. I also hope the account inspires people to take that first step and try something new as a family.

My twins are 6 now and love being active. These days they can ride their bikes along with me as I run. We're also branching out into hikes, family bike adventures, ski trips and of course, more playgrounds. I hope we never stop playing at playgrounds!