About Us

Recreation and sport programs can make all the difference in a child's life. It gives kids a chance to learn, make friends, and build fundamental skills for life. But what makes a quality program? 

In 2001, a group of recreation and sport leaders embarked on a mission to make sure every child has a positive experience in recreation and sport programs. After extensive peer-reviewed research, they established five principles for quality children's programming. And so, HIGH FIVE was born. 

For over twenty years, HIGH FIVE has been the national quality standard for children's recreation programs in Canada. Founded by Parks and Recreation Ontario in 2001, HIGH FIVE is an integrated quality standard for children's recreation and sport programs. It is comprised of training for frontline leaders working with children and program evaluation tools for managers/supervisors that oversee children's programming. 

HIGH FIVE-trained leaders have the tools to create inclusive and inviting spaces for their program participants. 

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HIGH FIVE frontline leader training is focused, engaging, and interactive. Our online trainings for frontline staff, Principles of Healthy Childhood Development and HIGH FIVE Sport, breaks learning up into usable, bite-sized pieces using media, narratives, and activities to teach leaders about what children need to succeed in recreation and sport programs. Most importantly, the training is rooted in practice. Alongside research-backed training, HIGH FIVE gives participants access to resources and toolkits that will allow them to go straight from training to leading high quality children's programs. 

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Quality is key. 

Creating and running quality children's programs doesn't end with great instructors. HIGH FIVE's QUEST 5 tool provides managers and leaders an evaluation framework that helps keep participant experience at the centre of their program. This ensures that at every level, HIGH FIVE trained organizations are committed to delivering the highest standard of programming.