njoyplay

Great playground. It is full of equipment outdoor toys and kids.

2 playgrounds and trails to hike.

Hi Katie, I'm glad to see you the kaboom site. Congrats on your playground build. If your still at the same email address I would love to connect.- Danielle Marshall

I love this playground.

Fun all around. It's a playground made from tires.

• Honeygo Run Regional Park
• Forest Hills Playground

Would you happen to be Katie Flowers?

Danielle Marshall would like to know.

Boosting Creative Play Through the Use of Loose Parts

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a child will play more happily with the box than with the present that came in it. Perhaps this is why the Strong National Museum of Play inducted the cardboard box into its National Toy Hall of Fame -- Penny Wilson, The Playwork Primer

Everywhere I look lately the impending holidays are making themselves known, or rather I should say retailers are using their magic to entice parents into buying a host of toys for their children. The challenge is that most of these so-called toys leave little room for the child to actually play. Instead of choosing how to interact with the materials at hand many of today’s play items are designed with the sole purpose of teaching children how they should engage in play. From video games, to dolls that tell you when they are hungry, not much is left to the imagination. I recently sat in a workshop led by Susan Linn, of Commercial Free Childhood (1), and Joan Almon, of the Alliance for Childhood (2) in which the audience was asked to identify what they saw when looking at a sock puppet. About half the group saw a girl when they looked at the puppet, the others saw a boy–and we all came up with different names for the character. In other words the puppet was fairly generic. Fast forward a few moments and we were prompted to identify a Cookie Monster puppet, and without hesitation the group knew who he was, the phrases he uses, etc. Now where is the creativity in that? My intent is not to offer a lecture. As a parent, I know how difficult it can be to escape the world of commercialism and toys that direct children’s play. However, having seen the rich experiences that develop as children engage in play with open-ended materials it is hard not to advocate for their increased use.

The use of open-ended play materials is as old as play itself, yet the introduction of Simon Nicholson's "Theory of Loose Parts" provided additional insight into how the materials available for children during their play sessions impact the levels of creative play possible. Nicholson states, "In any environment, both the degree of inventiveness and the possibility of discovery are directly proportional to the number and kind of variables in it." (3) Nicholson offers the example of the seashore where loose parts abound. Seashells, sand, water, grasses, and more make up the landscape of materials available for children to interact with during play.

As one takes a closer look at today’s play objects and playgrounds there is a clear need for the further integration of loose parts. One such group who has taken the issue of creative play to heart is Imagination Playground. "Imagination Playground is a breakthrough playspace concept conceived and designed by architect David Rockwell to encourage child-directed, unstructured, free play. With a focus on loose parts, Imagination Playground offers a changing array of elements that allows children to constantly reconfigure their environment and to design their own course of play. Giant foam blocks, mats, wagons, fabric, and crates overflow with creative potential for children to play, dream, build, and explore endless possibilities." (4) One of the most intriguing aspects of this innovative playspace is the use of Play Associates, or trained adults who enable a setting in which children can direct their own play. The main function of the Play Associate is to allow children’s play activity to evolve naturally by maintaining a safe and secure environment, and by renewing and varying the supply of loose parts.

Rockwell’s vision was to create a playspace that would be interesting and engaging to children; yet as more people are introduced to Imagination Playground, it is proving that creative play spans generations. At Giant Steps, an organization dedicated to meeting the educational needs of children and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders, the group reports that “the students often use the imagination playground during movement (indoor recess). They can create an obstacle course, incorporating the pieces with a tunnel and scooter board to meet their significant sensory needs. One of our students uses the pieces as "garbage." He pretends to be a garbage man getting his work done by tossing the pieces onto the ground and then organizing them back onto the shelves. They have helped him stay regulated throughout movement as well as expand his imagination. Imaginary play can be challenging for students with autism, so the opportunity to build a castle and "pretend" to be the king, or build a store where they check out the groceries offer tangible ways to explore imagination." (5)

Other sites such as Cesar Chavez Community Center use Imagination Playground as both a means to increase creative play and to encourage family involvement. Imagination Playground is made available to children in childcare on a daily basis with parents encouraged to join in the sessions throughout the year. To further support their family involvement efforts the site uses Imagination Playground as an opportunity to outreach to their primarily Spanish-speaking families, by conducting training on play facilitation in Spanish and inviting families to play with the materials themselves. Efforts such as these allow children increased access to creative play during school hours but also at home as parents become invested in extending the opportunity for their children.

The Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose, reports including "Imagination Playground Blocks in an interior environment with "loose parts" such as small wooden peg people, tennis balls, and fabric. Museum staff observed a "wide range of social behaviors and interactions among visitors, including and most notably, highly collaborative mixed-age play involving toddlers, children and teens together, and cooperative adult play." (6)

Edith Ogbogu of PS 218 shares that the school has implemented a “Creative Play Month” to promote understanding of imaginative and creative play. Imagination Playground was introduced to the children with a special presentation. The “magic boxes,” were rolled out and the children were asked what “imagination” means, and then asked what “playground” meant to them. Teachers then revealed that the “magic boxes” contained a playground that you build with your imagination. The kids were floored to say the least! Teachers at the site additionally note that “Imagination Playground is a great way to involve all children in active, creative, constructive play.” Children who need adaptive physical education classes, for instance, aren’t able to engage in regular activities and are typically separated into different classes, but Imagination Playground allows them to participate alongside their peers. One girl has difficulties picking up items, but has had some improvement through use of Imagination Playground.

If we want to encourage our children to spend more time engaged in quality play, Imagination Playground provides an interesting model. Through a combination of interesting materials and caring adults on hand to support child-directed play, this is a winning combination which can be customized to meet the needs of a variety of communities and ability levels.

References

Commercial Free Childhood
Alliance for Childhood
Nicholson, S. 1971. How not to cheat children: The theory of loose parts. Landscape Architecture, 62, 30-35.
Imagination Playground
Giant Steps
San Jose Children’s Museum

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For while knowledge defines all we currently know and understand, imagination points to all we might yet discover and create.”- Albert Einstein

Sitting in an indoor playspace, I watched my daughter climb into a plastic storage bin on the floor. Although it was meant in this case for housing various toys in the room, there was no harm done. She sat contently in the container and began mimicking the action of driving a bus, calling for other passengers to join her on the ride. As I continued to observe, another child approached and grabbed his own bin only to be chided by his mother. “James, we don’t climb into containers.” Even as a proponent of creative play I found myself feeling guilty, but of what? Was I letting my child run wild or allowing her an opportunity to take advantage of a space created specifically with children in mind, a space whose very design fosters imaginative play, creativity, and exploration? Her simple and innocent act of driving a school bus was interrupted as we both confronted societal norms in which play and creativity were no longer allowed.

Creativity is as essential to healthy development as nutritious food or physical activity. Creativity allows us an opportunity to develop our minds in unexpected ways. It seems all too often that we live in a world where we value the correct answer over a multitude of possibilities. Yet, the times when only one solution applies is far and few between. We emphasize standardized testing over resourceful thinking. We reward those who think along lines similar to ours and penalize those who offer a different perspective. Still, in today’s world, we must continue to consider new and innovative solutions to tough challenges. If you need an example look no further than our current economic crisis. Aside from the inability of our elected officials to work together across party lines, there remains a lack of creative solutions being ushered forward. The result? Spinning wheels, shouting matches, and arguments centered around ideas implemented in the past.

Is this the future we want for our children? I certainly hope not. If we look back over the last several decades, it is remarkable how far the world has advanced–the introduction of the Internet, improvements in life-saving medicines, clean drinking water where none previously existed. These advancements are not accidental in nature, they are the byproduct of allowing oneself to think and act in a creative manner.

Creativity is not something that should be thought of as a privilege of youth. It is something that we each can tap into each day, regardless of age. Yet, there is something to be said about flexing those creative muscles at an early age and cultivating healthy cognitive development from the onset of life. The opportunity to be creative during play sessions benefits children in a number of ways. Play expert Joe Frost writes that “Play that is beneficial to children is play that is active , creative, and social, engaging the body in fine and gross motor negotiation and the mind in negotiation, problem solving, imagination, and flexibility.” (1) Psychologist Barbara Fredrickson has additionally identified the positive impact of play for both children and adults. “Kids play because it feels good and in playing kids try out and learn new ideas, make new friends, and strengthen their body. Play spells learning and growth because positive emotions broaden and build.”(2) In considering how this impacts one’s ability to creatively contribute to society she further states. “A broadened mind allows you to break out of old habits and well worn ruts to do something different, anything different. Randomness like this is essential to building resources, rebounding from adversity, and flourishing.”

When one looks at the research stemming from academic, medical, and psychological disciplines, it is difficult to ignore the impact that play has on healthy child development. Yet the rate at which people dismiss the importance of play as a means to improve the overall health of children is astounding. Perhaps this dismissal stems from a lack of understanding of the level of damage that can be inflicted by not allowing children to receive the full benefits of discovering, creating, and engaging through play. A study conducted out of Baylor College of Medicine found that “children who don’t play much or are rarely touched developed brains 20 percent to 30 percent smaller than normal for their age.” (3)

In a synthesis of research focused on pretend play which examined academics, cognitive, linguistic, social development, and problem solving, it was found that when high-quality pretend play opportunities were presented, children thrived through the use of creativity and imagination. In summarizing her findings Bergen states that “If children lack opportunities to experience such play, their long-term capacities related to metacognition, problem solving, and social cognition, as well as to academic areas such as literacy, mathematics, and science, may be diminished.”(4)

While I may have initially been stricken by an unnecessary pang of guilt, as I sat in the playroom watching my daughter break societal norms, I was ultimately able to sit back and give her the room she needs to reach her highest potential. It dawned on me as I was writing this entry that if we are to help others realize the merits of play it’s not enough to simply write about it or to talk about its benefits, we must take it to a higher level and dare to play in public.

References

Frost, J. (2006). The dissolution of children’s outdoor play: Causes and consequences. Retrieved from http://www.ipema.org/documents/common%20good%20pdf.pdf.

Fredrickson, B. L. (2009). Positivity. New York: Crown Publishers.

Nash, J. M. (1997, February 3). Fertile minds. TIME Australia Magazine, 5, 36-45.

Bergen, D. (2002). The role of pretend play in children’s cognitive development. Early Childhood Research & Practice, 4(1).

Original article posted at http://www.healthpolicyforum.org/2011/09/whats-killing-our-creativity/ 9.22.11

In the mood for some play related reading? Check out the new article, Empowering the Groups that Enable Play http://www.journalofplay.org/sites/www.journalofplay.org/files/pdf-articles/3-4-article-wilson-empowering-groups.pdf

Public Health Strategies: Enlisting A New Generation

“It is among the commonplaces of education that we often first cut off the living root and then try to replace its natural functions by artificial means. Thus we suppress the child’s curiosity and then when he lacks a natural interest in learning, he is offered special coaching for his scholastic difficulties.” – Alice Miller

If you have never watched a child draw or sculpt her dream playground, you should. It’ll awaken your imagination. Underground tunnels, mountains with slides arcing from their peaks, rope webs that reach higher than the Empire State Building. At KaBOOM!, every community-build playground project includes this activity, on the principle that children’s investment in and ownership of their playspace will multiply if they actually have a say in its creation.

Doesn’t the same hold true of efforts to fight childhood obesity? According to thelatest report from Trust for America’s Health, childhood obesity is over 20 percent in eight U.S. states and Washington, DC. (1) That statistic is sad and scary, and the involvement of children and youth in efforts to bring it down will multiply those efforts’ strength and sustainability.

To that end, service learning presents an amazing opportunity to include children and youth in efforts to deal with the public health crises that are obesity and the play deficit, with all their attendant consequences for physical, social-emotional, and cognitive health and well-being. Imagine a youth corps dedicated to organizing play days in neighborhood parks. Or one determined to change a food culture that values speed and quantity by holding weekly potlucks where food served comes from local farms and is cooked by youth. Or another that mounts a recess advocacy campaign at a local elementary school or creates exercise videos to share with classmates, recording how many classes watch them and watch actions the videos inspire them to take.

These things are happening across the country. For example, the Food Education Empowerment and Sustainability Team (FEEST) is a youth-run program in Seattle in which participants “kick it in the kitchen, prepare a delicious and healthy meal, and then eat all together family-style while learning more about food in [their] communities.” (2) According to a blog post from a teenager, Tom, a FEEST gathering was “the best time I had all week.” Watch this recess plea from kids in Long Beach, CA. (3) These kids are having fun, and they are in charge of things. When I read about efforts to fight childhood obesity, I read a lot about “physical activity.” It is the obesity-related buzz phrase in public health, parks and recreation, and education. But I have never once heard a child say, “Can I go out and be physically active, Mom?” I laud the innovative obesity-fighting and obesity prevention initiatives being implemented in thousands of schools, parks, and community organizations. But I sometimes wonder if these discussions are missing a little joy, a little fun, a little something to better capture the imaginations of children and youth. By giving children and youth power, we encourage them to dream up initiatives in which they’ll want to be involved. Youth Service America highlights many youth engaged directly in the fight against childhood obesity in the UnitedHealth HEROES program and in their guide, “First Responders: Youth Addressing Childhood Obesity through Service Learning.” (4) The solutions profiled are varied, community-specific, and filled with ideas.

Encouraging more programs of this nature emboldens youth and communities to think outside of the box in addressing their needs. Casting the net widely in looking for inspiration also fosters creative thinking. Imagine pairing the whimsy of groups participating in the Levity Project, with their flash mobs of people on exercise balls, with the weighty goals of the National Physical Activity Plan. (5, 6) Think of asking groups of young people, “How do you like to play?” and then working with them and their answers to make that play happen.
Our attempts to define physical activity for children and youth, and the way we talk about physical activity, might actually work against us. Similarly, emphasis on sports as the only way to get youth physically active might be a too-narrow solution to a wider problem that need be addressed on a social or cultural level. Where’s the role of fun, friendship, and play in discussions of calories, weight, nutrients, and activity level?

Service learning or experiential learning programs provide unique opportunities to convene young people around these discussions of play and physical and mental health. In the same way that children dream up their most-desired playgrounds, young people can dream up ways to build play back into their schools, homes, and neighborhoods. Given a voice, young people are more apt to act, become involved in their communities, and show enhanced problem-solving skills, as multiple studies on civic engagement demonstrate. (7)

Adventure playgrounds of the U.K. operate on these principles of self-determination, providing spaces in which children and youth construct as they see fit.(8) The actual space and the play structures within them are built and modified by young people over the course of a season. They are in control. The result? According to playworker Penny Wilson, youth are frequent visitors to these playgrounds – and at a rate that I think would surprise most Americans, who view playgrounds as the realm of the young child.

Certainly, I’m not advocating making the whim of every child and young person a reality. Neither can we, when involved in a community-build playspace, make a child’s dream of a 7,000-foot mountain with a protruding slide a reality. But we can figure out how to translate that desire into a resembling reality: a good tall place to climb on a playground, with a thrilling, just-steep-enough slide to race down.

What desires have you heard voiced from young people regarding getting moving and playing? What models have you seen in evidence? Many exist – but the final question we must ask ourselves is, are we truly listening? When we take time to acknowledge the value in what our children are telling us and when we hold up innovative ideas to the light for others to see, we give permission for those we are trying to impact to join the conversation, catalyzing the creation of a multitude of new ideas.

References
1. Trusts for America’s Health. (2011, July). F as in fat 2011: How obesity threatens America’s future. Retrieved fromhttp://healthyamericans.org/assets/files/TFAH2011FasInFat10.pdf.
2. Food Empowerment Education and Sustainability Team. Retrieved fromhttp://feestseattle.wordpress.com/.
3. Lee, F. (2010, November 11). Kids advocating for kids: More recess! Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGig6yDRv2Y.
4. http://ysa.org/HEROES
5. The Levity Project. (2010, December 16). Flash mob. Retrieved fromhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5NdQrwImj8.
6. National Physical Activity Plan. Retrieved fromhttp://www.physicalactivityplan.org/theplan.php.
7. Roehlkepartain, E. C. Benefits of community-based service learning. (2007, December). Search Institute. Retrieved from National Service-Learning Clearinghouse website: http://www.servicelearning.org/benefits-community-based-service-learning.
8. Conway, M. (2009, April). Developing an adventure playground: The essential elements. Retrieved from http://www.playengland.org.uk/media/112552/pathfinder-adventure-playground-briefing.pdf

Original Post 8.18.11 http://www.healthpolicyforum.org/2011/08/public-health-strategies-enlisting-a-new-generation/

Child’s Play: It’s a Social Justice Issue

From my window I can hear the sounds of children at play. Their giggles and chants echo what childhood should be—a carefree time to explore, play, and challenge oneself. Only, despite the appearance this boisterous group provides, this is not the case for many children. In fact for many children play has become an issue of social justice.

The idea of social justice has been discussed for hundreds of years. The actual term “social justice” was first introduced by the Jesuit Luigi Taparelli in 1840, as he found himself challenged by some of the byproducts of the industrial revolution. Many definitions of social justice have been offered over the years, from the way advantages and disadvantages are distributed within a society to a more robust definition offered by Michael Novak, which states that “Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating an egalitarian society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being.” (1) Yet the one common thread that ties these definitions together is that despite our best efforts at stating otherwise the playing field has never been even.

Throughout history social justice has been used to frame discussions around politics, economics, health care, education, and housing, among others. Yet, it is less common for the term to be associated with children’s play. Play offers children a unique opportunity to face issues of social justice head on, while also providing them space to work through a myriad of scenarios that highlight just how aware children are of the disparities we face. I have always found it refreshing that children from the earliest of ages are able to jump right into a play session without giving a second thought to the race, religion, or ability level of the next child. Instead of worrying about what zip code each resides in they are more likely to measure success by who can jump the highest or collect the most bugs. It is through the eyes of adults that children learn to judge.

Public outdoor spaces and playgrounds remain among the best locations for children of various backgrounds and means to meet, mingle, and play. Yet, 20 percent, or one out of five children, do not have access to a public park or playground within a half mile walk from their home. This lack of access to public playspaces poses a challenge for a variety of reasons including the fact that higher obesity rates are linked to the proximity of a local park or playground. Add to this the greater likelihood of residents in lower income communities having fewer opportunities to access playspaces within walking distance from their homes and there is a clear inequity that emerges.

While at play children have the opportunity to engage diverse groups of children, all the while getting to know more about their peer’s interests, cultures, and how they make sense of the world. Along those lines, children also have a chance to act out instances of social injustice they have themselves witnessed or experienced. Whether these cases be those that occur at home, school, or experienced via the evening news there is a never ending supply of information for children to process. And process they do. The thought of children roll playing out natural disasters, violence, or even the impact of the economic downturn often makes adults uncomfortable, yet it is through play that children have an opportunity to come to terms with the social justice issues they encounter daily.

There is not only a need to ensure that all children have access to playspaces, but also a need to have playspaces that meet the needs of the largest audience possible. As we strive to increase the number of playspaces available in communities, we must also work towards creating spaces that will serve the largest population of people possible. Many playgrounds are created with 2-12 year olds in mind. While at first glance it appears to be the segment of the population most drawn to playful opportunities, the industry has unwittingly segregated those not falling into that group. There is a need for public playspaces that accommodate multigenerational needs, ranging from infants who are just beginning to learn about their world through their five senses to older adults who are committed to living an active and playful lifestyle. Not to forget teens and younger adults who also have their needs.

Another important group to consider in the creation of playspaces is people with disabilities. It is easy to default to the creation of a playground featuring ramps and transfer stations that allow children in wheelchairs to use the playspace, however, we must keep in mind that disabilities are as varied as are people. To be truly inclusive, playspaces need to accommodate those that have disabilities that are apparent (blind or visually impaired; use of a wheelchair) and also accommodate those with disabilities that are not as apparent (autism or learning disabilities). Furthermore, the challenge lays in not only meeting the needs of families with disabilities but providing all children, regardless of ability level, an opportunity to interact and play with each other within the same space.

In an ideal world children and families will have access to playspaces regardless of their social economic status, age, gender, or ability level. The equipment and surrounding space will not be “dumbed down ”, but become an environment in which all family members are able to play together side by side and be provided with as much stimulation, interaction, risk, and challenge as they can individually handle.

Reference
Novak, M. (December, 2000). Defining social justice. First Things, 108.

Happy Birthday! – How can I help? It's 6:30 a.m. on June 15, 2011, and the first of the volunteers have begun to arrive. There is a flurry of activity as volunteers begin to set up for registration, unload supplies, and greet their fellow volunteers. What lies ahead is guaranteed to be a day filled with and fueled by manual labor. Today is the kind of day that will result in the truest form of sweat equity.Today marks the 2,000th playground build for KaBOOM!

KaBOOM! Working towards the day that every child in America has a safe place to play

Like many nonprofits, KaBOOM! exists to solve a problem—the play deficit. Our children are playing less than any previous generation, and this lack of play is causing them profound physical, intellectual, social, and emotional harm.

Physical harm: According to researchers from the Department of Health and Human Services, there is a stark correlation between the play deficit and childhood obesity: In neighborhoods without a park or playground, the incidence of childhood obesity increases 29 percent. (1) In fact, children with a park or playground within a half mile are almost five times more likely to be a healthy weight than children without playgrounds or parks nearby. (2)

Intellectual harm: Without ample play, we will continue to see a decrease in creativity and imagination, as well as vital skills, including curiosity, social skills, resiliency, and the ability to assess risk. (3) A case in Germany in the 1970s provides an extraordinary example. As a result of a German educational reform movement, some German kindergartens threw out their play-based curricula in order to become "centers for cognitive achievement." Research comparing students who continued to attend play-based kindergartens instead of the so-called cognitive centers found that at age 10, play-enriched children performed better in reading and mathematics, were better adjusted socially and emotionally, and excelled in creativity and oral expression. The play-based curriculum was promptly restored. (4) Children in China, Korea, Finland, Singapore, and Japan are provided with playful schooling opportunities prior to second grade and have among the highest scores, ranked 1, 2, 3, 5, and 8 respectively, on international PISA exam for 15 year olds. The United States was ranked at 13. The decline in creativity associated with the play deficit has already had an impact on our competitiveness in the world. In the book The New Division of Labor: How Computers Are Creating the Next Job Market, the authors examine how computers are reshaping the job market and how human skills are rewarded in the marketplace. The book reveals how this new marketplace places a premium on the skills fostered through play. (5)

Social harm: Children who don't play don't learn how to work in groups, share, negotiate, resolve conflicts, and advocate for themselves. (6) The lack of these skills has dramatic long-term effects. A long-term longitudinal study examined two groups of preschoolers in the United States. In one group, play was an important part of the curriculum. In the other, there was no play as part of their school day. Both groups were tracked through age 23. The children deprived of play showed increased problems with social integration, including greater likelihood of felony arrests by young adulthood. (7)

Emotional harm: Studies have shown that schools without recess face increased incidence in classroom behavioral problems, including violence, emotional outbursts, and students who show a lack of ability to interact with peers and authority figures. (8) Outside the school, play deprivation can have serious long-term consequences. Physician, psychiatrist, and clinical researcher Stuart Brown studied more than 6,000 felons and found that 90 percent of convicted murderers lacked "play features" in their childhoods. Brown writes, "What all of these studies repeatedly revealed and what struck our separate research teams as unexpected, was that (among other findings) normal play behavior was virtually absent throughout the lives of highly violent, anti-social men regardless of demography." Brown finds that "depression, over-control, driven ambition, envy, and often ecological havoc accompany the play-deprived life." (9)

The focus of all our work is to end the woeful lack of engaging places to play in America. We support the work of others who focus their efforts on the equally profound issues surrounding the lack of time for children to play. Our campaign to save play is driven by three strategies.

Mapping the state of play, including play deserts: Recently, KaBOOM! contacted the Los Angeles Unified School District with a simple question: How many of their elementary schools had playgrounds? Our call was sent from one department to the other. No one knew. They told us no one had even asked them the question before. This anecdote tells a larger nationwide story. Although the play deficit is well documented on the macro level, no one knows which kids have a place to play and which kids don't at the neighborhood level. The KaBOOM! Playspace Finder is designed to ultimately answer that question for the entire country. It is a user-generated map of play spaces—playgrounds, fields, courts, parks—with photos, ratings, and the ability to become a fan of a particular play space. This tool allows parents both to use and to support the play spaces that already exist. This tool will also produce a "play deserts" map, documenting the communities where children have nowhere to play. Once we know where the play deserts are, public policymakers and nonprofits, including KaBOOM!, can address the play deficit rationally and effectively. After mapping their own play deserts, mayors in St. Petersburg, Florida, Tucson, Arizona, and New York City have already implemented successful play policies. Our effort to map play deserts has the enthusiastic support of the White House and the Let's Move! initiative.

Building and improving engaging playgrounds: KaBOOM! built its first playground almost 15 years ago in the Anacostia neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Not only did we create a great place for kids to play, but we also pioneered a new way to build playgrounds, allowing children to design the space and working with members of the community to build it. Soon, we'll be building our 2,000th playground, using the same focus on community engagement as we did on that first build. The power of the KaBOOM! process is that it authentically engages residents in some of the lowest income communities around the country in the planning and construction of the playground. For 10 weeks, KaBOOM! works with community members and funding partners to plan a successful done-in-a-day playground build. Not only do kids get a great place to play at the end of it all, but communities forge new relationships and build social capital that they can rely on for years to come. We love these builds—they are the heart and soul of our organization, and we do about 200 of them every year.

But 5 years ago, we asked ourselves a hard question—could we solve the problem of the play deficit by building a couple hundred playgrounds each year? The answer was no, so we then asked ourselves how could we radically increase the number of play spaces being created in the United States each year. Rather than turn to the tried-and-true approach of creating chapters or affiliates, we chose an approach that would have been unworkable even a few years earlier. We decided to go to scale using the Internet, open-sourcing everything we learned, putting it on the Web, and creating an online planning tool that empowers and guides play advocates through the process of planning, funding, and building playgrounds. The Monitor Institute recently published a study of our effort: Breaking New Ground: Using the Internet to Scale: A Case History of KaBOOM!. (10) In 2009, our online outreach efforts helped people build more than 1,600 do-it-yourself (DIY) playgrounds in communities around the United States—almost as many as we directly built over the past 14 years.

Mere quantity of play spaces won't solve the play deficit. We want children to have engaging playgrounds where they play longer and want to come back more often. That's why we involve children in the design of every playground we build. Our commitment to innovative play design is also expressed in a project we're working on called Imagination Playground. Conceived by architect David Rockwell, Imagination Playground combines loose parts, a manipulable environment, and play associates. Imagination Playground lives up to its name. Every gleeful child that encounters it constructs their own play structure every time they play, in combinations that give full reign to their creativity. (11)

Advocating for local policies that increase opportunities to play: Finally, KaBOOM! sees the impact of our work and the work of our DIY playground builders every day, but to help solve the play deficit, we also work with local governments that want to ensure that their cities are full of great places to play. We focus our efforts on local policy because it is our cities and towns where the decisions to fund, not fund, or de-fund play spaces are most frequently made. It is clear to us that every school, every park, every public housing complex, and all new housing developments should have places to play. This can only happen if mayors, city councils, school superintendents, and the heads of parks and recreation departments fund, plan, build, and maintain the play spaces necessary for children's health and well-being. The good news is that an increasing number of these local policymakers recognize the importance of play in their communities and are doing something about it. In return, KaBOOM! honors and celebrates these play pioneers with our Playful City USA program. Currently 118 cities have earned this designation, including New York City, Atlanta, Orlando, San Antonio, San Francisco, Phoenix, St. Paul, and Indianapolis. (12) We are also gathering, evaluating, and disseminating best practices in play, so we can accelerate the adoption of the most effective and replicable play policies. (13)

So, as we celebrate our 2,000th build we are celebrating not only our own accomplishments but also those of community members at large who have persisted in their efforts to ensure happy, healthy childhoods for all of our children.

References

(1) Singh, G., Siahpush, M., & Kogan, M. (2010).Neighborhood socioeconomic conditions, built environments, and childhood obesity. Health Affairs, 29(3)

(2) Potwarka, L. R., Kaczynski, A. T., & Flack, A. L. (2008). Places to play: Association of park space and facilities with healthy weight status among children. Journal of Community Health, 33(5). Retrieved from http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/579605

(3) Singer, D., Golinkoff, R. M., & Hirsh-Pasek, K. (Eds.). (2006). Play=learning: How play motivates and enhances children's cognitive and social-emotional growth. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Isenberg, J. P., & Quisenberry, N. (2002). Play: Essential for all children. A Position Paper of the Association for Childhood Education International. Retrieved from http://www.udel.edu/bateman/acei/playpaper.htm

Bodrova, E. & Leong, D. J. (2003, April). The importance of being playful. Educational Leadership, 60(7), 50–53. Retrieved from http://pdonline.ascd.org/pd_online/substitute/el200304_bodrova.html

(4) Miller, E. & Almon, J. (2009). Crisis in the kindergarten: Why children need play in school. Alliance for Childhood

(5) Murnane, R., & Levy, F. (2004). The new division of labor: How computers are creating the next job market. Princeton University Press and Russell Sage Foundation.

(6) Ginsburg, K. R. (2007, January). The importance of play in promoting healthy child development and maintaining strong parent-child bonds. Pediatrics, 119(1)

Burdette, H. L., & Whitaker, R. C. (2005). Resurrecting free play in young children: Looking beyond fitness and fatness to attention, affiliation, and affect. Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine, 159(1), 46–50. Retrieved from http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/159/1/46

(7) Schweinhart, L. J., & Weikart, D. P. (1997). Lasting differences: The high/scope preschool curriculum comparison study through age 23. High/Scope Educational Research Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.highscope.org/file/Research/high_scope_curriculum/Curric_factsheet.pdf

(8) Barros, R. M., Silver, E. J., & Stein, R. E. K. (2009). School recess and group classroom behavior. Pediatrics, 123(2), 431–436. Retrieved from http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/123/2/431

(9) Brown, S. (1998). Play as an organizing principal: Clinical evidence and personal observations. In Bekoff & Byers (Eds.), Animal Play, Cambridge University Press

Brown, S. (2009). Play: How it shapes the brain, opens the imagination and invigorates the soul. New York: Penguin Press.

(10) McLeod Grant, H., & Fulton, K. (2010). Breaking new ground: Using the Internet to scale: A case study of KaBOOM!. Monitor Institute. Retrieved from http://kaboom.org/monitor_report

(11) See www.imaginationplayground.org.

(12) Click here for a complete list of 2010 Playful City USA communities: http://kaboom.org/help_save_play/playful_city_usa/2010_playful_city_usa_communities

(13) Play Matters: A Study of Best Practices to Inform Local and Process in Support of Children's Play. (2009). http://kaboom.org/docs/documents/pdf/playmatters/Play_Matters_Case_Summaries.pdf

Original post on 6/23/11 at http://www.healthpolicyforum.org/2011/06/kaboom-2000-playgrounds-and-counting/

“Dear Mommy, I can’t take it anymore, please help me I am so sad at school, I can’t do anything, I am so stupid, I always fail, I hate this mommy please help me, I am scared I won’t pass tax test, I hate this, please is there a school with no stress, please mommy.” -Signed a child in Texas

I often start off my play-related trainings with a visioning exercise. I ask the audience to close their eyes and remember their own play memories–the sights and sounds they experienced, how they interacted with their peers, and where they were when they played. At the close of the activity the group participates in a sharing of memories. The play sessions they recall are rich and varied with many participants remembering the joy of playing in a field or vacant lot, making the most of what ever materials were on hand. While others recalled how they stretched their imaginations as they acted out elaborate scenarios. In conducting these trainings I may on any given day speak to educators, policymakers, parents, and so forth. Yet regardless of the diversity of profession, culture, or even social economic status, when these now adults share their play memories threads of commonality begin to materialize.

This activity, though brief in nature, provides a detailed view of societal trends. Many of the older participants discuss being able to roam farther from home staying outside until the “sun goes down”, while other participants remember engaging in games that reflected the heritage and culture of their community. In almost every discussion there is a common agreement that each one found time to play at school. The stories may have reflected play that took place during lunch, physical education, recess, or even behind the teacher’s back during class, but it was undeniably happening.

When engaged further, the conversation expands beyond a game of kickball played in the school yard to a discussion of the knowledge and values gained through their play sessions. The setting transforms from a blacktop or playground into a space where children can explore, learn to take risks, negotiate with peers, create and recreate games, and even reflect. Patience, creativity, respect, persistence, loyalty and understanding are just a few of the words commonly shared when asked what was learned on the playground. Yet, as we take a look at the opportunities afforded to many of today’s children, it is easy to see that their play memories will be shockingly different from those of their parents.

Children have seen an erosion of their free and discretionary time over the last several decades, with a decline of more than seven hours a week from 1981 to 1997, and an additional two hours from 1997 to 2003, leaving them with fewer hours to engage in unstructured play. (1, 2) Couple the decline of free time with the fact that schools across the country are reducing recess or eliminating it altogether and children’s opportunities to engage in meaningful play sessions narrow still further.

A 2010 Gallup Poll commissioned by Playworks, an nonprofit dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play, found that 50 percent of principals reported their students receive between 16 to 30 minutes of recess per day. Furthermore, 1 in 5 principals indicated that current testing requirements contributed to the decrease in allotted recess time at their schools .(3) Beyond academic testing, discipline challenges, lack of trained staffing, and poor playground conditions also contribute to the overall decline in recess time.

So it seems that the current rationale of many school administrators amounts to the fact that because they have placed the utmost importance on the academic success and physical safety of their students, they have cut back on recess to ensure success in these areas. Unfortunately, while their hearts might be in the right place their practices are counterproductive. The same Gallup Poll additionally found that nearly all principals believed that recess positively impacted children’s social development (96 percent) as well as contributed positively to their overall wellbeing (97 percent).

Research has linked the importance of recess in healthy child development across several domains. In early studies it was shown that on days where 4th graders had recess, they spent “more time on-task and were less fidgety”, which ultimately creates an environment where more learning can take place. The same study highlighted that the impact of recess was more pronounced in children who are deemed hyperactive. (4) The American Academy of Pediatrics further contributes that the decline in recess is having a profound impact on children’s development stating, “Children’s cognitive capacity is enhanced by a clear-cut and significant change in activity … Even a formal structured physical education class may not offer the same benefit as free-play recess.” (5) Add to this the growing issues of ADD/ADHD, obesity, diabetes, and the rates of inactivity, the need for regular recess periods is heightened.

Children, just as much as adults, need breaks in which they can engage in physical activity, get their blood flowing, and reduce stress levels. Just as the United States Department of Labor affords workers the clear right to take breaks during the work day, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children recognizes children’s rights to the same treatment. Article 31 reads (6):

States Parties recognize the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.
States Parties shall respect and promote the right of the child to participate fully in cultural and artistic life and shall encourage the provision of appropriate and equal opportunities for cultural, artistic, recreational and leisure activity.
Once again despite the acknowledgements by educators, physicians, researchers, and even the global community many here in the U.S. are failing to see play as anything more than a luxury. To date, the U.S. remains only 1 of 2 countries who has not ratified the treaty under the Convention on the Rights of the Child; Somalia is the other country. (7) Still despite these setbacks, there are rising calls to restore opportunities for free play and recess from parents and educators across the country.

One in-depth example concerns Sarah Brown, a Texas mother of three. After attending a parent breakfast in which the principal announced that recess was being cut from 30 to 15 minutes, Sarah decided to take action. She spoke to the principal who provided several reasons for the impending cuts. Unsatisfied with this response Sarah investigated each reason given for cutting recess, from the need to emphasize academics overall to the actual length of time it took children to line up for recess. Through her research she was able to provide opposing evidence to counterpoint each of the reasons offered by the administrator. What she accomplished on her own is admirable; however, in understanding the power of mass action, Sarah shared the information with the PTA board who in turn contacted other parents. The volume of emails and phone calls to the school lead the school district to draft a letter to families agreeing that they too believed recess was valuable to children.

The message remained clear. The school district believed that recess was valuable yet felt their hands were tied in the matter, prompting Sarah to take a step further starting the Save Recess campaign. (8) The campaign has resulted in petitions signed by several hundred families, a website dedicated to ensuring children have access to daily recess breaks, and a recent partnership with a likeminded mom in neighboring Mesquite, Texas who was instrumental in convincing her state representative, Cindy Burkett to introduce House Bill 3770.

House Bill 3770 reads as follows;

In addition to the daily physical activity requirement prescribed by Subsection (l), a school district shall require a student enrolled in elementary school to participate in unstructured and undirected play for at least 20 minutes each school day throughout the school year. The period for play required by this subsection may not be used to grant a reward or impose a punishment. In implementing this subsection, the district shall consider the recommendations provided under Section 28.004(l) by the local school health advisory council.

Sarah and Cindy were set to testify in front of the House when the hearing was refused by Rob Eissler, Chair of the Public Education Committee who commented, “We try to leave the discretion to the people running the schools who are the people closest to the kids.” While the parents have hit a temporary road block, they are certainly moving in the right direction. Their efforts in championing this worthy cause have not gone unnoticed. With each petition signed and op-ed written, support for recess grows. As more families are made aware of the issue and begin to raise their voices, there is hope that the message will get through to policymakers and school administrators. Recess Matters.

As Darell Hammond, Founder of KaBOOM!, puts it, “Even Congress gets recess, so why are schools taking it away from kids?”

References

1. Hofferth, S. L., & J.F. Sandberg. (2001). Changes in American children’s time, 1981-1997. In S.L. Hofferth & T.J. Owens (Eds.), Children at the millennium: Where have we come from, where are we going? (pp. 1-7). New York, NY: JAI.

2. Hofferth, S. L., & S.C. Curtin. (2006). Changes in children’s time, 1997-2002/3: An update. University of Maryland, College Park, MD.

3. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (February, 2010). The State of Play: Gallup Survey of Principal on School Recess. Retrieved from http://www.rwjf.org/files/research/stateofplayrecessreportgallup.pdf

4. Jarrett, O. S., Maxwell, D. M., Dickerson, C., Hoge, P., Davies, G., & Yetley, A. (1998). The impact of recess on classroom behavior: Group effects and individual differences. Journal of Educational Research, 92(2), 121-126.

5. Ginsburg, K. R. (2007). The importance of play in promoting healthy child development and maintaining strong parent-child bonds. PEDIATRICS, 119(1). Retrieved from American Academy of Pediatrics’ website: http://www.aap.org/pressroom/playfinal.pdf

6. Office on the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved from http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/crc.htm

7. Unicef. Conventions on the right of the child. Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/crc/index_30229.html

8. Save Recess. http://www.saverecess.org

Original Post May 19 2011 http://www.healthpolicyforum.org/2011/05/recess-moving-people-to-action/

New Ways to Increase Phyiscal Activity and Play: Using Whats Already in Our Back Yards

“We are under exercised as a nation. We look instead of play. We ride instead of walk. Our existence deprives us of the minimum of physical activity essential for healthy living.” – John F. Kennedy

After a somewhat long transition between seasons, spring has finally arrived here in the mid-Atlantic. With every turn, evidence of the warmer weather abounds. On one particularly warm day, I had the brilliant idea that it would be the perfect opportunity to spend some time at a nearby park. As I waited to turn into the parking lot adjacent to the park, it became all too clear that everyone else in the area was equally inspired to get outdoors that day. In total I had to wait 10 minutes to get in to the parking lot and another 10 just to find a parking space. While I am always delighted to see people making use of public parks and playgrounds, it also made me question why everyone flocked to this particular destination park.

My experience was not that uncommon from what happens in communities across the U.S. each day. For individuals fortunate enough to have access to a car, what is it that makes us pack up our things, load the kids or perhaps the family dog and head out across town instead of heading to a local playground we could reach on foot?

There are people who will trade a brisk walk for a car ride because of an affinity for a particular park. However, the reality for far more Americans is that they would be willing to make that walk if they had access to a park or playground within walking distance from their homes. At present only 1 out of 5 children in the United States lives within a half mile of a park (1,2); the deficit is often worse in low-income neighborhoods. A recent study completed by City Project highlights the fact that “Nearly two-thirds of the children in Los Angeles County—almost all of them kids of color living in low-income neighborhoods—have no park or playground near their homes”(3), these findings are mirrored nationally with 69 percent of low-income parents reporting that there is no playground in their neighborhood (4).

As we consider the vast array of physical activity initiatives that encourage us to start by taking small steps in the right direction, we must also consider the environmental factors that promote or prevent our ability to successfully make these changes. I am a strong proponent of creating and improving community playspaces, but I am also an advocate for acknowledging the already present resources in communities.

For many communities, schools represent the ultimate resource in promoting physical activity and providing a great place for children to play. They are often equipped with playgrounds, basketball courts, baseball fields, gymnasiums and more. Their very design begs to be raced, jumped, and played upon. Yet, as the 3 p.m. school bell rings, many of these sites are closed off to students and the larger community in an effort to maintain school grounds, ward off vandalism and avoid the issue of liability. Fortunately, there is an emerging trend of restoring access to these community hubs through the development of joint-use agreements.

To better support these initiatives, organizations such as the National Policy and Legal Analysis Network (NPLAN) have taken up the charge. NPLAN works to reduce the obesity epidemic in the United States by providing community leaders with best practices and legal resources they can utilize to implement local change. NPLAN has focused its energy on promoting healthy foods, schools, kids, and communities through a variety of initiatives, including joint-use agreements. A joint-use agreement is defined as “a formal agreement between two separate government entities–often a school and a city or county–setting forth the terms and conditions for shared use of public property or facilities.”(5)

Critics have often argued against joint-use agreements, fearing the liability involved with injuries occurring after hours. While overlooking the fact that children and families have been ducking under or climbing over fences for years to use playgrounds, tracks, and practice fields. When well executed, joint-use agreements can make a significant impact on the number of locations available for local community members to engage in physical activity and play, while protecting the interests of school districts and other city agencies.

Numerous joint-use agreements have been executed across the United States, and the specifics are as varied as the cities implementing the agreements. A few examples are highlighted here.

Yuma, Arizona
The City of Yuma began partnering with school districts over 40 years ago to provide a broad spectrum of quality facilities to its citizens. Together, these partnerships or Inter-governmental Agreements have provided millions of dollars for land, facility construction, and ongoing maintenance. The city and high school district partnered on the construction and operation of an $8.8 million aquatic center centrally located to attract diverse participants.

Cerritos, California
The City of Cerritos has entered into a comprehensive joint-usage agreement with the ABC Unified School District. The agreement calls for increased use of gymnasiums at three local high schools for City of Cerritos Recreation Services Division programming, while local high schools gain access to softball, baseball, and soccer fields for practices and competitions.

Durham, North Carolina
Durham Parks and Recreation opened a recreation center that is housed in an old middle school building owned and operated by Durham Public Schools. The building is used primarily as a vocational education facility with the gymnasium and auditorium being operated by Durham Parks and Recreation (DPR) as a full-service recreation center with programs for children, youth, adults, and mature adults. In addition to the facility, DPR also maintains a full-size athletic field on the school grounds. The center located in Northeast Central Durham, has been challenged by high crime rates, high unemployment rates and high school dropout rates. This renovated facility now serves as a safe location for community members to gather, learn, play and meet. In addition to this recreation center DPR and Durham Public Schools work together, when possible, to develop mixed-use facilities for schools and parks.

In this day and age of dwindling budgets and reduced staffing, the need for ingenuity and careful analysis of all available resources is greater than ever. As we continue to empower communities in becoming healthier through programs and environmental changes, it is worth looking at the challenge through a new lens. The National Center for Educational Statistics reported a total of 98,706 public schools in the United States in the 2008-09 school year and, from my rose-colored glasses, that amounts to an enormous opportunity to increase the health of our communities. Instead of letting the fear of liability drive the status quo, there is no time like the present to educate ourselves on the strengths of joint-use agreements.

References
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2010). State indicator report on physical activity, 2010. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
• Roemmich, J. N., Epstein, L. H., Raja, S., Yin, L., Robinson, J., & Winiewicz, D. (2006). Association of access to parks and recreational facilities with the physical activity of young children. American Journal of Preventative Medicine, 43(6), 437–441.
• The City Project. The City Project. Retrieved April 18, 2011, fromhttp://www.cityprojectca.org/.
• KaBOOM! (2009). Harris interactive survey. Retrieved April 18, 2011, fromhttp://kaboom.org/news_talk/play_research/studies_and_research/harris_interactive_survey.
• National Policy and Legal Analysis Network to Prevent Childhood Obesity. NPLAN – National Policy and Legal Analysis Network to Prevent Childhood Obesity. Retrieved April 18, 2011, from http://www.nplanonline.org.

Original Post to http://healthpolicyforum.org/2011/04/new-ways-to-increase-physical-activity-and-play-using-what%E2%80%99s-already-in-our-backyards/ on 4.21.11

Promising Practices: Making the Prevention and Public Health Fund Work for Your Community

Imagine a mixed-income inter-generational planned community that focuses on healthy living. Now imagine further that you brought together residents, housing authority members, and funding to create a play-friendly community that supports the building of social capital. We did! – High Point Housing Project, Seattle, Washington

It is hard to keep track of the number of articles, news programs, and general information aimed at the ongoing health crisis faced by Americans. Public health campaigns have waged war on HIV, diabetes, and more recently obesity. However, despite the ongoing campaigns, we as a nation continue to struggle with how to translate research into practice. Added to the mix of opinions are those who vehemently oppose the federal government’s introduction of new health programs and bills, which some see as an intrusion into the personal lives of Americans. Yet a recent poll reported that 57 percent of Americans believe government should play a significant role in reducing the rates of childhood obesity (1).

Almost all agree that the rising rate of obesity in the U.S. has spiraled to an alarming rate and that we must take steps to re-introduce healthier lifestyles. What is up for debate is how we get there amidst contrasting schools of thought. At days’ end, the truth is that no one simple answer exists. Perhaps we should focus our attention on developing multiple avenues that allow individuals and communities to participate in targeted strategies that meet their specific needs. The government’s ultimate role in preventing obesity and other chronic illnesses remains to be seen, but it is overwhelmingly clear that there is plenty of room at the table for communities, businesses, and government to begin tackling the problem.

To that end, the Prevention and Public Health Fund (2) created under the umbrella of the Affordable Care Act provides a remarkable opportunity for collaboration and targeted initiatives. The Prevention and Public Health Fund aims to support state and community efforts to address a number of high priority health concerns including smoking, HIV, mental health and substance abuse, and obesity. The fund, in part, provides financial resources to state and local agencies, nonprofits, community-based organizations, and Indian tribes who work toward developing promising obesity prevention strategies.

Applicants are required to outline how programs, policies and environments can be modified or introduced to reduce local health disparities. The activities suggested are diverse, from improving the health environment of schools to expanding opportunities for physical activities, providing ample room for creative solutions.

At KaBOOM! we see individuals, organizations, and cities develop innovative solutions that address these issues on a daily basis. In 2009, KaBOOM! published Play Matters: A Study of Best Practices to Inform Local Policy and Process in Support of Play. The 12 best practices highlighted focused on increasing communities’ access to multiple high-quality play spaces. However, the results have proven more far-reaching as communities begin to adopt these practices as part of an overall healthier lifestyle.

Similar to the Prevention and Public Health Fund, the best practices submitted were developed by nonprofits, cities, and public-private partnerships. A few of the best practices include:

Ankeny, Iowa: Parks and Recreation
Ankeny offers an example of a city-led process to engage citizens and build political support and financial resources for play. With a rapidly expanding population of young families and a culture oriented to athletics, citizen demand for athletic facilities in Ankeny exceeded the supply. After a bond measure to build a sports complex failed, the city solicited citizen input and enlisted their support in fundraising. The success of that process revealed pent-up demand for play space and triggered a cultural shift in governing: the city now incorporates resident input into all phases of planning, implementation, and maintenance. Newfound citizen participation and satisfaction rates have given Ankeny the political capital to proceed with an ambitious plan for the development of play areas.

Cedar Rapids, Iowa: The Switch Program
Switch What You Do, View, and Chew is a community- and family-based program designed to encourage 8- to 10-year-old children to change three critical health behaviors, all of which are proven risk factors for childhood obesity. The program aims to increase children’s physical activity (“Switch What You Do”), decrease their screen time (“Switch What You View”), and increase their fruit and vegetable consumption (“Switch What You Chew”). Initially developed and tested by the National Institute on Media and the Family, the program measures and then creates incentives for physical activity, fruit/vegetable consumption, and reduced screen time. The program is successful. One outcome is that children in Cedar Rapids are spending less time in front of the computer or television and more time playing.

New York City: Streets Renaissance Campaign
Streets can be great places for children to play. New York has a long history of turning paved areas into opportunities for community gatherings, entertainment, and play. The last few years have seen improved access to streets for such activities. The movement has been driven by grassroots advocacy groups and community members who are effectively using new media tools to develop public awareness and build support. A recent increase in applications for block parties and high profile street closures are evidence of the success of this effort. In a densely developed urban area, street closures are a cost-efficient and effective way to provide children with access to safe, open areas for play.

As an organization dedicated to reversing the play deficit and improving children’s opportunities to further their cognitive, social-emotional, and physical development, the fund is a welcome sign that increased emphasis is being placed on environmental and social factors that contribute to healthier lifestyles.

References
1. Pew Research Center. (2011, March 8). Most see role for government in reducing childhood obesity. Retrieved fromhttp://people-press.org/report/712/.
2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2010, September 24). HHS awards nearly $100 million in grants for public health and prevention priorities. Retrieved fromhttp://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2010pres/09/20100924a.html.
3. KaBOOM!. (2009). Play matters: A study of best practices to inform local policy and process in support of children’s pay. Retrieved from http://www.kaboom.org/bestpractices.

Original post 3/24/11 http://blog.altarum.org/views-opinions-promising-practices-making-the-prevention-and-public-health-fund-work-for-your-community/