It's not often that legislators in both parties agree. Even more rare is a bill with a unanimous outcome. But that is exactly what happen this week when Kentucky legislators voted on anti-bullying legislation.

The bill would prohibit bullying and harassment among students in Kentucky's public schools and require school districts to put procedures in place to handle reports of such behavior. The bill passed the House today by a vote of 9…

School bags slung on one shoulder may be "styling" as children often say, but an expert has warned that this may cause a severe back injury.

According to Professor Gregory Kolt, a physiotherapist and health psychologist from the University of Western Sydney said that a bag slung over one shoulder can catastrophically affect the spine of school children.

He said that humans are designed to be symmetrical and a poorly fitted backpack or he…

The Washington Kitsap Sun ran an article recently on a state legislator wants to make recess mandatory in the state of Washington. Below are the comments I posted in response to the article. I hope that you will take a minute and post comments as well.

Check out the article and comments at....

Posted by recessdoctor on January 21, 2008 at 5:07 a.m.

Of course kids need recess and a "kid break." It is sad that we need legislation to ma…

At Washington Woods Elementary, students recently started using pedometers during gym class, and physical education teacher Doreen Spindler keeps track of how many steps they take.

"Once they get 1,200 steps, which equals to half a mile, I punch their cards," she said. "That encourages them. If we play a game where we have to stand in line to wait, they jog in place or do jumping jacks. It's amazing how a lot of them are very a…

The Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA) has announced that $75.655 million in PEP (Physical Education Program) grants will be awarded this calendar year (2008). This represents a $3 million increase from the amount distributed in 2007.

Peaceful Playgrounds, , and WE Count Pedometer Walking Programs have been supported across the nation through submission of the PEP Grant Application. Additionally, Peaceful Playgrounds has a PEP Gran…

Wanting their children to receive mandatory recess time every school day, a group of township parents repeatedly approached the township board of education last year to see what could be done.

Soon, lawmakers took notice.

Pointing to their concerns as a motivating factor, Assemblyman Joseph Malone III, R-30, is sponsoring a state Assembly bill to establish a task force on public school student recess.

If adopted, New Jersey would become the ninth s…

Microsoft is developing technology to monitor workers' activity levels via their heart rates, according to the Press Association. It is suggested that it could be used to detect whether the people being monitored need assistance, the firm said.

Microsoft indicated that the patent was applied for approximately 18 months ago and the process takes 3 to 5 years to patent the technology through the US Patent and Trade Office.

The new technology cou…

Healthy schools teams in Campbell County have come up with creative ways to fulfill the goals of the Healthy Schools Initiative. Put simply it is someone who would lead students in activities outside of recess and physical education class to increase their daily physical activity.

For schools that added the wellness coordinator they are getting promising results. Namely they are reporting increased concentration on the part of students and fewer …

Schools will be encouraged to build more playgrounds, introduce food education classes and offer 4 hours of PE each week, according to the London Sun. Additionally, NEARLY a million pupils are doing less than the two hours a week of PE and sport recommended by the Government, official figures revealed yesterday.

The huge number represents a devastating setback to Labor’s drive to combat rising obesity rates among the young.

Mr Laws, Lib-Dem scho…

A research study released last week in London found that to get an extra 14 years of life, don't smoke, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, exercise regularly and drink alcohol in moderation.

However, it is not expected that this "new knowledge" will have much of an effect. When conducting my dissertation research I came to realize that knowledge rarely motivates one into action. There is often a gap between what we know we should d…

A University of Minnesota study that appeared in the Review of Agricultural Economics shows school lunch sales don’t decline when healthier meals are served and that more nutritious foods don’t necessarily cost schools more to produce.

The study contradicts the findings of previous studies, which showed students preferred fatty foods and that healthier meals cost more to make, the authors said. The researchers analyzed five years of data for 330 …

Check out the slide show on childhood obesity provided by MSNBC entitled, "A few extra pounds may harm kids hearts."

Now it is easier than ever to spread the power of the Peaceful Playgrounds Program!
A ground-breaking set of three DVD's and three accompanying Rules Guides is now available, that can be used by teachers and students alike, to easily learn how many exciting and constructive playground games are played!

Navigate the easy-to-use menus to select any of over 25 games actually filmed being played by real students, games for Pre-school and Kindergar…

Getting preschool kids moving is simple. Give them a ball, hula hoop, or tricycle. The expensive play structures are not required when concerned about childhood obesity according to a surprised researcher. "We were surprised but encouraged to find that inexpensive equipment could add to kids' opportunities to be outside," says senior author Dianne Ward of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's School of Public He…

By Fran Fifis
CNN


(CNN) -- Ann Cooper is on a one-woman whirlwind campaign to change the way kids eat in schools. "We're killing our kids with food," she says.

Ann Cooper sees her work transforming school lunch programs as a way to leave a lasting impact.

Half of all the Hispanic and African-American kids born in 2000 and one-third of Caucasian kids will have diabetes in their lifetime, many before they graduate college, Cooper says, c…

A recent study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, found that participation in daily physical education classes decreased the odds of becoming an overweight adult by 28%.

"The message for policy makers is that the failure to offer physical education is 'penny wise and pound foolish,"' study investigator Dr. Robert Wm. Blum from Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, told Reuters Health.

"With obes…

One of the cheapest and research supported "effective" exercise and weight loss tools is available for under $20. Yep. The pedometer.

Research has indicated that the pedometer has been shown to motivate, track steps, hold walkers accountable and is generally accepted as one of "man's best tools" in the plague of plenty.

People worry about flu epidemics, cancer and even anthrax attacks, but the "plague of plenty"…

Preventive Medicine
Volume 41, Issues 5-6, November-December 2005, Pages 828-833

Authors/Researchers Gareth Stratton Ph.D. and Elaine Mullanb
REACH Group, Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, 15–21 Webster St., Liverpool L3 2ET, UK

Abstract
Background.

British children do not meet daily physical activity recommendations, and as yet no sustainable intervention has been reported to address their sedentar…

Curriculum Leadership Journal
Deidre Thian

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. It’s a well-known proverb. The wisdom underpinning the proverb, that if Jack works all the time he will be both boring and bored, seems forgotten in some schools in the United States.

For other schools, the a key question – what should the playground that Jack uses at school be like? Research would suggest that ‘good’ school playgrounds, that is grounds that supp…

It's called The Gratitude Campaign. It was a man from the Seattle area's idea to help us all express our graditude to individual soldiers and sailors (both men and women) when we pass them on the street. It's a peaceful 'salute' that can be done from a distance and it saves you the Herculean effort of thinking of just the right words to say to a stranger that has put their life in danger by serving in the US Military. Thi…

Past California Association of Health, Physical Education and Dance President, Mary Blackman, coordinator at the San Diego County Office of Education developed a great after school physical activity website for schools. It not only provides some suggested games and activities for 4-8th grades but also some video clips of students playing the games.

I'm often ask if I have developed any games for snow activities. I must admit that I haven't. Growing up in Southern California the need didn't exist as snow days are non-existent in the Los Angeles area. However, I stumbled upon a website with some suggestions.

Check it out and take advantage of some free sports kits for elementary educators.

A study by researchers from University of North Caroline at Chapel Hill School of Public Health found that children did more moderate and vigorous physical activity if the child-care center: had more portable play equipment, such as balls, jump ropes, hula hoops and riding toys; offered more opportunities for indoor and outdoor active play; and provided physical activity training and education for staff and students.

Contrary to popular belief, c…