Peaceful Playgrounds and Fundamental Movement Programs have been selected for the Head Start Body Start Preferred Provider List for the competitive Play Space grants.

The Request For Proposal for the play space sub-grants is expected to be
released in early May! More information can be found on the Head Start Body Start Center for Physical Activity and Outdoor Play website.

For more information on the Center and Play Space Grants visit our featured article entitled: Building Better Playgrounds. You may want to check out another featured article that looks at the question: "Why Play?"

Joint Use Facility Agreements

A joint use agreement is a formal agreement between two separate government entities—often a school district and a city or county—setting forth the terms and conditions for the shared use of public property. A school may use the park located adjacent to the school for physical education classes or a park may use a school's basketball courts for a city parks and recreation basketball league. Both examples represent a "joint-use situation" in which the facilities are shared.

In most cases these agreements are a "win-win" option for all involved, especially the community.


NPLAN has prepared legal tools to assist communities in forming joint use agreements.

Forms, fact sheets and checklists are available for download from their website.
Joint Use Agreement Four: Joint Use of District and City Recreation Facilities



50-State Chart of Laws Allowing Community Use of Schools

Promising Health Program Practices Database

If you're part of a team writing a new school board policy or researching background information for the development of a school board policy on health related items you may want to take a look at the newly announced National School Board Association's web-based resource of Promising District Practices and policies database.

The website features a searchable database of local school district
successes in developing, implementing, and evaluating policies and
practices that address health risk behaviors and health promotion
issues. The stories are submitted by school districts and schools across
the country. While the current topics are limited to Coordinated School
Health Programs, Tobacco Use, Asthma, Healthy Eating, and Physical
Activity, these may be expanded in the future.

www.nsba.org/SchoolHealth/PromisingPractices

CDC Nutrition Standards for Foods in Schools

Nutrition Standards for Foods in Schools: Leading the Way Toward
Healthier Youth is available from the CDC.

Nutrition Standards for Foods in Schools

The CDC developed a set of four audience-specific fact sheets as a resource for school
staff, parents, and youth to use in support of developing strong
nutrition standards that will impact the health of students at school.
These fact sheets answer commonly asked questions about the Nutrition
Standards for Foods in Schools report and provide recommendations for
implementing them.

The various fact sheets can be downloaded from the following website link.

1. For Parents, Guardians, Teachers, and School Staff
2. For School Boards, School Districts, and Other School Administrators
3. For School Nutrition Service Personnel
4. For Students

These fact sheets can be used to help develop and support strong nutrition
standards for foods in schools.

Overwhelming Support for Physical Education

Public Support for Physical Education

* Ninety five percent of parents said that physical education should be included in the school curriculum for all students in kindergarten through grade 12.

* Eight five percent of parents and 81 percent of teachers believe that students should be required to take physical education every day at every grade level 8 and 92 percent of teens said that they should receive daily physical education.

* More than 75 percent of parents and teachers believe that school boards should not eliminate physical education for budgetary reasons or because of the need to meet stricter academic standards.

National Association for Sport and Physical Education. (2003). Parents’ views of children’s health & fitness: A summary of results [Executive summary]. Reston, VA: Author.

Be Active Your Way

National Physical Education and Sport Week May 1-7.

NASPE is providing a number of resources to download for taking to your School Board asking them to proclaim May 1-7 as National Physical Education and Sport Week. They have provided:
*Sample Proclamation
*Sample Press Release
*Key Talking Points
*Daily Physical Activities
*Additional Resources

The resources include:
*Appropriate Instructional Practice Guidelines for Elementary, Middle and High School
Physical Education booklets
* 101 Tips for Family Fitness Fun, available in English and Spanish
*Quality Physical Education Bookmarks
*Positive Physical Education Pledge Poster

Don't miss this opportunity to highlight your program with professionally designed materials.

Physical education sparks brain activity

The concept of integrating regular physical tune-ups into the school day is growing.

For some its simply, "common sense" built on centuries of thinking based on the close link between body and mind fitness.

For the "prove it" crowd, a growing body of research suggests that physical activity might pay intellectual dividends in the classroom. Books such as the popular "Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain" by Harvard psychiatrist John J. Ratey are blaring the message that a sweat-inducing workout improves brain function.

These days P.E. has moved beyond the "sweat-inducing workout to a more consistent position mirroring the 60 minutes per day of physical activity in what are considered life time sports and activities. P.E. is designed to be accommodating rather than intimidating -- it's less about bats and balls and getting picked for a team and more about lifetime sports and fitness. Instead of pushing kids to be first in a sprint, the new model encourages children to push themselves for a set amount of time, be it walking or running.

More on Physical Education Good for Body, Brain

Worth Repeating: Making of a Hero

Being chosen doesn't make you a hero. Who you choose does. "Batman"

This quote comes from Matt Langdon creator of the Hero Workshop. To find out more about the Hero Workshop and Hero Blog click here.

Positive Physical Education Pledge

As a highly-qualified physical education teacher, I pledge to:

* Establish a positive, safe learning environment for all students;
* Teach a variety of physical activities that make physical education class fun and enjoyable;
* Create maximum opportunities for students of all abilities to be successful;
* Promote student honesty, integrity, and good sportsmanship;
* Guide students into becoming skillful and confident movers;
* Facilitate the development and maintenance of physical fitness;
* Assist students in setting and achieving personal goals;
* Provide specific, constructive feedback to help students master motor skills;
* Afford opportunities for students to succeed in cooperative and competitive situations; and
* Prepare and encourage students to practice skills and be active for a lifetime

National Association Sport and Physical Education (NASPE)

Available through NASPE Use the 18” x 24” poster to promote your program during back-to-school nights, parent/teacher conference days, field days, and other special events. Order poster.

A lot of support for loose parts playgrounds

Due to the current economic situation large budget items like playground structures, have been put on hold, however, a increasing popular playground solution know as "loose parts playgrounds" are gaining in popularity and functionality.

Loose parts for the playground setting are easily mobile, low cost, and have been shown to increase physical activity in children. What are loose parts? Parachutes, sand toys, balls and bean bags, game manipulatives, dramatic play toys, and tricycles to name a few.


Here's a list of five reasons to include loose parts on your playground according to playground designers and researchers, Eric Strickland and Jim Dempsey.

1) Loose parts encourage children to manipulate their environment.

2) Children choose playground equipment based on the amount of movement the equipment affords and the amount of variability it provides (Strickland, 1979).

3) Loose parts provide children with age-appropriate materials because each age group uses the materials in different ways peculiar to and appropriate for that group.

4) Loose parts provide children with age-appropriate materials because each age group uses the materials in different ways peculiar to and appropriate for that group.

5) Loose parts promote a wide variety of play behaviors.

More from the article: The "Whys" Have It! Why to Include Loose Parts on the Playground

Saucony: Run For Good Grant

The Saucony Run For Good Program encourages active and healthy lifestyles in children, and offers grants to communities and non-profit organizations that initiate and support running and fitness programs for kids. Maximum award: varies. Eligibility: 501(c)3 youth organizations with programs that increase participation in running to positively impact the lives of participants.

Deadline: June 13, 2009.

http://www.sauconyrunforgood.com/

Girls' 6 times more likely to have knee injuries than boys

The Children's Memorial Institute for Sports Medicine is offering a Knee Injury Prevention Program (KIPP™). KIPP is a neuromuscular training program designed to reduce the risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries among female adolescent athletes.

Each year in the United States over 20,000 high school girls suffer a serious sports-related knee injury. In fact, girls are up to six times more likely to injure their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) than boys in similar sports.

Girls who participate in neuromuscular training programs like KIPP are up to 9 times less likely to injure their ACL.

More on knee injury training programs.

Mass in Motion

Eat Better. Move More. Start Today.
The Massachusetts Public Health Council unanimously approved regulations recently that require public schools to send children's Body Mass Index measurements home to parents.

The new regulations, part of a larger statewide initiative called "Mass in Motion" that is designed to fight rising obesity rates, will have schools calculate students' heights and weights into a body mass index.

The results will be sent home to parents for students in first, fourth, seventh and 10th grades in a package explaining what they mean and how parents can best combat obesity.

Check out the Mass in Motion website for free materials and information on childhood obesity, moving, and nutrition.

Free E-Book on "Engaging the Whole Child"

Do students really want to learn? Can schools and classrooms become joyful? Are there natural links between standard curriculum and what motivates students to learn? Explore these and other questions in ASCD's e-book "Engaging the Whole Child: Reflections on Best Practices in Learning, Teaching, and Leadership," which is available for free download through May 6.

Download "Engaging the Whole Child"

Some article topics within the book:

The violence you don't see: Cultural non-responsiveness can be a kind of violence in the classroom.

Joy in School: We can not always banish boredom, but why not reach for joy?

Students at bat: Think back to the days of backyard baseball to reflect on how students learned meaningful decision making.

Nutrition and Physical Activity News: Great Blog

If you are enjoying the Recess Blog feed from Peaceful Playgrounds then you should also check out the Nutrition and Physical Activity News Blog from Morten Copenhagen. He has an amazing blog with 10 topics merged into one Rss Feed. You can sign up for one of the feeds below or all 10.

1 News on Nutrition, obesity prevention, obeseogenic environments and related policies
1.1 Fruit and Vegetables
1.2 Whole Grains
1.3 School Nutrition
1.4 Food Service
1.5 Marketing
1.6 Climate and Nutrition

2 News on How and why physical activity is good for health
2.1 Environmental factors
2.2 Playgrounds

PE opportunities declining

With competing priorities such as testing and tight budgets, schools today are offering fewer and fewer opportunities for physical activity. The National Association of Sport and Physical Education reports that the percentage of students who attend a daily physical education class in school dropped to 28 percent in 2003, from 42 percent in 1991.

The PE recommendation is 150 minutes per week for elementary and 225 minutes per week for middle and high school students. In reality, few schools provide daily PE for all grades throughout the entire school year. According to the CDC (SHPPS) survey, only 4 percent of elementary schools, 8 percent of middle schools and 2 percent of high schools meet the recommendations.

Progress or Promises? Action for Healthy Kids, 2008

Should Athletes Be Allowed to Skip PE?

School districts across the nation are facing budget cuts and looking ways to save money. In this "need vs want" environment some districts are asking, "is it really necessary for athletes, band members, cheer leaders and ROTC participants to take PE?"

About half the states currently allow students to be waivered out of PE requirements for reasons listed previously.

Physical educators argue that students should experience a variety of courses and fitness experiences that translate into lifelong options for continued physical activity beyond the school years. Steve Mitchell, a Kent State physical education professor stated, "Unless we educate students in other activities they can pursue across their lifespan, waivers increase the likelihood that they'll become sedentary adults."

More students allowed to skip physical education.

Related blog posts.
San Francisco JROTC Marching Orders Modified


Is PE Necessary: The Army Thinks So
Case Study Could Shape Physical Education Landscape

Texas May Mandate Recess

House bill 159 would require all elementary schools to have at least twenty minutes of recess every day.

State lawmakers are looking at giving kids a break. House bill 159 would require all elementary schools to have at least twenty minutes of recess every day.

Studies show unstructured recess enhances a child’s imagination and social skills.

Video: Recess May Be Mandated

Peaceful Playgrounds at NAESP

April 25 Kaboom Playground Builds: Volunteers Needed

For the third consecutive year, KaBOOM! and CaliforniaVolunteers are partnering to build great new places to play for children across the state! Six communities in California are planning to build playgrounds all in one day on April 25: Delano, Fallbrook, Fullerton, Lemoore, Sacramento and San Bernardino. Each of the projects includes a mural honoring the legacy of Cesar Chavez.

CaliforniaVolunteers has just posted details for how to volunteer for playground builds. If you'd like to volunteer, visit the CaliforniaVolunteers website for details.

Sign up for a fun day that helps grow play spaces for kids. Kaboom/CaliforniaVolunteers

Getting the Most Out of Your Playground Equipment

Peaceful Playgrounds tips to getting the most out of your playground equipment.

The expected lifespan of a playground ball is one year. The following suggestions will lengthen the durability of playground balls:

* Do not over inflate.
* Do not leave sitting outside all day in the direct sunlight. Move the ball cart into a shaded area when not in use.
* Kids should not sit on the equipment.
* If you have a wall for games like handball or wall ball then use only one color of ball on the handball wall. The walls will cause balls to warp and become lopsided. A good solution is to enforce that only green balls are used on handball walls so that all equipment does not get ruined.
* The handball balls will need replaced more frequently.

New Recess Before Lunch Study Released

The Montana Team Nutrition 2008 school principals survey on Recess Before Lunch was recently released. Download the survey from our Recess Before Lunch Featured Article page.


Don't miss our next Recess Before Lunch Free Webinar scheduled for: Wed, Apr 22, 2009 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM PDT

Additional Recess Before Lunch Resources include:

Recess Before Lunch
Action for Healthy Kids Colorado, Western Dairy Council, 2005

Relationships of Meal and Recess Schedules to Plate Waste Study
National Food Services Management Institute.

Barriers to Recess Placement Prior to Lunch in Elementary Schools
Publication for Child Nutrition Professionals from the National Food Service Management Institute, Summer 2006

Scheduling Recess Before Lunch Proves Itself
National Dairy Council, Sept/Oct. 2004

Benefits of Recess Before Lunch Fact Sheet
Child and Adult Nutrition Services, SD Department of Education

Recess Before Lunch: It Does Make a Difference
Rainville, Alice. School Nutrition Association Conference Presentation 2006

Growing Problem: New Study Finds 1 in 5 Preschoolers Obese

AP - A striking new study says almost 1 in 5 American 4-year-olds is obese, and the rate is alarmingly higher among American Indian children, with nearly a third of them obese. Researchers were surprised to see differences by race at so early an age.

It's TIME: Equipment Replenishment Packs

It's that time of year to think about ordering for the opening of a new school year. Peaceful Playgrounds Equipment Replenishment Packs makes ordering quick and easy. We figured out the items that need replacing annually and developed a pack to meet your needs.

This package replaces the consumable products in the Peaceful Playgrounds Companion Pack.

Consumable products are volleyballs, basketballs, soccer balls, kick balls, playground balls, footballs, tetherballs, cones, ball nets, wiffle balls, bases, beanbags, scoops and jump ropes.

We provide equipment in 6 different bright colors. Some schools assign a color to a particular grade.

This Playground Equipment Replacement Pack contains all the equipment you’ll need to keep your Peaceful Playground Program refreshed and operating "like new" for each school year.

Order Now!

Check out Healthiest Nation in One Generation

Let’s face it – as a nation we’re not nearly as healthy as we should be. Compared to other developed nations, we’re lagging far behind.

But it doesn’t have to be this way?   With your help, we can make America the healthiest nation in just one generation.

Want to know more? Watch the Healthiest Nation in One Generation viral video today. Share the video with your friends and family and encourage them to get involved.

America can make this the healthiest nation in one generation. We all have to do our part. What will you do?

Paint for U.S. Map Playground Stencil

Question from a customer on U.S. Map Playground Stencil

I notice that the paint you recommend for painting your United States Map Stencil 100% acrylic latex paint. Is this the same stuff I can buy in any Home Depot or Lowes for painting a house? What is your experience with how long this paint usually lasts when it's out in the elements all the time (I live in Las Vegas)? I am painting the map with my son as a scout project and we want to make it last as long as possible but don't want to spend an incredible amount on paint. Most paint stores are quoting us $50/gallon for special paint to use on pavement and we honestly don't have that kind of budget. Any recommendations you can offer would be appreciated.
Thank you,

Peaceful Playgrounds Answer........
It is very important to use the correct paint which is used for painting parking lots or street markings. It is NOT acrylic latex house paint. That type of paint will begin to peel off within a short period of time.

YES. You definitely can buy the paint that you need from Home Depot or Lowes! You should ask for "striping machine paint" or parking lot paint. We recommend that you buy it in the can and roll it on with a paint roller. Spray paint for the U.S. Map is much harder to use. We use the spray paint for the paint machine only for straight lines. You should anticipate paying about $20 per gallon for parking lot or stripers paint from Home Depot or Lowes. For the U. S. Map we recommend buying quart size cans and using multiple colors which makes the map more colorful and appealing.

Here's also a link to a short video of the process of painting the playground.

Good Luck!

Recess benefits trump extra academic exposure

A study on the benefits of physical activity (recess) and its effect on academic learning once again emphasizes the importance of scheduling recess and physical education into the school day.

Researchers Charles Hillman the director of the Neurocognitive Kinesiology Laboratory and Darla Castelli, professor of kinesiology and community health at University of Illinois, have found that physical activity may increase students' cognitive control -- or ability to pay attention -- and also result in better performance on academic achievement tests.

For each of three testing criteria, researchers noted a positive outcome linking physical activity, attention and academic achievement. "The biggest gain in academic performance was in the area of reading comprehension,” Hillman said. In fact, he said, “If you go by the guidelines set forth by the Wide Range Achievement Test, the increase in reading comprehension following exercise equated to approximately a full grade level.

The U. of I. study appears in the current issue of the journal Neuroscience.

Walking School Bus saves fuel and fumes

Each morning about 450 students walk to school in a zero school bus lead by a walking "driver" in Italy. Also know as the "piedibus" which means literally "foot bus" in Italian the concept is catching on and spreading in Europe.

More on the Walking School Bus.