Exercise Cards
The Peaceful Playgrounds set of Exercise Cards are easy to use and describe the exercises in the set, as well as, have an illustration for each task card. They are a great idea for brain break activities inside or perfect for warm-up exercises in physical education class held outside.

The digital download provides instant access to the pdf format of 12 exercise cards. This makes a great edition to the Peaceful Playgrounds line of …
Download activity book from Queens University.
A new study by the World Health Organization (WHO) has named video games as one of the major drivers behind the growing global challenge that is childhood obesity.

The report looked at childhood obesity from a global perspective which stated that one third of kids across the world are now classified as obese. The study blamed this growing trend on a sedentary lifestyle. Only 25 per cent of boys and just 15 per cent of girls are said to get the r…
I wanted to forward you some pictures of our new Peaceful Playgrounds - the activities really will make the playground an exciting place for our students, starting this morning! I also need to tell you that Cary did an outstanding job at our Peaceful Playgrounds inservice yesterday. I loved the energy and enthusiasm she displayed, and the way she involved everyone in a discussion of the program and in the activities themselves. Our staff and stu…
Your school could be enjoying the benefits of the Peaceful Playgrounds Program. Why wait? Put an end to those playground hassles and headaches. Start planning now for the fall and a successful opening to the school year. Summer is the perfect time to paint over 100 permanent games and activities on the playground.

Peaceful Playgrounds is a "do-it-yourself" program which transforms your school into a variety of games and activities …
Thank you to everyone that attended our last How to have a Peaceful Playgrounds Webinar! We had a great attendance. Here's a Question & Answer session from one of our schools.


Q: Approximately how many hours are needed to paint the playground markings?
This is a great question. There are many factors that vary the amount of time needed, such as: how many game markings are being added, how hot or cold it is on your paint day (drying time), …
Some traditions never die and it seems that street ball is one that lives on in NYC.
See video below from NY Post.



A related article in the NY Post asks the question, What happened to NY's storied street games? Even though some of the information in the article has some inadequacies.... (ie. Since 1995, there’s even been a program, “Peaceful Playgrounds,” that some states have adopted to ensure play periods remain mild and sedate.) generally…
I met Sharon Krull over 20 years ago. You may know her by her blog, "Sharin' with Sharron." She has a blog on movement, play and physical activity for children.

Today's blog activity is called, "Ducking out of Duck, Duck, Goose." It is a great activity to check out and she renames it, A Tisket, A Tasket, My Fruit & Veggie Basket

How to play:
1. Sit young children (players) in a circle.
2. One child is chosen to hol…
To: Peaceful Playgrounds
This is the first year that we have used the Peaceful Playground program at my school (Mountain View School, East Longmeadow, MA). It is going very well, however, as the snow finally starts to fly we find ourselves struggling to know how to keep the program running as the fields become off limits for children who are not dressed appropriately and the playground gets more crowded and covered in snow and ice.

Do you have…
CKSD bringing peace to the playground

A Federal Physical Education for Progress (PEP) Grant provided Central Kitsap schools money to install Peaceful Playgrounds games and markings at all 12 elementary schools in the district.

CKSD hopes the changes also will help in the classroom.

“If the kids are not all wound up, then the teachers will have more time for instruction,” Martin said.

The district recently received $50,000 for equipment on the playgr…
Dr. Oz swings through Detroit with opinions on fitness, health policy and Oprah.

A version of this story appears on page 14A of the Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, print edition of the Detroit Free Press.


Dr. Oz the new TV personality with his own show launched from Oprah appearances weighed in on the topic of Obesity in children: "The most important thing we can do is make it easier for kids to exercise," says Oz. He's in favor of fitness-…
Here's 10 popular outdoor games that continue to be kid favorites.

1. Freeze Tag- Its simple. Someone is the tagger. If the tagger touches you then you're frozen. Last one tagged becomes the new tagger.

2. Horse- Shooting game in basketball. For every missed shot you get a letter. The first player to spell the word "horse" loses.

3. Red Light, Green Light. The commander faces the opposite direction calling out green light whic…
A special thanks to Jacki Lugg who sent these great pictures of summer playground painting. Won't kids be surprised to return to school and see the fun Peaceful Playgrounds games and activities that await them?

Steps to Paint Hopscotch Court using
Peaceful Playgrounds Roll-Out Stencils

Step 1- Roll out stencil for hopscotch and chalk in the dots to form court outline template.



Step 2- Lift stencil and fill in the dots of the outline of the c…
Students returning to Pine-River Backus Elementary school this fall with have a nice surprise waiting for them. A recently painted Peaceful Playground.

PR-B's Family and Youth Services Coordinator, Denise Koring rounded up a group of volunteers last year to paint the new designs on the playground promising that the playground will promote both "peace and productive games and activities."

Click for more on Pine-River Backus's Peac…
What is the “Peaceful Playground” Program?

The Peaceful Playgrounds provides an organized playground with appealing games and activities. Through these, incidents of playground conflict and injury are reduced and children develop motor, social, and cognitive skills.

Peaceful Playgrounds is a positive behavior support program that is implemented school wide. All staff, students, and supervisors engage in regular cycles of training and review of bas…
With the beginning of a new school year just around the corner it is important to consider strategies for creating and maintaining a "peaceful playground." The following list will help staffs to guide peaceful play.

1. Have teachers walk students around the playground on the first day of school.
2. Introduce students to playground rules and procedures (ie. freeze at the bell etc.)
3. Teach safe play on playground structures.
4. Introduce…
An article in USA Today points out that parents should, "look to their past in tough economic times for inspiration when looking for activities for their children," says Carol Torgan, a health scientist with the American College of Sports Medicine. She suggests the parents ask themselves: "What are some of my favorite memories of childhood?"

For video playing kids, toys of yesteryear like hula hoops, jump ropes and hopscotch m…
The Positive Coaching Alliance, a non-profit organization from California is spreading the word that playing should be "fun". In fact, at a weekly gathering recently in Virginia "coaches put down their whistles, parents rested their vocal cords and children played not for points, not for victory -- but purely for fun," according to a Washington Post article entitled, "Its not whether your kid wins or loses."

The Posi…
I recently received a response to a post stating, Why not just let children play at recess? Contrary to popular belief Peaceful Playgrounds strongly advocates for schools, "to allow children free time at recess to do what ever they choose or do nothing." I guess the misunderstanding comes from the appearance of a "structured playground." A better and more accurate way to think of a Peaceful Playground is as an "enri…
Thursday, April 2, 2009: 1:00 PM-2:00 PM Tampa Convention Center: 10-12 Speaker: Melinda Bossenmeyer, Peaceful Playgrounds, Los Angeles, CA Would you like a designated outdoor teaching area for your physical education classes? Imagine a blacktop space with permanently painted physical education activities and games. Peaceful Playgrounds will reveal our new physical education stencils and games DVD's that make your job easier and the…