The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation published on Feb. 17, 2017 an Issue Brief on "Building a Culture of Health Through Safe and Healthy Elementary School Recess."  A safe and healthy recess promotes a Culture of Health in schools by providing students time to develop socially, emotionally, physically, and academically according to the Issue Brief.

This brief was based on Playwork's TeamUp program which offers schools a site-coordinat…
Lawsuit agreement to force schools to provide physical education
















Agreement reached in Cal200 lawsuit.

 Read the result here:

 http://edsource.org/2015/lawsuit-agreement-to-force-schools-to-provide-physical-education/73544#.VM-0aVN0mlE.blogger


















Need a solution to a more productive and educational Physical Education Program?

Fundamental Movement  Program is a school PE program for preschool
and primary children. It is a complete curriculum from whi…
Playground, parking lot or both???

I love it when I get questions like the one  below:

Good morning! I work at a local children\'s hospital which does a lot of work with the above school. We are trying to increase their wellness and physical activity options throughout the school day and was interested in Peaceful Playgrounds. The school currently just has an asphalt parking lot that they use for recess. 

They have some balls and equipment bu…
BOKS is excited to announce that Reebok and The Reebok Foundation are awarding $1,000 to up to 300 schools for the 2014/2015 school year! These Activation Grants are intended to help get kids moving in a fun way to wake up their bodies for a day of learning with BOKS.

BOKS Lead Trainers who sign the BOKS pledge are invited to apply for the BOKS Activation Grant to support the launch of BOKS in their elementary schools.
http://bokskids.org/boks-tal…
Find out more about Peaceful Playgrounds in one minute.



In the June issue of Taste For Life they point out that offering kids simple, inexpensive items to play with like buckets and bowls offer time for creativity and increased physical activity.  Australia researchers, B.P. Hyndman et al., in the BMC Public Health publication found that the simple portable items appears to make kids not only more creative, but also more active as compared to traditional playground equipment like swings, slides and …
One of our most popular feature articles was on Low Cost High Activity Playgrounds.

Low Cost Playgrounds Can Result in High Activity Levels article is here.

How to create a low cost high activity playground video can be found here.

Finally, view the 45 minute webinar on Low Cost High Activity Playground Training.


Peaceful Playgrounds Recess Program. Download Brochure.



Peaceful Playgrounds Game Designs

Ever wonder why some school report few incidents of bullying and kids report they feel safe at school?

The design of the playground makes a big difference in both physical and emotional safety. The following suggestions will help you with some redesign questions.

1. Can the playground supervisor see all children?  Unsupervised children can result in bullying opportunities.

Solution: Close off areas of the play…
Here's some great pictures of the new Peaceful Playgrounds at Rocky Springs Elementary School in South Carolina.

Don't forget to share your pictures with us. We love them.   Here's a link to a find out more about painting your playground with games and markings.




The U.S. Playground Map stencil is not only the most popular playground stencil but also one with educational benefits. The large map is great for social studies lessons and large group instruction. The Peaceful Playgrounds U.S. Map Stencil comes with 10 map activities, a sheet of map terms and references and a reading list of children's books for map related activities.

Winners in the Peaceful Playgrounds U.S. Map Stencil Contest will be an…
The "Williams Settlement" filed in 2000 on behalf of San Francisco County students requires annual inspections of low-achieving schools to guard against substandard conditions. It was during a Williams Audit that Mintie White Elementary School was dinged for the poor condition of its playground. But inspector Nancy Serigstad from the Santa Cruz County Office of Education also told Principal de Santa Anna about the possibility of getti…
Contrary to popular belief last fall, SF school playgrounds are proving to be safe public play spaces for children. For the past 30 years most California schools have closed their playgrounds and fields to the public fearing that the schools would be vandalized. In SF however, the pilot of 11 schools playgrounds open for public use for the past year is proving to do just the opposite. Participating schools so far say the extra traffic actual…
The beginning of the school year is a great time to consider a Box Tops for Education project. Box Tops for Education helps schools to earn cash for things that they need like computers, books and playground equipment. General Mills has donated over $250 Million to schools in the last 12 years.
For the simple act of clipping box top coupons your school can earn up to $20,000 per school year. Why not place this topic on the next PTA/PTO agen…
Peaceful Playgrounds was selected as a "children's environmental resource" by the New York State Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Alliance. The Alliance promotes organizational policies, regulations and environments that support healthy eating and fitness.

Peaceful Playgrounds was selected as it is seen as a tool for making playground more activity-friendly and safer. As cited by the NYSHEPA, "Peaceful Playgrounds descr…
Have you ever wondered why some schools report few incidents of bullying and kids report that they feel safe at school while other students report just the opposite?

The design of the playground makes a big difference in both physical and emotional safety at recess. The following suggestions are some playground redesign questions that impact playground safety.

1. Can a supervisor see all children at all times on the playground? Unsupervised chi…
The majority of playground injuries, 83.9% occurred on monkey bars, swings, and slides, and the 5 most common diagnoses were fractures (39.3%), contusions/abrasions (20.6%), lacerations (16.6%), strains/sprains (9.9%), and traumatic brain injuries (TBI) (8.5%).

Boys represented (54.3%) of all injuries and girls (45.7%).

The average age was 3.5 to 9.5 years. The injuries occurred at school in 38.9%; at a recreation/sporting facility, in 35.5%; …
An updated playground is more than play space
Boeckman - Fitness and creative play are emphasized with the school's improvements
Thursday, February 21, 2008
CATHIE ERICSON
Special to The Oregonian

A peaceful playground -- isn't that the dream of all students, parents and educators? Where recess is a time of socialization, fresh air and physical activity, rather than a period marked by conflict and bullying.

That's the concept behind the ne…
We are often ask about the contents of the Peaceful Playground Program Package. The list is below:
• (4) Activity Guides: Preschool/Kindergarten; Grades K-3;Grades 3-6; and Field Games.
• (4) Blueprints: Preschool/Kindergarten; Grades K-3; Grades 3-6 and Field Games
• 41 stencils: letters, numbers, feet and shapes
• Playground good sports coupons
• Playground good sports award
• Program overview video or dvd
• Equipment checkout form
• Playground proce…
The Peaceful Playgrounds Online Playground Supervisor Training is designed to introduce administrators, teachers, substitute teachers, physical educators, parents and playground supervisors to the responsibilities and techniques associated with keeping children safe on a playground. This fast paced course delivered with video will serve as a professional development experience.

This course details playground surfacing, play structure safety, and…
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…