Each year since the inception of the Champions for Healthy Kids program, the General Mills Foundation has awarded 50 grants of $10,000 each to community-based groups like this that develop creative ways to help youth adopt a balanced diet and physically active lifestyle.

Deadline for Applications: December 15, 2010

Application link.



Remember to include Peaceful Playgrounds in your grant application as we were selected as a model program.

Peaceful P…

Contributed by Andrea Bossenmeyer

The City of San Francisco just banned giving toys with Childrens' Happy Meals citing they contain too much fat and sugar. Proponents of the legislation suggest that toys are the culprit of poor food choices for the young set.

According to the ban, if a restaurant wants to give out toys, they need to include fruits and vegetables with the meal. So "Mickey D's"...all that would be required is to …

Fiskars Invites Applications for Project Orange Thumb Garden Grants.

Fiskars, a global supplier of consumer products for the home, garden, and outdoors, has opened the application process for 2011 Project Orange Thumb garden grants and makeovers in the United States and Canada.

Fiskars will choose eleven recipients from the pool of grant applicants — ten will receive $5,000 each in cash and tools, and one applicant will receive a complete garden …

By JC Boushh I get asked a lot about how to design the perfect playground for children when I lecture at conferences, and meet with clients to design their outdoor play environments. The first thing to know is that it is not just the playground that is important in the design, but it is actually the entire outdoor environment. Although the type of playground equipment you select is important to creating a good play environment, it is definitely …

Contributed by JC BoushhLast week I attended the National Association for the Education of Young Children Annual Conference and had the opportunity to not only lecture on the value of free-play for children, but to also here many fellow advocates who share my beliefs in the importance of children’s play. I also learned that NAEYC is in the process of organizing a panel to prepare an official position on children’s play, and in NAEYC’s infinite w…