A retiring high school science teacher wanted to leave behind a gift for four elementary schools in the district. After much searching it was decided that the Peaceful Playgrounds Program "fit the bill" not only in cost but need as well. Superintendent Linda Hicks told the elementary principals to “dream big” and come up with something special.

And that they did! “We said what could we get that would be good for all four schools and i…

Health: Childhood games revived to encourage outdoor play

By Beth Gollob
Published: NEWS OK

For many adults, hopscotch and jump rope seem like games every child should know.

But with a computer or video game system in nearly every household, outdoor physical activity has become increasingly rare during the past decade, said Wendy Jones, executive director of the child wellness advocacy group Schools for Healthy Lifestyles.

"These are just things…

The headline reads, Active Video Games may be as healthy for kids as active games? The controversy of video game benefits continues to fester.

Health advocates blame computers and video games on kids expanding waistline. But some researchers are pointing out that they may be helpful. The active video games like some of the wii sports and fitness games may be changing some thinking or at least requiring a second look. The September 2008 issue…

The LEGO Children’s Fund will provide quarterly grants for programs, either in part or in total, with a special interest paid to collaborative efforts and in providing matching funds to leverage new dollars into the receiving organization. We will give priority consideration to programs that both meet our goals and are supported in volunteer time and effort by our employees.

The Foundation awards grants to qualified tax-exempt organizations (as d…

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…

The May issue of Educational Leadership is devoted to articles on teaching social responsibility. One might question if it is schools' mission to teach the practice of putting individual interests aside to work together for the common good?

Charles Haynes calls skills associated with social responsibility "the moral habits of the heart". What are your thoughts? Is it schools' job to teach about social responsibility?

When gui…

How about this for a summer motto, "No child left inside"?

No Child Left Inside urges families in Connecticut to get out and get active in nature. The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection has started this initiative to revive interest in their state parks and other natural attractions. Parents and children are encouraged to get outside together and be active while enjoying nature.

Although this initiative is unique to Conn…

Cute video on eating healthy.




Related Blogs:
School Lunch Program Struggling to Meet Demand

Parent-Child Eating Behaviors Differ


Healthy Food, Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds

New Policy Guide for Health, Physical Education, Nutrition and Physical Activity

New Recess Before Lunch Study Released

A play-deprived childhood disrupts normal social, emotional and cognitive development in humans and animals. “Free play,” as scientists call it, is critical for becoming socially adept, coping with stress and building cognitive skills such as problem solving. Research into animal behavior confirms play’s benefits and establishes its evolutionary importance: ultimately, play may provide animals (including humans) with skills that will help them s…

Do you think school playgrounds should be open after hours for public use? Does your community need more practice space for youth sports teams? Would you like to take your child/grandchild to the local school playground instead of across town to a public park?

If you support this type of change check out the new website and information on Joint Use Agreements where community agencies and schools share their facilities. Newsletter sign up for J…

June 16, 2009
Webinar Questions for How to Have a Peaceful Playground.

Q: The Peaceful Playgrounds Implementation Guide recommends buying water-based striping paint at local hardware stores. Some companies no longer sell the bright colors (IE green and red) do you recommend another kind of paint
A: Yes, you can ask for a masonary paint to be mixed in any color you prefer.

Q: What is the lifespan of the masonary paint?
A: It depends on a number of …

In both sports and life some people surface as "team players." They are the folks that sacrifice individual interests for the good of all members of a team or group.

In life these folks might be labeled, "consistent contributors." A new study identified those folks as people who consistently give even when others don't. It seems these folks play an important leadership role and their example influences others to gi…

Want more innovation, creativity, and general job satisfaction? According to a new book entitled, The Red Rubber Ball at Work: Elevate Your Game Through the Hidden Power of Play, what we learn in childhood—to be spontaneous, resourceful and full of imagination—offers us lifelong lessons for creativity and problem solving at work.

Why as adults do we lose our sense of play? Author Kevin Carroll suggests, " we dumb down the role of play, and …

Students assist school counselor in adding 28 activity stations and games for recess through playground markings offered by Peaceful Playgrounds.

U.S.A. Today reports that record numbers of children have applied for free and reduced lunches in America's schools. The increase in enrollment in free lunch programs jumped almost 17% in California, and several states — Arizona, New Jersey, Utah and Vermont — also saw more than 10% growth.

The federal government reimburses schools $2.57 for each free lunch served. But the average food and labor cost for each meal is about $2.92, according…

Another study shows the benefits of adding playground markings like those encouraged by Peaceful Playgrounds.

Implementing simple, low-cost interventions during recess could help increase children’s activity according to a study conducted by the Centre for Educational Research and Evaluation, Ministry of Education and Culture, Nicosia, Cyprus.

The research investigated the effects on playground markings and jump ropes in increasing children's …

You've hear the saying, "like mother like daughter" or "father like son" but that may not be the case when it comes to eating behaviors. A study released on parent-child dietary intake found variances in eating habits both in food groups and nutrients. The study was conducted by Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health.

For years, the Environmental Protection Agency has endorsed the recycling of ground-up tires to cushion the surfaces of children's playgrounds and sports fields — the same material used for the Obama family's new White House playground.

Now, the agency appears to be having second thoughts.

Three articles point out the concerns:
Legal Briefs: EPA Reconsidering Safety of Ground-Up-Tires as Playground Surfaces

Common Dreams.org: Safety of Shre…

The Head Start Body Start Play Space Grant Applications were released last week from the Head Start Body Start Center For Physical Activity and Play. This short video introduces you the the Fundamental Movement Program which is a Value Added Package for the Head Start Grants offered by Peaceful Playgrounds, Inc.



For more information contact Peaceful Playgrounds, Inc. 877-4449888 or Andrea@peacefulplaygrounds.com

It wasn't until recently that researchers turned their interest to children -- in whom exercise may have more impact. The brain's frontal lobe, thought to play a role in cognitive control, keeps growing throughout the school years, says Charles Hillman, associate professor of kinesiology and neuroscience at the University of Illinois. "Therefore, exercise could help ramp up the development of a child's brain," he says.

In a …

The June Play Nice Newsletter is now available.

This month's newsletter provides information on the Peaceful Playgrounds Right to Recess Campaign. During the past year we have prepared a powerpoint presentation, a speakers guide and gathered resources for making the case for the importance of recess. Now is the time. Once the school year begins it is nearly impossible to get schedules changed. Begin today with our Right to Recess Toolbo…

A "walk in the park" may be just what the teacher ordered. A recent study suggests that walking in nature might actually benefit your brain.

The study published in Psychological Science and conducted by University of Michigan researchers, found that when people spent time in nature, as opposed to an urban environment, their attention and memory improved. The authors argue that nature captivates people’s involuntary attention while all…

A new study suggests that kids who exercise aren’t only in better physical shape; they’re happier, too.

Canadian researcher Mark Holder and colleagues asked 375 children, ages 8-12, about what they did for fun, paying special attention to the amount of time the kids said they spent in “active” leisure activities—physical activities such as sports and exercise—or “passive” activities, such as watching TV, talking on the phone, or playing on the co…

These tips come from the National Wildlife Federation. Be Out There™ - the National Wildlife Federation's initiative to inspire families across America to open the door and get outside! A daily dose of the outdoors improves children’s physical, mental and emotional well-being. Join the Be Out There movement to get children outside, connecting to nature. The benefits of outdoor play are real: healthier kids with a life-long appreciation of w…

An interesting situation is developing in North Carolina. Advocates say that if the playground is "safe enough" for children to use during the school day then afterschool programs should have the same requirements. As a result, they are pushing for a bill that would exempt public elementary school playgrounds from regulations that private child-care facilities that operate afterschool programs must abide by.

Savitt a lobbist disagrees,…