Download activity book from Queens University.

Deadline approaching for the President's Youth Fitness Program
#Grant. #PE#Fitness

http://www.pyfp.org/funding/index.shtml





Lots of other grants too.  http://www.peacefulplaygrounds.com/playground-and-garden-grants/

The "Texas Youth Fitness Study," provides an in-depth analysis and evaluation of data collected through the state-mandated health-related fitness testing of all public school children in Texas in grades 3 through 12.

A key finding was the link between higher physical fitness test achievement is related to higher state academic test scores and higher attendance, fewer negative school incidents.

Reliability and validity of large-scale te…

A new study finds a link between children's performance on standardized tests in reading and math and their fitness performance on the Fitness gram.

According to an article in the Shreveport Times, The Picard Center for Child Development and Lifelong Learning analyzed results of Fitnessgram tests taken by more than 25,000 students in 15 Louisiana school districts in the 2009-10 school year. The tests measure body mass index, body strength, fl…

This is a tribute to a well known and much loved physical educator. He composed many poems on physical education, fitness and teaching. He was the State Supervisor of Physical Education in Ohio and composed a number of records and cd's.

In his honor here's one of his poems.

A Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Waste
By Ambrose E. Brazelton,
As printed in the Phi Delta Kappan of Feb. 73

Are some glossed over facts of modern history.
It speaks of se…

Mission: Readiness is a nonprofit organization of retired senior military leaders. Their latest concern is over what they call, "The latest national security threat: obesity."

Being overweight or obese has become the leading medical reason recruits are rejected for military service. In fact in the last fifteen years, the proportion of potential recruits who failed their physical exams because of weight issues has increased nearly 70 …

For a get-out-and-play idea how about GeoCaching. Below is a short video to explain what it is and how to get involved.



Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share your experiences online. Geocaching is enjoyed by people from all age groups, with a strong sense of community and s…

by Andrea Bossenmeyer


What a great idea! A way to get kids fit and increase literacy! It's called Read & Ride!

This is a free program for kids, where used bikes were collected from around the community! I love hearing about this because this is the Recycling for the bikes in the community that might otherwise end up in a landfill. Now they are being used to help kids and the community!

Learn more www.KidsReadAndRide.com

Study author Lesley Cottrell, an associate professor of pediatrics at West Virginia University, in Morgantown stated that, "Children's physical fitness is associated with their academic performance," according to a two year study completed recently.

In general, the fitter the student, the better the test scores, Cottrell's team found. The researchers evaluated almost 1,200 students, assessing their fitness in the fifth grade and…

More public schools are using FitnessGram tests to replace the Presidential Physical Fitness test, which they say can be embarrassing for some overweight or less-fit students and does little to motivate students to choose a healthier lifestyle.

FitnessGram tests were developed in 1982 by The Cooper Institute, a nonprofit health-research center. FitnessGram tracks individual students' progress toward fitness goals rather than compare student…

Last month in my blog entitled, "PE Teacher leaves lasting impression decades later" I spoke of the positive effect that a physical education had on students lives. Well here's a story about the long lasting effects of a "bad" PE teacher. It seems that a negative experience early on can result in a lifetime of inactivity according to a study released this week.

The study was published in research was recently published i…

If you are writing grants and need health and fitness statistics then check out the Play Think blog by J.R. Atwood. His post on Data Mining: We've got your numbers cites two such data banks.

playthink

Exercising the mind and the body-J.R. Atwood

* Kidsdata.org offers a tremendous amount of data from all counties, cities, and school districts in California related to the health and well-being of children. Bonus: all information on the site…

When are we too old for play? Never. At least that's the new philosophy catching on in Japan. They have found that age is just a number when it comes to having fun on a playground.

Every Friday, 79-year-old Saito and a class of senior citizens swing around on a jungle gym, made especially for the elderly, at a Tokyo park.

With fewer and fewer Japanese having children, it made sense for local governments to disassemble old children's play…

The Governor of NJ kicked off a statewide Nutrition and fitness challenge with students on Friday. The statewide fitness challenge to kids, their parents and school leadership across New Jersey today, urges them to take steps toward better children’s health by exercising more and making healthy food choices. The Governor’s Nutrition and Fitness Challenge invites kids between the ages of six and 17 to register at www.nj.gov/health/fitnesschalleng…

Nick Veasey/Getty Images

For some time, researchers have known that exercise changes the structure of the brain and affects thinking.

Ten years ago scientists at the Salk Institute in California published the groundbreaking finding that exercise stimulates the creation of new brain cells. But fundamental questions remain, like whether exercise must be strenuous to be beneficial. Should it be aerobic? What about weight lifting? And are the cognit…

Fit to Play facts

Miami-Dade County Parks & Recreation teamed with the University of Miami's Miller School for this summer's Fit to Play summer camp and after-school program.

Health tips

Here are some tips toward good health that the children, ages 6 to 14, are learning.

Cut down on any activity that requires you sit for more than 30 minutes at one time. Sorry, kids, that means limit those video games. `Guitar Hero' is not exercise u…

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…

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;
* …

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/

As a response to the reduction in physical activity opportunities, Dr. David Katz developed a manual which provides instruction for teachers to incorporate short bursts of activity at the beginning of each school day. ABC for Fitness can ensure that children obtain the level of physical activity that is essential for good health and well being according to the ABC for Fitness Teachers's Manual.

The ABC for Fitness Manual is free to download f…