Playground Intervention Gets Florida First-Graders Moving

CANYON LAKE, Calif., July 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Impressive results of a Florida elementary school's three-year effort to combat childhood obesity through increased physical activity were recently published by the National Association of County & City Health Officials (NACCHO). The results* show a startling 96% of the school's first-graders in 2011 to be active at recess – up from 52% in 2008. As the tool of intervention, the study team chose Peaceful Playgrounds, a program specifically designed to promote active play and structured activities by employing a wide variety of multi-use stenciled shapes, grids and games painted onto the ground.

At the start, more than one third of the Martin County school district's first-graders were identified as overweight or obese.  The study team, convened by The Martin County Health Department (MCHD), observed a combination of limited available playground equipment, and baseline data showing a high rate of sedentary behavior at recess, with 21% of kids who engaged in no physical activity at all. With lack of physical activity identified as a key risk factor, the team researched intervention options.  

Peaceful Playgrounds, a low-investment structured system of stenciled games and activities, was implemented by the MCHD team.  Nearly 100 different age-appropriate games can be played on the multi-use, brightly-painted shapes which include circles, letters, number grids, hopping and skipping lines. Detailed guides, training manuals and DVDs are included for teachers and school staff.  The MCHD study findings also indicate that teacher, staff and volunteer participation in helping facilitate the activities enhances the program's success.

Peaceful Playgrounds is the brainchild of Dr. Melinda Bossenmeyer, Ed.D, a former elementary school principal, physical education teacher and member of California's Task Force on Childhood Obesity.  According to Dr. Bossenmeyer, "My goal was simple – get more children involved in physical activity without a huge investment in new playground equipment.  A child who burns off energy not only reduces the risk for obesity, but increases their focus in the classroom, and helps create a more peaceful playground."

Today, Peaceful Playgrounds can be found in more than 8,000 schools nationwide with more than four million children exposed to the benefits of the program.

More about Peaceful Playgrounds: http://www.peacefulplaygrounds.com/media/index.htm  

*Study results published by NACCHO, Peaceful Playgrounds: Using Evidence-Based Strategies and Quality Improvement to Address Childhood Obesity in Florida: http://www.peacefulplaygrounds.com/pdf/naccho-obesity-study.pdf

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SOURCE Peaceful Playgrounds