All cover and internal photos of children courtesy of PlayCore.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, with the exception of the Special Send-Home Section for Families, which we urge you to duplicate and distribute, and the Play On! Skill Assessment Worksheet, which you also are welcome to duplicate.
ISBN: 978-0-88314-968-3
The information and activities published in this book were compiled using the most up-to-date safety information available and were subjected to a comprehensive safety review by SHAPE America. The authors, the program adviser, the sponsor and SHAPE America do not accept liability for information contained within this publication, nor for any accident or injury sustained while completing the activities in this program. Appropriate and reasonable supervision is recommended at all times based on the age and capacity of each child.
PlayCore is proud to sponsor this program and promotes safe, supervised play but cannot anticipate all conditions regarding any suggested activity in this program or recommend specific precautions beyond those set forth in the program and those warnings supplied by playground equipment manufacturers. PlayCore recommends that all warnings issued by the equipment manufacturer be complied with at all times.
SHAPE America, PlayCore and its divisions provide this resource in the interest of promoting physical activity and youth fitness through the use of playground equipment and outdoor play environments.
PROMOTING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY & FITNESS THROUGH ACTIVE PLAY!
AUTHORS
Russell L. Carson, Ph.D.
Marybeth Lima, Ph.D.
Cynthia F. DiCarlo, Ph.D.
Acknowledgements
From Russ
I am thankful to several people who contributed to my appreciation and enthusiasm for play. First and foremost, I thank my number one play supporters, my wife Laura, daughters Bella and Bria and walking coach Petee (dog) for filling each and every day with laughter, fun and positive energy. I am extremely grateful to have all of you in my life!
I was lucky to have parents, family members, friends, teachers and coaches who filled and supported my childhood years with fun, memorable active outings on playgrounds, sport fields and in physical education classes. I thank you all for opening my eyes to the broad possibilities of play and in doing so teaching me to value movement and all forms of physical activity.
I had the pleasure of working with many wonderful people throughout the creation of this book. I particularly thank my co-authors Marybeth Lima, for taking a personal interest in my professional growth and imparting your playground passion and expertise to this project and Cyndi DiCarlo, for joining this ride and infusing your excitement and wealth of knowledge in early childhood development. I look forward to a growing partnership and friendship.
From Marybeth
Play has been a driving force throughout my life, and there are two people who have been constant play companions of my childhood and adult life. My brother, John Lima Jr., has been my most steadfast playmate throughout life—whether we were playing football, seeing who could stay on the merry-go-round the longest, or playing our favorite made-up games (mad dog and werewolf). To this day, John remains the one person in my life who can make me cry from laughing on a regular basis.
I have also had the distinct pleasure of playing throughout my adult life with my partner, Lynn Hathaway,
whose generous, gregarious nature has enriched my joy for life and my sense of fun and adventure.
Family and friends who have positively influenced my life and my sense of fun include Carmen Board, Ann Christy, Kristi Davis, Sharon Ferreira, Shirley Ferreira, Dorothy Gammel, Diana Glawe, Dylan Hart, Roger Hart, Julie Johnson, Connie Kuns, Linda Lee, Elizabeth Lima, John Lima Sr., Sarah Lima, Jan Mackichan, Carol Lee Moore, Leslie Morreale, Sarah Myers, Sue Nokes, Chris Rogers, Florence Rogers, Kathleen Rogers, Aaron Ropers-Huilman, Anson Ropers- Huilman, Becky Ropers-Huilman, Brian Ropers-Huilman, Cristina Sabliov, Mary Sansalone, Emily Toth and Yzaura Walker. I could not have co-authored this book without my acupuncturist, Shaoqing “Ching” Guo.
While brainstorming the play activities for this book, I received great ideas from Jennifer Craig, Elizabeth Hathaway, James Hathaway, Lynn Hathaway, M. Eve Hathaway, Brittany Spon, Hope Spon and Morgan Spon. Thanks, y’all! The ideas you contributed are reflected in this book. I also received brainstorming help while working on the second edition of Play On! from members of the LSU Community Playground Project team, including Jacob Beckham, Ashley Flynn, Kristen Galloway, Beatriz Garcia, Nicole Walker, Allie Williams and Jeaux Zerkus.
I am lucky to have a job that involves play. Many people have worked with me to improve the play spaces in our community. These include outstanding current and former students Julianne (Forman) Audiffred, Jacob Beckham, T. Kyle Bridges, Jennifer Craig, Tessa (Byrne) Craig, Andrea (Albright) Crawford, Tony Daigle, Cody Darnell, Melissa Eskridge, Stuart Feilden, Ashley Flynn, Kristen Galloway, Bilal Ghosn, Matt Gravens, Katie (Rousseau) Jeans, Jackie Jones Edwards, Brandon Kilbourne, Alicia (Abadie) Modenbach, Brooke Morris, Sarah (Williams) Newton, Sean Nolan, Czarina Patolilic, Malcolm Richard, Rebecca Schramm, Nicole Walker, Allie Williams, Lakiesha (Claude) Williams
and Jeaux Zerkus. Colleagues, community partners and community members are a crucial part of this endeavor, including the children who attend East Baton Rouge Parish Public Schools, Richard Bengtson, David Constant, Catherine Fletcher, Scot Givens, John Hale, Joe Howell, Georgia Jenkins, Kenny Kohler, Kenneth Koonce, Belinda Martinez, Robert Martinez, Cindy Murphy, Carol O’Neil, Debbie Normand, Jan Shoemaker, Julie Smith and Daniel Thomas.
Finally, I thank my co-author, Russ Carson, for his outstanding work ethic, knowledge and talent. This book exists because of his leadership and dedication. Russ and I could not have finished the second edition without the early childhood development expertise of Cyndi, who matched Russ’ ability to create high-quality material.
From Cyndi
I am thankful to the many children I have worked with throughout my professional career, including my own children, Chris and Adele. As an educator and advocate for young children, I feel a strong desire to promote the holistic development of young children in an era of test accountability. Children have the right and the need to play in order to be healthy and happy.
Thanks so much to my co-authors: Russ, for his expertise and leadership in the development of this manual, and Marybeth, for her tireless efforts in ensuring that young children have safe, well-designed playgrounds and paying it forward in educating the next generation of playground designers.
From All
We thank Mariah Burton Nelson for breathing life into the first edition of this project. Your valuable suggestions, guidance, editing and unparalleled devotion made the first edition possible.
We are forever thankful to the contributors for adding their expertise in standards, safety, adapted physical activity and play to the first edition:
National Standards for K–12 Physical Education Experts and Reviewers
Amelia M. Lee, Ph.D.
Melinda A. Solmon, Ph.D.
Specialists in Physical Education Curriculum and Pedagogy
Helene Afeman, M.S.
Elizabeth A. Domangue, Ph.D.
Joanna D. Faerber, NBCT
Alex C. Garn, Ph.D.
JiJi Jonas, NBCT
Costas N. Tsouloupas, Ph.D.
Lori Wells, NBCT
Tao Zhang, Ph.D.
Safety Reviewer
Thomas H. Sawyer, Ed.D.
Adapted Physical Activity Expert
JiJi Jonas, NBCT
Editor Michelle Ortiz
Providers of Elementary-Age Children to Test Activities
Baton Rouge Center for Visual and Performing Arts, LA
Louisiana State University Laboratory School, Baton Rouge, LA
Villa del Rey Elementary School, Baton Rouge, LA
Finally, this program would not have been written without the interest and support from PlayCore. Thank you! We hope Play On! develops into what we all envision and more.
The Fun-damentals of Play On!
The purpose of Play On! is to promote physical fitness and fun through the use of outdoor play environments and creative playground learning activities.
This program—which combines the insights and experiences of physical activity experts, practitioners and children—was developed by and for people like you. We are sure that early childhood educators, elementary teachers and recreation professionals will find the 125 playground activities to be highly effective tools for maximizing youth learning and fitness on your school or community playground.
The activities are developmentally appropriate, diverse and, most of all, fun! They align with the National Standards for K–12 Physical Education and Active Start guidelines for preschool-age children, incorporate six key elements of play to promote youth fitness, promote moderate to vigorous physical activity, feature safety and teaching tips and offer realistic accommodations for children of all abilities and skill levels.
The color-coded, ready-made activity cards make the program easy to implement. Play On! can be used successfully during recess, physical education, beforeand after-school programs and at schools, parks and camps. You can use the activities as a full curriculum/ unit, instant activity or energizer or warm-up. We designed each activity to promote physical activity and youth fitness while bringing fun and excitement to the outdoor play space.
We hope that this program will help you appreciate the many developmental benefits of playgrounds and that your school or organization will use this program to promote physical fitness through healthy play. Play On! offers a unique solution to communities by contributing to overall child development and physical fitness. With the rates of childhood obesity growing
educators and recreation professionals are seeking new and innovative ways to incorporate physical activity into their school and recreation programs. Through careful design of play environments and innovative programming, communities can use their playgrounds to maximize the value of their play space, bring learning outdoors and increase physical activity.
Why wait? Find a playground, and encourage the students at your school or the children in your program to Play On!
The Value of Play
Play is critical to healthy human development. Research shows that children are at their highest level of development when they are at play. As the foundation of learning, play helps to develop children’s physical, social, cognitive, communicative and sensory needs, while providing emotional fulfillment and enjoyment.
It is important for teachers and recreation professionals to advocate for play initiatives and effectively communicate how investing in play results in healthy outcomes. Here are some important points from reports by the American Academy of Pediatrics (Ginsburg, 2007; Milteer & Ginsburg, 2012) on the importance of play:
• Play allows children to use their creativity while developing their imagination, dexterity and physical, cognitive and emotional strength.
• Play is important to brain development.
• Play allows children to create and explore a world they can master, conquering their fears while practicing adult roles.
• Play helps children develop new competencies that lead to enhanced confidence and the resiliency they will need to face challenges.
• Undirected play allows children to learn how to work in groups, to share, to negotiate and to resolve conflicts.
• Some play must remain child-driven, with facilitators or caregivers either not present or as passive observers. When play is child-driven, children practice decision making, move at their own pace, discover their own areas of interest, and engage fully in the passions they wish to pursue. When adults constantly control play, children revert to adult rules and concerns and lose some benefits of free play, particularly in developing creativity, leadership and group skills.
• Play builds active, healthy bodies.
• Play provides a forum for parents and children to joyfully interact, bond and engage in recreation together, which is critical for all children and especially children in underserved areas.
Following is a brief overview of the several types of play and their importance to a child’s world. Providing a balance of facilitated and free play opportunities is important for children’s development.
Free play is play that is dictated and controlled by children without adult input or guidance.
Imaginative play is a type of free play that involves children using their minds creatively; in other words, it’s play that involves elements of dramatic play, pretend or make-believe.
Guided play offers a loosely defined framework of social rules in which the environment may be more regulated than free play
Directed play is play that occurs under the direction of an adult, usually in order to meet a specific objective (such as physical fitness) that is not chosen by the children.
In this program, we offer what we think is the best of all worlds. We have designed the activities in this curriculum for children to meet moderate to vigorous levels of physical activity, but we also ask them to use their imaginations and to engage in free play as they build and expand on these activities to make them their own.
In Follow the Zookeeper, kids are asked, “What would your favorite animal sound like or act like when sliding down a slide?”
In Exploration Transformation, children are asked to explore the playground area and transform their bodies into different shapes- but what they transform into and on what equipment is entirely up to them.
This program enables teachers and community leaders to take children to playgrounds and to engage them in playground learning activities that are physically challenging, designed to encourage creativity and provide memorable play experiences with their peers.
Play is a right, not a privilege. As noted play expert and contemporary psychologist Dr. Stuart Brown says, “Play energizes us and enlivens us. It eases our burdens. It renews our natural sense of optimism and opens us up to new possibilities.”
We hope that this program inspires you to become a passionate play advocate so that, together, we can improve the access to and quality of outdoor play and learning spaces and opportunities for all children.
The Playground Solution
Regular physical activity has numerous health benefits for children and adolescents (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2010; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS], 2008). Regular physical activity:
• Reduces risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, colon cancer and premature death.
• Helps attain/maintain healthy weight and prevent obesity.
• Develops healthy bones, lean muscles and nonarthritic joints.
• Lowers blood pressure and cholesterol.
• Improves cognitive skills and academic performance.
• Improves classroom conduct.
• Increases self-esteem.
• Reduces feelings of anxiety and depression.
Establishing physical activity habits in childhood is critical to the development of a physically active lifestyle. When children engage in regular exercise, they are more likely to continue exercising as adults (Goldfield, Harvey, Gratten, & Adamo, 2012; USDHHS, 2008).
Physical activity experts recommend that young people engage in 60 minutes or more of enjoyable and diverse types of physical activity each day (USDHHS, 2008). From birth to age 5, this daily activity should include periods of structured and unstructured physical activity that promote the development of movement skills (National Association for Sport and Physical Education [NASPE], 2009). Preschool children should not be sedentary for more than 60 minutes at a time except when sleeping (NASPE). Obesity researchers recommend the integration of physical activity in the preschool curriculum as a prevention effort (Kreichauf, et al., 2012).
For children ages 6 to 17, it is recommended that this daily activity be of moderate to vigorous intensity; be age-appropriate; and include aerobic (i.e., rhythmic movement of large muscles), muscle-strengthening (i.e., moving muscles against a resistance), and bonestrengthening (e.g., producing high-impact force movement with ground) movements (USDHHS, 2008).
Schools are ideal settings for children to accumulate a significant portion of the recommended amount of daily physical activity (CDC, 2011; Pate et al., 2006). The newest widely endorsed school-wide approach is known as a comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP), in which physical activity opportunities are promoted across the coordination of multiple components: physical education; physical activity during school (e.g., recess, classroom breaks); physical activity programs before and after school (e.g., active transportation, intramurals); staff involvement; and family and community engagement (American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance [AAHPERD], 2013; CDC, 2013; Institute of Medicine, 2013). CSPAP implementation provides a promising framework for youth to participate in daily physical activity and reap the associated health benefits (Carson, Castelli, Beighle, & Erwin, 2014; Erwin, Beighle, Carson, & Castelli, 2013; Physical Activity Guidelines for American Midcourse Report
Subcommittee of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition, 2012).
Despite the voluminous evidence pointing toward the importance of physical activity and the sincere efforts
of schools, physical educators, community programs, national initiatives, fitness proponents, parks and recreation professionals and numerous governmental and nongovernmental agencies, the majority of young people in the United States do not meet these physical activity recommendations. Even more disheartening is the fact that almost 14 percent of youngsters are physically inactive on a regular basis (CDC, 2012).
Coinciding with the increase in childhood obesity, we have seen an alarmingly steady decline in the amount of time allocated to physical activity in schools. Advocacy groups such as the National Parent Teacher Association (PTA) have noted that since the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001, schools have been decreasing or eliminating the amount of time allotted to physical education classes and recess
in an effort to increase time for academic subjects (Lue, 2013). In its resolution on school recess, the National PTA (2013) outlined the numerous benefits of recess and physical activity, including “greater academic achievement and cognitive functioning; better classroom behavior; increased socialization, school adjustment and overall social development; and improved physical and mental health.” (p. 1). In fact, a recent synthesis of available research reported one or more positive relationships between recess or extracurricular activities and the academic performance of school-age youths (CDC, 2010).
It is not surprising, then, that the prevalence of overweight children ages 6-11 rose from 7 percent in 1980 to nearly 18 percent in 2012 (Ogden, Carroll, Kit, & Flegal, 2012; National Center for Health Statistics, 2012. Despite the fact that 2012 obesity rates were considerably lower among preschoolers ages 2–5—8 percent (Ogden et al.)—the unfortunate truth is that evidence suggests that obese children and adolescents tend to become obese adults (Ferraro, Thorpe Jr., & Wilkinson, 2003; Freedman, Khan, Dietz, Srinivasan, & Berenson, 2001; Guo & Chumlea, 1999). This is a long-term health effect that can commence as early as age 2 (Freedman, Kettel et al., 2005). There is even some documented concern that the life expectancy for the average U.S child could be cut by as much as five years if nothing is done to slow the troubling rates of childhood obesity and inactivity (Olshansky et al., 2005).
Facilitated by First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Initiative, many physical activity enthusiasts from all kinds of settings—schools, parks and recreation facilities, youth sports groups and businesses—are coming together to promote the integration of everyday physical activity opportunities for children. To learn more about the Let’s Move! initiative, visit www.letsmove.gov.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
One solution is not new, fancy, flashy or electronic. It does not require adults to persuade children that exercise is good for them. It does not require extensive training, staff or financial resources. Often, it is there in plain sight, ready to entice and excite children of all abilities, ages and backgrounds. It is the playground.
Children love playgrounds. Release children in an outdoor play environment and they enthusiastically race toward their favorite apparatus, screaming with delight as they anticipate adventure, challenge and camaraderie.
However, playgrounds in schoolyards and parks often sit unused or underused. Has children’s love for swinging, traversing along monkey bars or zipping down slides changed in recent years? We do not think so.
Why do we find playgrounds vacant when we know there are plenty of children who not only need physical activity but also generally love to play on playgrounds?
There are two primary reasons for deserted playgrounds today.
First, children do not have the opportunity to experience playgrounds as often as they once did. Physical education at many schools across America has been reduced or replaced, and recess has been eliminated to provide more time for academic subject areas in an effort to improve test scores. After school, children are often busy with homework, music lessons, sports teams or other commitments.
Second, educators and recreation professionals may not know how to use playgrounds and play equipment to achieve fitness and program goals. They need strategies and instruction on how to link playground play to the National Standards for K–12 Physical Education. They often view playgrounds simply as unstructured places for children to release energy. They are unaware that playgrounds, when used to their fullest potential, can facilitate the development of physical fitness and directly influence the overall health and development of cognitive, social and personal skills. Educators and parks and recreation professionals should view playgrounds as educational settings, and this program strives to get communities acquainted with how playgrounds are a valid solution to fighting childhood obesity.
Playgrounds can facilitate gross and fine motor development, improve critical thinking and problemsolving skills, and provide opportunities for creativity, free expression, social interaction and overall physical fitness (Frost, Brown, Sutterby & Thornton, 2004). The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) advocates for recess and playground
time, stating the cognitive (e.g., memory, attention and brain connections); social-emotional (e.g., leadership, turn taking, and conflict resolution); and physical benefits (e.g., increased likelihood to eat healthier following recess) for young children (NAEYC, 2009).
The purpose of Play On! is to show educators and park and recreation professionals how to use playgrounds to promote physical activity, develop wellness habits and meet the National Standards, all in the context of fun. What seems obvious to us—that playgrounds provide a widely available opportunity for all children to become physically fit—will soon, we hope, be obvious to you as well. It is our sincere wish that this unique program will become a vital component in your efforts to strengthen, educate and build healthier communities through play. Play On! provides a fun solution to help you meet the National Standards, promote fitness through active play and maximize the potential of your playgrounds.
How Play On! Came To Be
Our passion for playgrounds and lifelong fitness fueled our interest in this project. Like many adults, we have fond memories of childhood afternoons spent on playgrounds. We recall chasing pals in and out of crawl tubes, challenging ourselves to reach for one more
rung on an overhead ladder, hanging out atop a dome with friends, corkscrewing down a spiral slide the first time, and gliding freely through the air on swings. The playground was a haven for enjoyable, interactive physical activity. We were moving, problem solving, freely expressing ourselves and loving every minute of it. Playground time was revered, almost sacred time.
These feelings have not changed over the years. In fact, our dedication to enrich youngsters’ development through meaningful playground activities has flourished. As a physical education teacher at an international school, a recreational camp counselor and director and a fitness instructor (Russell) and as a designer of “dream playgrounds” for public elementary schools and larger communities (Marybeth), we have spent years using playgrounds to encourage children to move, experiment, develop and get fit. In this, the second edition of Play On! we add the knowledge and expertise of an early childhood development educator, researcher and parent (Cynthia) who has a background in early childhood/early intervention and a passion for integrating meaningful opportunities for skill development through play.
Growing up, we recall our teachers sitting off to the side grading papers or talking to colleagues during recess. To us, it appeared that playground time provided our teachers with a break from the day. As long as we children were releasing energy, behaving ourselves and not in any danger, they seemed happy.
Do playgrounds always have to operate this way? Of course not. It’s possible—and advantageous—to bring more active engagement among adult supervisors, teachers, programmers and children to promote physical activity, learning and fun on the playground.
When SHAPE America sought curriculum developers for a program that encourages physical activity, meets National Standards and takes place in an environment that children naturally love, we jumped at the chance to participate.
We believe in playgrounds as familiar, readily available and enjoyable places to keep kids moving, socializing and learning. Playgrounds put a smile on children’s faces, and thus provide a compelling avenue for promoting physical fitness and a lifelong love of movement.
We also have experienced first hand the pressing need for hands-on fitness guides that enable adults and children to easily grasp and implement new activities. So, we were eager to contribute a program that would be enjoyable, effective and simple to use.
Play On! is the result of a purposeful process that deliberately included a variety of perspectives beyond our own. The final 125 playground learning activities were generated in the following manner:
1. We established the conceptual framework for the fitness activities.
2. We invited a panel of specialists to help us devise and develop the activities based on six fundamental elements of play designed to promote youth fitness: brachiating/upper body bilateral coordination, climbing, swinging, sliding, spinning and balancing. The specialists included:
a. Two sport pedagogy professionals who have taught physical education in the public school setting for a combined total of 14 years.
b. Three National Board Certified (NBCT) elementary physical education teachers—one an adapted physical educator—who have been awarded several statewide teaching accolades, including Teacher of the Year, and who currently work in demographically diverse school settings.
c. Three sport pedagogy doctoral students familiar with developmentally appropriate teaching strategies, achievement motivation principles and international education.
3. We held a series of meetings, including some on the playground and some involving school-age children. The teachers on the team also asked their students for ideas. Why not go right to the source when creating interactive playground activities? These children helped test and expand our ideas. They even named some of the learning activities.
4. We created 100 fun learning activities for schoolage children, ensuring that each of the six play elements were adequately represented and when combined resulted in an overall fitness program. The first edition of Play On! was published in 2008.
5. Through a research grant contributed by SHAPE America, Dr. Yuanglong Liu and Dr. Suzan F. Ayers of the Department of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, Western Michigan University, developed and implemented an objective analysis of the Play On! program.
They conducted a national study to evaluate the program that provided specific information about the correlation between the program and physical activity benefits. Fourteen schools were selected through a national Beta Site selection process through SHAPE America, in which schools submitted an application to volunteer to participate in the research. Approximately 6,000 children from 14 Beta Sites in five states participated from February to May in 2009. Research included a series of pre– and post–intervention surveys completed by the teacher, children, parents, as well as two focus groups at one of the Beta Sites to qualitatively measure physical activity and skill development.
Research results were overwhelmingly positive and indicated that Play On! was effective in promoting physical activity for children.
Research findings:
• 91 percent of teachers reported that playground use increased.
• 90 percent of teachers plan to use the program in the future.
• 100 percent rated the program 4-5 on a 5 point scale.
• 25 percent of parents participated in more family activity after the Play On! program was initiated.
• 100 percent of students reported having fun engaging in the activities.
• 90-100 percent of teachers reported that Play On! motivated students to participate in regular, enjoyable, physical activity in a safe and supervised environment.
6. We expanded the reach of Play On! to preschoolage children by adding 25 preschool (ages
2–5) activities with the guidance and direction of a leading professional in early childhood development.
The second edition of Play On! captures the expertise of many (including children, experienced teacher educators and distinguished practitioners in the field); reflects current research and practice; and represents the most comprehensive list of playground activities for preschool- and school-age children available today.
Using Play On! Effectively
Teachers and recreation professionals have a wide range of needs, interests, teaching knowledge and playground experiences. The successful promotion of physical activity and fitness in youth heavily relies on two key ingredients:
• Make the activities fun.
• Involve a playful, enthusiastic and engaged adult leader.
However, how often are both elements present on playgrounds?
Since Play On! is a program for all to implement and all to enjoy, this book is organized so that all can conveniently use it and feel comfortable doing so. It contains three major sections:
• A Fun-damentals of Play On! section
• A Special Send-Home Resource for Families
• 125 playground activity cards
In this Fun-damentals of Play On! section we offer research-based data on the importance of promoting physical activity, explore the many developmental benefits of play, discuss ways to ensure students have safer experiences on playgrounds, share a variety of teaching strategies and review the National Standards for K–12 Physical Education and SHAPE America’s Active Start guidelines. We also provide playground funding tips, a Special Send-Home Resource for Families, an equipment list, an at-a-glance matrix
of how the National Standards and the Active Start guidelines align to the individual activities and an assessment sheet to provide skill-related feedback or to motivate students to set goals and track their own achievement.
Read and review this section as needed to ensure that Play On! becomes an enjoyable, successful, movementfocused experience that safely impacts every child.
The Special Send-Home Resource for Families is designed to engage and involve parents in the program; provide information about the scope of developmental benefits playgrounds provide; and encourage less sedentary lifestyles by motivating families to move together at their school, park and community playgrounds. We designed this section to be copied and sent home; and this section is printed in both English and Spanish for your convenience. Families also can download the resource www.playcore. com/playon.
The 125 full-color learning activity cards are the heart of this program. We designed the activities, which are based on current motor development principles, according to the specific developmental needs of particular developmental age groups and grade levels and organized them according to the following format:
• Preschool-age children (ages 2–5)
• Kindergarten and grade 1
• Grades 2 and 3
• Grades 4 and 5
• Fun for all school-age children (grades K–5)*
For your convenience, these groups are coded by colors. This enables you to thumb through the book easily and know at a glance the developmental age group or intended grade level of the activity.
Each activity cards features:
Description of Activity: Succinct descriptions enable you to implement each playground activity easily and provide instructions to children with little wasted time standing around or being sedentary.
* Playground safety regulations have different requirements for different age groups. The activities for preschool children are designed for children ages 2 up until turning 5. Activities for kindergarten to grade 5 are to be implemented with children ages 5 and older on playgrounds designed for school-age children.
Play Element(s): Here, you can identify which of the six key elements of play that promote youth fitness are required for the activity.
National Standard(s) for K–12 Physical Education: All Play On! activities are aligned with SHAPE America’s guidelines for current physical education curricula (SHAPE America, 2014). In this section of the learning activity card, you will find the National Standard(s) addressed by each activity. A complete matrix of the alignment between the learning activities and the Standards can be found in the National Standards Matrix section.
Active Start Guidelines for Preschoolers: All Play On! preschool activities (1–25) are aligned with the Active Start guidelines for preschool-age children. In this section of the activity card, you will find the Active Start guidelines that are addressed by each activity. A complete matrix of the alignment between the activities and the guidelines can be found in the Active Start Guidelines Matrix section.
Extra Equipment: If additional equipment (bean bags, hula hoops, scarves, balls, etc.) is needed to enhance the learning activity, it will be listed here. Refer to p. F/46 for a complete list of the basic and supplemental equipment needed to Play On!
Benefits: Here we describe some of the primary physical, cognitive, social and overall developmental benefits of the activity. In the preschool activities you will find the Early Development Intervention Profile (EDIP) objectives and NAEYC standards. EDIP and NAEYC will be further explained in the Recommendations for Preschool Age Children (2–5) section.
Teaching Tips: We suggest key tactics or strategies to help children get the most out of the activity and help you involve as many kids as possible.
Safety Tips: Following safety guidelines and proper supervision on playgrounds is crucial. Here we offer precautions and advice to ensure a safer experience while engaging children in the playground learning activity.
Variation(s): To accommodate a range of skill levels and abilities, all activities include easier and more difficult variations. Use your judgment and the
children’s feedback to determine which students need which type of variation. We suggest using the commonly accepted 80 percent success rate rule: employ the easier variation when children cannot perform the activity successfully 80 percent of the time, and the more challenging variation when they can perform the activity successfully more than 80 percent of the time (Graham, Holt/Hale, & Parker, 2012). For many of the activities, we also offer adaptations: for children with vision disabilities, children who use mobility devices, or children with other special needs who may need a modification to meet their current level of ability or fitness. All of these—easier, more challenging and adaptations—are suggestions, since we know and trust that children and facilitators alike are creative about finding ways to include everyone. Remember to encourage all children to participate in ways that are safe, fun and provide developmentally appropriate and healthy challenges.
Did you know? The activity cards offer interesting facts to help bring learning and further discussion outdoors.
Safety Strategies
Playgrounds are great fun. Inappropriate use of playground equipment can lead to unnecessary risk and even injury. Proper and constant supervision and maintenance is a necessary discipline of making playground environments safer. We are proponents of improving children’s play experiences and promoting fun on playgrounds. We are equally emphatic about maximizing playground safety. While certain developmentally appropriate risks are acceptable and unavoidable in any physical activity, responsible adults must minimize risks when promoting playground use.
This section is intended to give you important information on playground safety. The magnitude of this issue cannot be underestimated; in the United States, playground accidents are the second-most common reason for which children visit the emergency room each year. We encourage you to become proficient with respect to the general guidelines regarding playground safety and to acquire sufficient knowledge to check for and address common safety concerns related to the playgrounds upon which children will complete the activities presented in this publication. This section is not intended to serve as a
comprehensive guide to playground safety. Consult the references listed at the end of this section for more information, and contact the manager of your playground maintenance services or the manufacturer if you have safety concerns or specific questions.
PLAYGROUND SAFETY AND PLAY ON!
We created the activities in this program with safety in mind; we intend them to be implemented on playgrounds in compliance with current safety guidelines and recommendations. Your presence will serve to decrease the risk of play injuries if you commit to safer practices and direct children accordingly. Being an advocate for playground safety will go a long way toward ensuring that the children who use the Play On! curriculum will have safer and more enjoyable play experiences.
Each activity in this publication contains information that will alert you to specific safety considerations to be aware of during the play activity. At the same time, we do assume a certain level of proficiency on your part. We often remind you to spot as needed, although we assume that—as a professional—you know proper spotting techniques to support children as they attempt activities and to catch them if they fall. Potential playground risks exist, especially as budgets for schools and parks are decreased. Check for proper playground safety surfacing, the overall conditions of the playground and the temperature of playground surfaces. Red flags include things such as missing, broken or worn out components and/or deteriorated metal, wood and plastic. All parts of equipment should be stable with no signs of loosening, and surfacing material should be well maintained (National Recreation and Park Association [NRPA], 2014). Take the proper steps to take equipment out of service, and/ or repair or upgrade these areas when necessary.
As for the Play On! age- and grade-based categories: These serve a safety purpose by aligning developmentally appropriate activities with students of various ages. However, keep in mind that every child is unique. One second-grader may be able to perform activities in the grades 4 and 5 section, while another second-grader may be able to perform kindergarten and grade 1 activities. Encourage children to challenge themselves without being reckless and to
seek continuous improvement compared to their own previous performance, regardless of their age or grade.
INCIDENCE OF PLAYGROUND INJURIES
Playground safety is critically important, because children sustain more than 200,000 serious injuries per year on playgrounds (Consumer Product Safety Commission [CPSC], 2010). This number has remained high, even with an increasing emphasis on playground safety among playground designers, playground manufacturers, playground safety organizations and the public.
Each time a child goes to the emergency room for a playground injury, the details involving this accident are entered into the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) so that playground safety organizations can track these injuries to better address them. According to data available from the National Playground Safety Institute (NPSI, 2006):
• Approximately 79 percent of all playground injuries are due to falls from play equipment.
• Seventy-six percent of all playground injuries occur on public playgrounds (in parks or schools, for example), and 24 percent occur on home playgrounds.
• About 15 children die from injuries sustained on playgrounds each year, and the majority of deaths occur on home playgrounds.
Experts believe that 84 percent of all playground accidents could be avoided if an adult were to supervise the child/children at play and if the playgrounds were maintained properly (especially the depth of playground safety surfacing and the proper size of use zones).
MAJOR CAUSES OF PLAYGROUND INJURIES
NRPA’s Certified Playground Safety Inspector Program has identified 12 of the leading causes of injuries on playgrounds and published “The Dirty Dozen—A Checklist for Safe Playgrounds” (NRPA, 2014).
If you observe any of the safety issues noted in “The Dirty Dozen,” report them to the owner/operator of
the playground so that this person or organization can take steps to solve the problem immediately. You and/ or the owner/operator may need the expert assistance of a certified playground safety inspector (CPSI) who is proficient with playground safety recommendations and standards. A registry of CPSIs in the United States is available at www.nrpa.org/CPSI_registry/ default.aspx. To download a full copy of “The Dirty Dozen” playground pamphlet, go to www.nrpa.org/ Professional-Development/Certification/CPSI/TheDirty-Dozen.
We have summarized the checklist for your reference with permission from NRPA:
1. Improper protective surfacing
There must be a sufficient depth of playground safety surfacing material under and around play equipment to effectively break falls. Table 2 from the CPSC Public Playground Safety Handbook (www.cpsc.gov//PageFiles/122149/325.pdf) lists some of the acceptable surfacing materials. Twelve inches of loose-fill surfacing is often recommended because most loose-fill surfacing compacts rapidly, resulting in decreased shock absorbability. More detailed information about surfacing is contained in the following reference section about playground safety for children.
2. Inadequate use zone
A use zone is the area under and around play equipment that must be surfaced with the proper depth of protective surfacing. If children fall from the equipment, they should fall in the use zone and thus be protected. Most stationary (not moving) equipment needs at least 6 feet of use zone in every direction from the equipment. Moving equipment such as swings require a larger use zone. Make sure that the use zone is large enough for the play equipment you are using. More information on use zones is contained in the Public Playground Safety Handbook (CPSC, 2010).
3. Protrusion and entanglement hazards
Check the playground for protrusions, which are components that stick out and could cut, hook or
impale a child. Common protrusions include bolts with more than two threads showing beyond the nut, handholds on older equipment and hardware in hook shapes (S-hooks on swings, for instance). Protrusions can be entanglement hazards because children can be strangled if loose clothing catches on protrusions. A CPSI has gauges to test for protrusions. Other entanglement hazards include spaces at the top of slides (for example, on the platform of many older slides), any protrusions on a slide and ropes that are not anchored on both sides.
4. Entrapment in openings
Enclosed or partially enclosed openings on playgrounds can entrap a young child’s head or neck and can cause strangulation. Generally, there shouldn’t be any opening on a playground between 3.5 and 9 inches (openings where the ground is one boundary are exempt from this general rule). Common places for head entrapments include the area between platforms, openings on slide platforms and openings on climbers. Entrapments on easily accessible, elevated equipment are especially hazardous. Beware of head and neck entrapments in picket fences.
5. Insufficient equipment spacing
Children need enough room to access play equipment without running into each other or into other equipment. Generally, two pieces of stationary equipment less than 30 inches high need at least 6 feet between them (their use zones can overlap). If one or both of the pieces of play equipment is more than 30 inches high, there should be a minimum of 9 feet between them. Swings and other pieces of moving equipment should be placed away from stationary equipment and, generally, the use zone of moving equipment should not overlap with any other play equipment.
6. Trip hazards
Check your play area for things that children can trip on, such as tree stumps and roots, exposed concrete footings (which should be eliminated immediately), changes in surfacing or elevation,
etc. Warn children about these hazards and remind them not to bring potential tripping hazards such as backpacks onto the playground.
7. Lack of supervision
Playgrounds should be designed with uncluttered sight lines so that adults can easily observe children throughout the play area, even during free play. While supervising, be on the lookout for unsafe activities such as children climbing up the outside of a tube slide or trying to walk up a slide. Lack of adult supervision is one of the main reasons cited for injuries on playgrounds.
8. Age-inappropriate activities
Most public playgrounds are designed for preschool-age children (ages 2–5) or schoolage children (ages 5-12). Some playgrounds are designed for both groups simultaneously. Playground manufacturers are required to post signage designating the age group for which the equipment has been designed; please look for and heed these recommendations. In case you do not see signs specifically designating the intended age group, remember that large composite structures with tall platforms and many climbing events are usually intended for school-age children. Children younger than age 5 might have difficulty with climbing events (especially climbing down) and activities that require significant upper body strength. Frost et al. (2004) suggest that, “chronological age, experience, physical characteristics, and skill development all should be considered when making decisions about the appropriateness of playground equipment and the type of play being accommodated.”
9. Lack of maintenance
A maintenance plan should be in place for every playground to ensure that the playground remains in safe condition at all times. A checklist for general maintenance is contained in Appendix A of the Public Playground Safety Handbook (CPSC, 2010). Comprehensive playground safety plans can be developed by a CPSI.
10. Crush, shearing points and sharp-edge hazards
The playground should be inspected to ensure that children can’t puncture their skin or crush fingers or other body parts on equipment. Be careful of small gaps on play equipment and moving parts (suspension bridges, merry-go-rounds, etc.) that could crush a child’s finger. A CPSI has gauges that can test for crush points.
11. Platforms with no guardrails
Elevated platforms and other surfaces on playgrounds should have guardrails or protective barriers to prevent children from falling from the elevated surface. For preschool-age children, an elevated surface 20 or more inches from the ground should have a guardrail, and an elevated surface 30 or more inches from the ground should have a protective barrier. School-age children also need protection; guardrails should be placed on elevated surfaces 30 or more inches above the ground, and protective barriers should be placed on elevated surfaces 48 inches or more above the ground.
12. Equipment not recommended for pubic playgrounds
Accidents associated with the following types of equipment have resulted in the CPSC recommending that they not be used on public playgrounds:
• Heavy swings such as animal figure swings
• Multiple occupancy glider type swings
• Free-swinging ropes that may fray or form a loop and are strangulation hazards
• Swinging exercise rings and trapeze bars
There are several other considerations to be aware of regarding playground safety. Children have sustained burns on playground equipment, particularly equipment in direct sunlight. Uncoated metal can develop temperatures of more than 200 degrees Fahrenheit in the sun, and even plastic equipment can heat substantially in these conditions. Remember
to check the temperature of equipment and safety surfacing before children begin playing.
The last thing to remember regarding playground safety involve the children themselves. Items that should never be worn on playgrounds include clothing with drawstrings (especially near the hood or neck area), bicycle helmets, scarves or loose clothing; all are strangulation hazards. Unless a playground is fully shaded, children should apply sunscreen before playing. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in his or her lifetime (www.aad.org/media -resources/stats-and-facts/conditions/skin-cancer). Using sunscreen can ameliorate sunburns, which are thought to be major contributors to developing skin cancer.
GENERAL PLAYGROUND SAFETY FOR CHILDREN
Discussion of playground rules with children should be ongoing. Children who participate in rule development are more likely to take ownership, hold each other accountable and develop interpersonal skills.
Help children understand why rules matter, and craft them to be stated in a positive manner. This process—perhaps best done in a classroom setting before heading out to the playground—can empower children to decide for themselves how to behave, which increases the likelihood that they will abide by the rules.
You might consider having children and/or parents sign a contract or otherwise indicate that they agree to the safety-related rules of the playground or activities. While on the playground, praise students who model good behavior to offer positive reinforcement.
The following set of rules provides a general example and is intended to be used as a starting point for developing a unique set of rules for your playground. Many playgrounds post such rules on large signs that are visible to everyone who enters the playground.
SUGGESTED PLAYGROUND RULES
• Listen to the adult(s) on duty.
• Follow directions.
• Be fair and respectful and encourage others.
• Share play equipment and take turns.
• Treat playground equipment with respect.
• Play during dry weather and daytime hours (if the playground is not lighted).
• Stay within the designated play area.
• Avoid climbing on or over fences.
• Wear proper attire (see following list).
• Always keep playgrounds clear of:
• Backpacks
• Food and drinks
• Jewelry
• Scarves
• Clothing with drawstrings (especially hood or neck)
• Pets
• Sticks
• Bikes
• Bike helmets
• Baseball bats
• Hard balls
• Skateboards
• Roller skates
• Ropes
• Yo-yos or other toys with strings
• Chairs
For further information on playground safety, consult the following organizations:
The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). This organization publishes technical standards for numerous professions and industries, including playground safety and accessibility standards. Standards of interest include:
• ASTM F1487-11: Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Playground Equipment for Public Use.
• ASTM F2373-11: Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Public Use Play Equipment for Children 6 Months Through 23 Months.
• ASTM F1148-12: Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Home Playground Equipment.
• ASTM F2223-10: Standard Guide for ASTM Standards on Playground Surfacing.
• ASTM F1292-13: Standard Specification for Impact Attenuation of Surfacing Materials Within the Use Zone of Playground Equipment.
• ASTM F1951-14: Standard Specification for Determination of Accessibility of Surface Systems Under and Around Playground Equipment.
• ASTM F2075-10a: Standard Specification for Engineered Wood Fiber for Use as a Playground Safety Surface Under and Around Playground Equipment.
• ASTM F2479-12: Standard Guide for Specification, Purchase, Installation and Maintenance of Poured-In-Place Playground Surfacing.
Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). This governmental organization publishes the Public Playground Safety Handbook, which is available at www.cpsc.gov//PageFiles/122149/325.pdf. The handbook provides a wealth of amount of information on public playground safety. Learn more at www.cpsc.org.
The International Playground Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA). This nonprofit group provides independent certification for play equipment manufactured in the United States and Canada, and has launched a public education effort called Voice of Play to inform the public about the benefits of play. Learn more at www.ipema.org.
The National Program for Playground Safety (NPPS). This program is run by the University of Northern Iowa and is committed to research and training to ensure that all public play areas are safe. It acts as a clearinghouse
of information on playground safety and answers safety-related questions on its website. The program offers report cards on playground safety for each state and a playground supervision kit. NPPS also features several online courses for those who supervise children at play and might want to become an outdoor play inspector. Learn more at www.playgroundsafety.org.
The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). This professional organization advocates and shares information on all aspects of parks, play spaces and recreation. NRPA runs the national Certified Playground Safety Inspector program. Learn more at www.nrpa.org/cpsi.
Implementation Strategies
Play On! will not magically materialize into a quality playground physical activity program for youth without your help. You play a critical role in ensuring that the playground learning activities are implemented in a way that optimizes physical fitness, fun and learning. Here are some guidelines to help you most effectively employ Play On! in your setting.
For Physical Educators: You can use Play On! in a variety of ways including:
1. As a warm-up or instant activity to physiologically prepare students for the day’s activities or to review previously learned skills or concepts (psychomotor, cognitive or affective). For instance, if your day’s lesson objective is to teach the locomotor skill of skipping, you might implement “All Around Town” (kindergarten and grade 1 group activity) in the first five minutes of class to practice and apply the previously taught hopping skill.
2. As a fitness activity to ensure that, regardless of the lesson topic, children experience a healthrelated fitness component each time you meet. Add your favorite Play On! activities (and your students’ favorites) to your current repertoire of quick, ready-made fitness activities.
3. As the main lesson to teach intended topics within the psychomotor, cognitive or affective learning domains of physical education. As indicated on each learning card, all Play On!
activities support the National Standards for K–12 Physical Education or the Active Start guidelines for preschool-age children and, therefore, are suitable for a lesson topic. You might use an assortment of activities to focus on fostering the affective domain topics of cooperation and communication skills, or choose a specific play element such as climbing (along with related activities) to be the main emphasis of a lesson.
4. As the end-of-lesson wrap up to assess the retention of physical skills (such as dynamic balance), or cognitive concepts (such as spatial awareness), or attitude development (such as teamwork) taught in the lesson. Offering children Play On! activities at the end of a class session also can help them end on a high note, since they are sure to enjoy the activities.
5. As an entire curricular unit by crafting a collection of Play On! activities to incorporate as a primary unit within the school year. Since the learning activities integrate movement concepts and skill themes (Graham et al., 2012), Play On! offers a novel, age-appropriate and fun curricular option for physical educators.
For Classroom Teachers: Team up with a physical educator to learn spotting and other safety standards. Then, you can offer the Play On! program during any outdoor play time or use the playground activities to incorporate energizers that promote healthy physical activity throughout the day. Many of the activities are cross-curricular and will help to reinforce classroom learning in areas of language, geography, science and math concepts. You also can be creative in employing this fun, kinesthetic approach to learning. Allow your students to choose, lead or expand the activity when possible. Several activity favorites will emerge over time; you might include at least one favorite activity every recess period or introduce a recess activity of the week.
For Early Childhood Teachers: We are excited that you are working with young children to execute appropriate activities in Play On!. Early childhood researchers include accessibility to physical activity as critical to promoting healthy living for young children (Karnik & Kanekar, 2012; Rahman, Cushing, & Jackson,
2011) and note that permanent play facilities in school encourage children to get out and be active (Taylor et al., 2011). Healthy habits, including physical activity, that are developed in early childhood persist into adulthood (Dyment & Coleman, 2012). Well-designed playgrounds can play a critical role in the fight against childhood obesity (Hammad, 2011). Thus, the work that you are doing with young children will positively impact their lives today and far into their future.
There are a couple of things that you need to keep in mind when working with preschool-age children. First, young children have a relatively short attention span. It is critical for you to engage with the children while they are paying attention, because if they are not paying attention they are not learning (Bandura, 1989). In order to elicit the attention of younger children, researchers recommend the following seven practices (DiCarlo, Pierce, Baumgartner, Harris, & Ota, 2012):
• Acknowledge child communication.
• Provide all children with enough materials to use during the activity.
• Relate whole-group time to the children’s previous activities.
• Address multiple objectives.
• Provide enough space for the children to be together.
• Have one adult lead and the other supervise.
• Model materials/activities.
Second, you should be aware of the general and specific recommendations regarding physical activity in this age group. Physical activity has been documented to have a positive impact on all developmental domains for young children (Dotterwich, Greene, & Blosser, 2012; Stork & Sanders, 2008). The national recommendations are that preschool-age children, ages 2–5, participate in a variety of physical activity that is structured and unstructured, both indoors and outdoors, on a daily basis (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2012; NAEYC, 2009; NASPE, 2009).
Third, activities around the six play elements at the core of Play On! (i.e., climbing, spinning, balancing, brachiating, swinging and sliding) exist for the preschool age group as well. Activities that focus on upper body bilateral coordination (prebrachiating) and the patterning for climbing are the prerequisite skills that provide a foundation for brachiating and have been addressed in the preschool activities. To perform these activities safely, playground equipment should be lower to the ground, have a wider base of support, and incorporate upper body components that are designed to allow young children to increase upper body strength by simply supporting their body weight.
For Recreation Professionals: Check out the preceding practical strategies for physical educators and customize these suggestions based on your program. Whether you direct a camp, provide after-school activities, or supervise parks and recreation programs, you’re sure to be able to integrate Play On! into your setting or program initiatives. Some organizations host special events or supervised play days at local parks. Incorporating Play On! activities and intentionally programming local parks/playgrounds can demonstrate your commitment to promoting physical activity across your community.
With these ideas in mind, we encourage you to go forth and Play On!
Inclusion Strategies
This program is intended for everyone. We believe that every child, regardless of ability or skill level, deserves the opportunity to actively play on playgrounds and to reap the many physical, mental, social and emotional benefits playgrounds can offer.
The learning activity cards reflect our commitment to inclusion by offering adaptations for children with special needs—including children who may need a modification to an activity to complete it successfully. Most of these adaptations adjust or modify the purpose, players, movement, equipment, organization or rules. For example, children can be offered an alternate assignment within the activity, be encouraged to work with a partner, use a different piece of equipment, alter the speed of the movement or perform the activity in a different position (such as seated from a wheelchair). Since every child is different, informed critical judgment must be used to determine how and when to use these inclusion strategies. If you are not sure how to include a child in a particular situation, please consult an expert such as an adapted physical education teacher, therapeutic recreation specialist or special educator for guidance.
While it is important to practice inclusion, the playground on which you execute the Play On! activities should be accessible, as well. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) bans discrimination on the basis of disability, and this law applies to public playgrounds at parks, schools, childcare facilities and public gathering areas. Because the Department of Justice began enforcing ADA in March 2012, playground owners and operators have focused on building ADA-compliant new playgrounds and, if any change is made to an existing playground, retrofitting it to fully comply with ADA. Owners and/or operators of playgrounds who fail to comply with ADA can be fined or sued.
It can be difficult to determine whether a playground is in compliance with ADA unless one is well aware of the legally enforceable guidelines in this area. You can consult the United States Access Board for detailed information regarding playground accessibility. The Access Board is an independent federal agency that develops accessibility guidelines under ADA and other
laws. To ensure that playgrounds are in compliance with ADA, the Access Board has published guidelines for play areas. You can access these guidelines at www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards /recreation-facilities/guides/play-areas. Contact the Access Board or an accessibility expert if you need further assistance or have specific questions.
IPEMA also has developed several resources to help determine whether the playground where you are executing Play On! activities meets the minimum requirements for accessibility. Visit www.ipema.org /news_articles.cfm for more information.
Beyond meeting minimum accessibility standards, playground designers should strive to promote inclusion by addressing PlayCore’s 7 Principles of Inclusive Playground Design™ developed in partnership with Utah State’s Center for Persons with Disabilities and selecting playground equipment that promotes play for children of all abilities. An inclusive or universally designed play space moves beyond minimum accessibility to create an environment that is more usable, to more people, to the greatest extent possible. Remember that the teacher or leader sets the tone for inclusion and should model how to include everyone in the activities. Play On! is not designed to
favor the most athletic, competitive or accomplished child, but rather to create opportunities for all to achieve, accomplish and enjoy. To learn more about best practice design principles and programming for inclusive play environments, visit www.playcore.com/ inclusiveplay.
We hope you use your own creativity, along with that of the children, to ensure that you meet the needs of all children through successful participation that promotes social and physical inclusion!
Teaching Strategies
It is our goal to make sure all Play On! facilitators have the basic pedagogical knowledge to employ this playground program successfully. Play On! is a sound, user-friendly physical activity program, but if facilitators do not follow general instructional tactics, children may never fully experience its benefits: physical fitness and fun
Following are six research-based characteristics of a quality lesson that you can apply to Play On! to deliver a quality and constructive program (Pangrazi & Beighle, 2012):
1. Engage children in developmentally appropriate activities for a large percentage of time. During the elementary years, children can differ vastly in skeletal maturity. We recommend you select Play On! activities that match the grade group of your children, but please be aware that you may need to alter the activity in either direction (more challenging or easier) to meet the developmental needs of each child. Children should feel challenged and successful the majority of the time.
2. Create a structure with little waiting and management time. Keep children moving as much as possible. Maximizing participation will also minimize misbehavior since children will have little time to “goof off.” One effective strategy for maximizing participation and selfpaced learning is a station, or circuit-training, approach. When using activities that do not involve the whole playground, divide children into small groups and position them at dispersed
playground equipment; assign a learning activity to each station. Teach each activity to the whole group ahead of time and establish a smooth rotation procedure to minimize transition time (such as rotation to a new station upon facilitator command). Post a task sheet at each station that clearly illustrates and describes the task to children. Paraprofessionals or additional staff/ volunteers can help oversee the stations.
3. Provide a positive, caring, success-oriented learning atmosphere. Offer generous praise and encouragement that focuses on the child’s effort and performance. The more opportunities children have to practice the activity, the more likely they will be to become proficient. At the same time, expect mistakes and explain that mistakes are a key part of learning any new activity.
4. Provide clear instruction and demonstration. Although the descriptions on each activity learning card are clear and concise, we recommend that you demonstrate (or ask a child to demonstrate) so that children know (and see) exactly what to do. Keep in mind, however, that it is not uncommon for preschool and school-aged children to be so eager to move that they pay little attention to the instruction or demonstration. To assess their understanding, try a quick verbal or movement quiz just prior to the activity.
5. Monitor performance and offer informative feedback. Ensure that children are on task and performing activities correctly by scanning visually from child to child or by positioning and repositioning yourself in close proximity to all children. Offer positive, immediate feedback to all children that is specific to the desire movement of activity: “That’s right, Juan. That’s the way to use your upper body strength to propel your body on the overhead climber.” Recording the physical activity behaviors of children using electronic devices such as pedometers, heart rate monitors or accelerometers is a helpful way to monitor and provide feedback.
6. Be enthusiastic and involved in the instruction process. Be a positive role model by engaging yourself in the activity, modeling various options
for implementation, offering the developmental benefits of the activity, sharing your enthusiasm for movement and interacting often with your students.
Playground Design Considerations
Physical educators and recreation leaders can play a critical role in the selection of playground equipment and designing the outdoor play and learning environment. By offering your expertise to the PTA, park planners or other decision makers you can have a direct influence on the intentional design of the playground to maximize programming and address the need to promote physical activity and fitness. A welldesigned play space provides a critical opportunity to address the needs of the whole child and offer activities that motivate, engage and challenge all children. Playground components should provide opportunities for beginning, intermediate and advanced users to engage in healthy risk-taking and offer challenge through a wide variety of play components and activities.
Specific design considerations can be made to encourage children to move, increase physical activity and develop important fitness skills. Consider the following design best practices to create healthy bodies through play:
• Variety. Offer various elements of play such as brachiating/upper body bilateral coordination (alternating arm swinging/hanging/crawling), climbing, swinging, sliding, spinning and balancing.
• Continuum of Skills. Provide a developmental progression of skills by selecting equipment for beginning, intermediate and advanced level users that will promote healthy risk-taking.
• Naturalization. Naturalized playgrounds that combine manufactured equipment with the living landscape provide more opportunities for increased physical activity. Use child-friendly plant materials and pathways and existing topography to encourage movement and increase play value.
• Loose Parts. Providing additional loose part equipment, such as cones, balls, and hula hoops,
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encourages children to move and cooperate as they manipulate their environment.
• Active Play. Disperse equipment and consider pathway layouts for environmental design configurations that encourage movement through running, chasing, exploring and active play.
Playgrounds can be designed to fully implement the Play On! program, while incorporating the six key elements of play to promote fitness and help children reach moderate to vigorous levels of physical activity. Playground manufacturers, such as PlayCore, have designed standard units for schools and parks at various price points that can be directly linked to implementation of Play On! activities, playground funding opportunities and promoting physical activity. Specific designs can be selected that encourage children to actively move through play and develop important fitness skills that align with national standards for physical activity.
Playground Funding
Playgrounds offer endless benefits for schools, neighborhoods and communities. However, funding this most valuable resource can often be overwhelming. PlayCore has developed the Play & Recreation Funding Guide, a comprehensive resource for assisting you in securing funding for your playground. The resource includes a wealth of information about the two major ways that funds are garnered for playgrounds: writing grants and fundraising. To request a copy, visit www.playcore.com /forms/funding-resources.html. The following section supplements the funding guide and is intended to get you started on funding your project.
ASSESSING YOUR NEEDS
Playground equipment is an important part of an outdoor play and learning environment. The strategic selection of play components and attention to overall
Incorporate Six Key Elements of Play into Your Playground Design to Promote Active Play
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Balancing
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Brachiating
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Spinning
environmental design can address physical, social, cognitive, communication and sensory development of children. Promoting physical activity, inclusion and/ or engagement with nature may be other important considerations. Be thoughtful about selecting activities designed for a variety of skill and age levels to encourage interest and active participation. Educators, park and recreation professionals, therapists, landscape architects, parents and even children can provide valuable input in determining your needs and setting your priorities.
We encourage you to consult PlayCore’s Blueprint for Play: A Toolkit for Building Communities through Play & Recreation Initiatives to inspire you and your team in the creation of your unique playground plan.
Blueprint for Play includes the following suite of tools to guide you through each step of your overall master plan:
1. Plan it
2. Fund it
3. Design it
4. Build it
5. Sustain it
Visit www.playcore.com/toolkit to download this helpful resource.
DEVELOPING A BUDGET
After assessing your needs and determining your priorities, there are some key factors to consider that will help you develop a realistic budget. The size of the space, number of children who will use it, amenities, type of surfacing and installation option you choose will play a major role in your overall budget.
A good general rule is to budget for about $1,000 per child, meaning that if you expect 50 children to be able to play there together, you should budget of about $50,000. Site preparation, surfacing, freight and installation will also need to be added to this figure. Keep in mind that special design considerations like ramps, site amenities and custom components may require additional funds.
The following formula, developed by the United States Access Board, may be useful to provide an estimate of the costs associated with the development of a playground: Cost of playground equipment (x) + Cost
of installation (.30x) + Cost of surfacing (.12x) + cost of design fees, grading, landscaping and other expenses (.10x) = Total project cost or budget (United States Access Board, 2000).
Depending on the skills and abilities of your construction committee, you will need to decide how much involvement you want in the actual construction of the playground. For example, a supervised community build depends solely on volunteers to install the equipment. The installer is on hand to instruct others on the proper installation of the equipment and playground safety surfacing. This option is cost effective and can help get the community to take ownership in the process if you have access to construction minded volunteers. A construction supervisor can be contracted to assist in pre-construction planning and actual installation with the help of volunteers. If you prefer, your selected playground manufacturer can completely install the playground equipment professionally with certified installers. You can still involve volunteers with tasks such as spreading wood fiber surfacing and assisting with landscaping. Generally, you can save some money by having volunteers participate in some way. Be sure to discuss these options with your playground vendor and let them know the level of participation you expect from your volunteers so that together you can properly plan the right installation method for your unique build.
The type of surfacing you choose can have a dramatic effect on the budget. It is important to consider the lifetime cost of maintenance when choosing surfacing, as poured rubber will have a higher initial cost compared to engineered wood fiber, but engineered wood fiber will require more maintenance. Your playground vendor can assist you with a variety of surfacing options to assist you in determining the best direction for your project.
As an example, consider the following model for a playground with $40,000 of equipment and engineered wood fiber installed by a volunteer crew.
Total cost $50,000
The cost of your overall budget can change drastically depending on the scope of the project, geographical location, or the equipment selection the manufacturer quotes. This information is provided to help you establish a baseline or estimate to assist you in determining a reasonable budget for your project. Playgrounds can be built for much less than $50,000 and for much more. Partner with your playground vendor to walk you through the planning, designing and installation options that best meet your needs.
OBTAINING GRANTS
It is easy to be overwhelmed by all the available information about how and where to submit grants. We strongly recommend that you obtain a copy of PlayCore’s Play & Recreation Funding Guide (go to www.playcore.com/programs/funding-resources.aspx to request a copy). It provides a comprehensive list of grant opportunities available from federal, regional and state sources (both governmental and private) and from foundations, including funding sources at the global level. This resource will give you a sense of the wealth of opportunities available that can be linked to playground funding.
A great starting point to learn about grants is through conversations with your network and time spent searching on the Internet. The Foundation Center, www.foundationcenter.org, is a leading source of information about philanthropy and includes a comprehensive database on U.S. granting organizations. Seek grantmakers focused on children’s play, playgrounds, outdoor learning, physical activity and community health.
Your library can be an excellent source of information for local organizations that may offer funding for playgrounds. Many libraries also subscribe to foundation databases, which will enable you to search for additional sources (particularly local and state foundations) for funding.
Search all the foundations in your state or for the top 100 charitable giving foundations within a state. Review their Form 990, a form used by tax-exempt organizations to provide the IRS with required data, for a wealth of information that will help you determine if the foundation is worth approaching about your project. The Form 990 will include general funding
areas in which the foundation specializes (education, health or community development, for example) and will contain a list of all the grants it gave in that year along with corresponding grant amounts. If the projects the organization has funded look similar to yours and are in a general funding area that makes sense for your project then you should consider that foundation a prospect for funding. You can find Form 990’s for most donors on the Foundation Center’s website at http://foundationcenter.org/findfunders /990finder.
If your public library does not offer a foundation database subscription, contact your local university or your local mayor’s office (some have offices of community development or community service that can assist). Or, if the playground is to be built at a school, you can contact the grants officer for your local school system.
WRITING PROPOSALS TO OBTAIN FUNDING FOR YOUR PLAYGROUND PROJECT
Proposals are written requests for funding that are available from the government, foundations and corporations. They come in all shapes and sizes. Usually applicants write these proposals in response to a request for proposals (RFP) or a request for application (RFA). The organization has a sum of money available and it is looking to spend it on worthy projects such as yours. On rare occasions, you can write a proposal to an agency when no RFP has been issued. This is called an unsolicited proposal. Proposal writing can be an excellent way to garner funds for your project, but receiving grants to fund your playground project can be challenging to obtain and will require thorough research and preparation on your part.
You will need to research each grantmaker’s goals and guidelines and align your proposal with their philanthropic mission, vision and requirements. Tailor your proposal to meet the funder’s criteria and speak their language to get their attention. Your project must fit into their philosophy and mission, as well as that of your community. You will need to create a compelling case and use a targeted approach to the grantmaker’s core beliefs. For example, by positioning your proposal around how your playground and playground activities will increase physical activity to address childhood
obesity and sedentary lifestyles, you can align with organizations that wish to invest in the health and wellness of communities.
Commonly used terms to become familiar with in proposal writing are:
RFP: Request for proposal.
RFA: Request for application.
PI: Principal investigator, the person responsible for the execution of the project.
Co-PI: If there are two or more people in charge of the project, they are co-principal investigators.
Proposal: The document that you prepare to request funds for a project.
Grant: The funds that you receive if you have written a successful proposal.
Contract: Most granting agencies require you to sign a contract, which is a legally binding agreement that says you will complete the project objectives within a given time frame.
Program Officer: The primary contact person at the agency that has issued the RFP. Any questions that you might have about your project would be addressed to the program officer. This person often can give you information that is not contained in the RFP.
Proposal Reviewer: A person who reads the proposal and reviews it critically. Reviewers check to make sure that the project is important, the objectives are measurable, the proposed plan of work is excellent, the proposal is well written and the budget is reasonable.
Resubmission: Grant proposals are hard to get. Usually there are many more potential projects to fund than there is money to go around. Many federal granting agencies fund only about 10 percent of the projects proposed. This means that some excellent projects will not receive funding. If your project is not funded, look at the critique of your proposal (written comments are usually included with a letter telling you that you did not receive funding). If you do a good job addressing these comments and you resubmit the proposal during the next funding cycle, your chances for funding may increase dramatically.
THE PROPOSAL PROCESS
You will send your proposal in response to an RFP to the granting organization, and it typically will go to the program officer. The program officer is usually in charge of publishing the RFP, answering any questions from people writing proposals, receiving all the proposals that are submitted to the program and sending copies of the proposals to reviewers. The critical part of this process is the review or critique of your proposal by reviewers who have knowledge of the subject area (play, physical activity and playgrounds), knowledge of the granting agency, and no conflicts of interest with respect to your project. Proposal reviewers will make recommendations about which proposals should be funded to the program officer. Then, the organization (with the assistance of the program officer) will award grants to the individuals/ groups that are chosen. Although the funding process of every granting organization is a little different, the aforementioned approach is typical.
A granting organization may fund a very small percentage of proposals received or it may fund all
of the proposals received. The number of proposals funded depends on a number of factors, many of which are not within your control. Such factors include the amount of money available, geographical and cultural considerations, degree of need demonstrated, number of people served, how well the proposed project matches the mission of the funding agency, the number of resubmissions, etc.
Writing proposals can be a daunting task. However, there are things you can do that will make your proposal as competitive as possible. To be successful, you must (1) have a good idea, (2) follow the rules provided in the RFP and (3) write a good proposal.
Have a good idea.
Your idea in this case is to design and construct a new playground (or upgrade an existing playground) that will enable you to implement the Play On! curriculum. This will, in turn, improve the health of children in your community. This will be an advantage as you apply for funds, since many funders prefer to support evidence-based curricula and projects that support physical fitness, physical education and physical activity initiatives, not simply the playground equipment itself.
You need to sell your idea (without overdoing it) to potential funders. Focus on the aspects of your plan that will make it stand out compared to others, and speak the language of the funding source.
When positioning your idea, focus on need. You must convince the reviewers that there is a pressing community need. The lack of a playground does not constitute a need. Children having lack of an available place to engage in healthy play does constitute a need. Craft your message to address the need to promote physical activity and healthy lifestyles. Use current research, statistics and data in relation to your specific school or community, describing the critical need for children to be physically active through play and to safely be able to access a playground. State the problem and then propose your idea as the solution to that problem.
For example, your playground can be designed to reflect the unique aspects of the community—and
can involve the community in a variety of ways. Perhaps you have people willing to serve in various volunteer roles. How might a school wellness program play a role? What about a community health center? If you can position your proposal as part of an overall plan to improve the health and wellness of a community, you can increase your chance of receiving funding. Funders usually love collaborations, partnerships and grand but realistic plans.
Carefully craft your proposal to align your idea with the values and goals that are important to the organization. For example, the obesity epidemic among children is receiving increased attention nationally. It is addressed in the Let’s Move! program (www.letsmove.gov) and the related school-specific initiative known as Let’s Move! Active Schools (www.letsmoveschools.org), both spearheaded by First Lady Michelle Obama. If the funding organization lists reducing obesity as a priority, focus on the fact that Play On! improves fitness, which reduces obesity, and helps children develop a lifelong love of physical activity.
Similarly, playground safety has become a national issue. A focus on safety and how your proposed playground will effectively address current safety issues may be another good way to frame your idea. The main things to keep in mind when thinking about proposing your idea are to match your idea to the mission of the organization from which you are requesting funding, and to make your idea stand out compared to other projects. Don’t be average. Have a “hook” to highlight the uniqueness of your project or community.
Focus on your project objectives, which are short statements that describe the main activities you will accomplish. There are two types of objectives: formative and summative. Formative objectives are those that you measure or monitor during the entire project period. Summative objectives are those that you complete at the end of project. Good proposals (especially those for long-term projects, meaning longer than one year) include both types of objectives.
Objectives should be measurable, if at all possible. The more specific you can be, the more likely funding agencies will notice your project. Not having measurable objectives is one of the most common errors in proposal writing. If your objectives contain specific variables that can be measured, then you (and the funding agency) can determine whether your project was a success.
For example, the objective, “to improve the community through the construction of a playground” is not easily measurable; but the objective, “to improve the community through the construction of a $50,000 playground that will enhance the fitness, health and social skills of 100 children on a daily basis, year-round” provides more details that can be measured and monitored.
Consider these objectives:
• To build a playground that will enable us to use the Play On! program to effectively address the National Standards for K–12 Physical Education and promote physical activity at Mayfield Elementary School.
• To build a playground designed to promote physical activity and fitness that will allow us to fully implement the Play On! program during after-school and camp programs offered in underserved communities. The program will use 125 playground learning activities with 120 children in PreK–5 grades in Steubenville, Ohio.
Follow the rules.
Your proposal should follow the same headings in the same order as those presented in the RFP. Instructions and the process for application in an RFP should be followed exactly. Read the RFP carefully and follow it to the letter. Many proposals are not considered if they have even one small preparation error. Be sure to incorporate graphics, diagrams or photos to illustrate the proposal. Typical sections contained in a proposal include the following sections:
• Summary of the project. This is designed to convince the reader that the project should be funded. Be sure to include the problem, solution,
funding requirements, information about your organization and its expertise, measurable outcomes and partnerships if applicable.
• Statement of need. This section should enable the funder to understand the solution that the project will provide. Share current research or statistics that support the project description, and give the reader hope.
• Project description. This section should include sections outlining the objectives, methods, staffing/administration, evaluation and sustainability of the project.
• Evaluation. An evaluation plan should be built into the project that demonstrates how you will achieve your objectives.
• Budget. Include a statement of projected expenses and include committed contributions and in-kind donations/services to show the broad-based financial support and visibility of the project.
• Organizational information. Describe your mission, your organization’s structure, programs and any special expertise.
• Conclusion. Call attention to the future after the project is completed. Don’t be afraid to use a bit of emotion and solidify your case.
Contact the program officer, using their preferred method outlined in the application, if you are in doubt about whether you are properly following the instructions of the RFP. Keep in mind that answering questions from prospective applicants is part of the program officer’s job. Many program officers wish that more people would contact them with questions about potential projects. If you have been in contact with the program officer and this person has guided you in some way, she or he might have developed a respect for you and your efforts, which might increase the likelihood that your project will be chosen. They want to help, and they can be a great resource.
Write a good proposal.
Your proposal should be clear and concise. Proposals should be presented in active voice (“We decided.” “I realized”). If you write “the playground
will be constructed,” for example, instead of, “we will construct the playground,” the reviewer might wonder who will construct the playground. We have three suggestions that will make the writing of your proposal straightforward and the reading of your proposal pleasant for the reviewers:
a. Brevity is best. Avoid making the reviewer search for the point of the story; state it as directly and succinctly as possible. Which of the following sentences is easier to read and understand?
• After conducting two public meetings and a design workshop with children/ staff and parent surveys, we worked with a manufacturer to design a playground that implements research-based design best practices to promote physical activity.
• About 45 percent of the members of this community are overweight or obese. Currently, there is no playground within a two-mile radius of the neighborhood. The playground will be designed to promote physical activity and provide programming during and after school, as well as during the summer months to promote youth fitness and active play.
b. Short, simple words are better than big, complicated words. You might think that using big words makes you sound more professional. In fact, they can make people sound false, pretentious and ridiculous. Which of the following sentences reads better?
• Upon careful consideration and after much rumination, we determined that it would be optimal to use engineered wood fiber as the playground safety surfacing material.ve a
• We decided to use engineered wood fiber as the playground safety surface because it is cost-effective and can be easily installed by volunteers.
c. Keep the subject and the verb close together and toward the front of the sentence. This style makes reading the proposal much easier. If you keep your proposal reviewer happy, you will be scored more favorably.
• While sitting on a park bench one sunny Saturday afternoon, I, after eating my lunch and enjoying the breeze, realized that there were few good places for children to play in our community park.
• I realized that there were few quality places for children to play in our community.
REVIEWING AND FINALIZING YOUR PROPOSAL
Be sure to thoroughly review your proposal after you have completed it. Give yourself at least two days after finishing the proposal before you go back and look at it again so that you can see it with fresh eyes. Ensure that all words are spelled correctly and the information you have outlined is accurate.
Ensure that your proposal does not include unnecessary words and phrases, including “in order to,” “very,” etc. Most drafts can be improved by eliminating about 25 percent of the words.
Give your proposal to a friend who knows nothing about your project. If this person cannot understand your proposal, then change the text until the person does understand it.
Avoid negativity, and be positive in your approach. Be sure that your proposal does not use the exact language from the granting organization’s website, brochures, or grant guidelines and write out any acronyms or abbreviations. It is not a good idea to use overly creative colors or fonts in a proposal. Your application should be easy and enjoyable to read.
WHAT ARE PROPOSAL REVIEWERS LOOKING FOR?
• Did you follow the directions set forth in the RFP? Be very diligent in following directions. You do not want to present yourself as someone who will not follow rules. Reviewers may decide that you are not organized or committed enough to complete the project.
• Are the objectives measurable? If the objectives are measurable, then they (and you) will be able to figure out when the project is completed and whether or not it was successful.
• Do you have an evaluation plan in place? Projects that have evaluation built into them have a higher probability of being successful.
• Is the budget reasonable? It takes some experience to match a reasonable budget with a project plan. Proposal writers often make the mistake of promising that they will do a lot for very little money. Reviewers worry about this, because if you are overloaded you may not be able to complete the project or may not complete it well. Ask for exactly what you need (not more), completely justify every dollar that you request, and don’t promise too much.
• What is the impact of the project? Will 500 children use your playground every day? This has more impact than if 10 children will use your playground each day. Will you use your playground in conjunction with a standards-based play curriculum such as Play On!? Succinctly state the benefits of your project for your school or community.
• Do you have special features that make your project stand out? If you have had success with similar projects, mention them. If your team has expertise with playgrounds, detail it. If you already have some funding in hand and are looking for more funding to complete the project, include these details. Include anything that will make your project stand out and position your project as a valuable and realistic one.
Grant review procedures vary, and the decision making process can take anywhere from a few weeks to six months or more. During the review process, the funder may ask for additional information from you, outside consultants or professional references. Be prepared to respond quickly and thoroughly with their requests.
ADDITIONAL FUNDING SOURCES
Be creative and diligent in your efforts to seek other funding avenues. Target government funding, ask for donations directly from individuals and organizations in your community, and hold fundraising events that present your project goal while asking for support. PlayCore has developed a comprehensive fundraising resource as part of its Blueprint for Play: A Toolkit for Building Communities through Play & Recreation Initiatives (www.playcore.com/toolkit). Look for
suggestions outlined in the booklet titled Fund it. There are several basic approaches:
• Ask for donations and pledges (face-to-face or using appeal letters, social media/or interactive online methods such as Kickstarter—www.kickstarter.com).
• Sell items or offer services (calendars, candy, wrapping paper, sports memorabilia, bake sales, car washes, parents night out, raffle or engraved bricks used to create the pathway leading to the playground).
• Host special events (auctions, dinners, lunches, pancake breakfasts, performances, golf outings or other fundraising events).
• Offer naming rights as incentives (for example, offer to have a swing set named in honor of the purchaser.) Recognize various levels of donors and acknowledge individuals by utilizing custom signs.
• Partner with restaurants or businesses to donate part of their proceeds from their sales on a specific day to your cause.
• Request in-kind contributions (food for volunteers on build day, donating items for a silent auction, website design services, graphic design services, landscaping, concrete, use of machinery, providing time to raise funds by going door to door in the community, etc.).
You might choose a combination of methods to obtain funds for your playground. For example, you might
submit proposals for half your budget and execute a fundraising project or two (a silent auction or a golf tournament for adults and a granola bar sale for kids, for example) for the remainder of the budget. Consider selling tickets to a dance performance by local teens, or a karate demonstration or other movement activity that supports healthy physical activity. Try to choose fundraising ideas and host events that reinforce your main message: Fit kids are healthy, happy kids!
ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY
Community involvement is one of the most important aspects of your project in terms of local priorities, awareness, fundraising and volunteers. One advantage of raising funds directly rather than writing a proposal is that the community learns about the project and becomes more invested in it. Community members can enjoy a fundraising dinner, dance, or party; network on the golf course; or otherwise deepen their relationships with each other and take ownership in raising the money needed to fund your project. By the time the playground materializes people have been thinking about this meaningful project and anticipating it for some time, and they will eagerly participate in making it a new play destination of community activity and fun.
Good news: You don’t have to tackle this alone. Hold a community interest meeting or bring together a group of people who want this playground to be built, invite them to serve on a steering committee and ask for their input. Together, it will be easier to develop and execute a funding plan for a playground project. The plan should include organizations to which you plan to send proposals, fundraising options and prospects; these may include local nonprofit or for-profit organizations, area businesses, politicians or people who have might have a specific mission or connection to support your playground initiative.
By putting many ideas on the table in an initial meeting you will see that you have lots of options and lots of opportunities. Then it becomes a matter of figuring out which fundraising techniques make the most sense given the resources, interests, connections, expertise, experience and financial goals of the steering committee members.
Fundraising is about building and sustaining relationships. Focus on building trust, creating a
compelling story and defining a clear call to action. Anyone participating in asking for funds should know and be able to easily state the mission of the project and convincingly describe why you are raising the funds. Working with the steering committee to write a clear mission statement is a great way to achieve this.
More good news: You will also raise awareness in your efforts to raise money. Take advantage of any opportunities at fundraising events, with the media or with targeted groups to talk with about the value of active outdoor play. Share your vision for the playground, the programming you will offer there and what the outcomes will be for your community. Further publicize your campaign by executing kick-off initiatives, letter writing, direct marketing, permission based email campaigns, distributing flyers, e-fundraising, and dedicated websites. Be sure to have a rendering of your project and specific talking points to give fundraisers a visual to communicate the project goal. With any written documents you prepare (brochures, flyers, talking points to distribute to supporters) follow the same rules we offered for proposals: Be clear, be brief and be persuasive!
Play On! can play a role. With Play On! a playground becomes more than a place to play; it becomes a place where kids get happy, get healthy, and learn through active movement.
PLAYGROUND FUNDING SUCCESS STORIES
To show you how to put these strategies to work, here are several examples of playground projects that have been funded and completed. Note that almost every example involved a combination of proposal writing and fundraising.
• A school received three $5,000 grants from local real estate and contracting companies (at least one company had an employee whose child was enrolled at the school). The school used this $15,000 as leverage to apply for and receive a grant of $35,000 from a non-profit organization. The total playground budget was $50,000.
• A nonprofit organization worked with technical writing students from a local college to write proposals to the city’s largest charitable foundation for funding a new playground for the organization. The program officer was invited to the class presentations and expressed enthusiasm for the project. The executive director of the organization then edited the proposals and submitted them to the charitable foundation. Because the program officer was impressed, she told the executive director to request a larger amount than she had originally requested. (The executive director was told to submit for $15,000 before the program officer saw the students present their ideas and for $70,000 after she saw the student presentations.) Ultimately, the organization received $50,000 in grant money from the charitable foundation. They supplemented this grant with $8,000 in donations in honor of a late friend of the organization. The total budget was $58,000.
• A teacher had a dream to provide a more inclusive play space at her school. She taught children with various special needs, and the school’s playground did not go beyond the minimum standards for accessibility. She worked with a playground manufacturer with expertise in inclusive play to design a play environment for children of all abilities. After raising nearly half of the money needed through various school fundraisers and working with the PTA, she personally asked a local school commissioner if he could help make her dream a reality. He chose to fund the playground with his
remaining discretionary funds. The total budget was $50,000.
• The Civitan Club in Cleveland, Tennessee led a grassroots funding raising campaign in effort to to replace an outdated community playground that was also adjacent to a school. The goal of the project was to provide inclusive, active play opportunities for people of all ages and abilities. They sold raffle tickets for a chance to win a new car that was donated by a local car dealership and held a golf tournament. They received donations from local churches and businesses. The school PTA donated money they raised through various fundraisers such as their annual fall festival. The parks and recreation department assisted with the site preparation, equipment and labor. Donations of concrete and gravel were secured. Additionally they received nearly half of their funds from awarded grants that they applied for. The total budget was $218,000.
• Springfield-Greene County Parks and Recreation and Springfield Public School in Springfield, Missouri, created a successful school-park partnership that has strengthened play resources in their community by uniting of the park system and the local school district. The joint use agreement between the Park Board and Springfield Public Schools has led to the seamless merging of schools, parks and playgrounds into shared facilities used for recreation, education and related community enrichment and social activities. This partnership helped fund Play On! certified playgrounds at nine schools that could fully implement the Play On! playground activities during school, and additionally during after school programs, summer camps and other special events offered by the parks and recreation department. Total budget: Varied by location, between $30,000$60,000 each.
• A committed teacher at a school recruited the parent of a child attending that school. The parent composed a letter describing the need for the new playground and sent this letter to 100 nearby businesses and well-known graduates of the school. This strategy resulted in the donation of approximately $5,000. The teacher wrote a number of grants for the playground. Although she was turned down several times she secured several grants from local corporate and family
foundations for a total of $17,000. The hook she used to get funding involved her long-term collaboration with a local Boy Scout troop. The scout leader was a landscape architect and he voluntarily created a master plan for the school’s dream playground. Then, Boy Scouts who wanted to become Eagle Scouts chose parts of the master plan to execute as their Eagle Scout projects. Using this strategy, much of the playground was built (for nominal cost) by the scouts—including numerous benches, a stage, store front activity panels, gardens and traffic signs for a trike track. The company that subcontracted with the school system to do grounds and maintenance contributed all the surfacing materials and supplies after the money for the play equipment was secured. This team involved many strategic partnerships and they had more volunteers than they needed to build the playground. In response, they created shorter time frames in order to accommodate everyone who wanted to volunteer). Total budget: $30,000.
National Standards for K–12 Physical Education (K–5th grade) and Active Start Guidelines for Preschoolers
SHAPE America has established standards (competencies) for developing physically literate individuals “who have the knowledge, skills and confidence to enjoy a lifetime of healthful physical activity” (SHAPE America, 2014). Devised by a team of experienced elementary and secondary physical education teachers, curriculum and pedagogy specialists and authorities in measurement and evaluation, these nationally accepted standards now define what student learning looks like in quality physical education programs. The National Standards have become the hallmark of meaningful and significant content in the physical education discipline.
The impetus behind the National Standards can be traced back to the national education reform movement in the late 1980s; the goal was to establish important educational goals for all students throughout America (NASPE, 1995). The thinking was that if American students were going to be productive and internationally competitive citizens, they needed to learn fundamental academic competencies in school.
This movement urged American schools to identify and reinforce (through achievement tests) the knowledge and skills most essential to each content area (NASPE, 2004). The result was a comprehensive set of six standards that characterize student achievement in physical education.
Since physical education is inextricably linked to promoting healthy and physically active lifestyles, the standards reflect the learning of knowledge, skills and attitudes that are necessary to enjoy a lifetime of physical activity and fitness. Together, they provide a framework for guiding and supporting the development of curricula, instruction and assessment in physical education and activity settings around the country. Teachers, adapted physical educators, community recreational leaders and all who endorse lifelong physical activity are encouraged to align their programs with these standards.
Two prominent standards experts, Drs. Amelia Lee and Melinda Solmon from Louisiana State University, confirmed the alignment between the selected standard(s) and each of the 125 learning activity cards. National Standard #3 (“A physically literate individual demonstrates the knowledge and skills to achieve and maintain a health-enhancing level of physical activity and fitness”) was not mentioned on the cards since the entire Play On! program is designed to meet Standard #3.
In addition to the National Standards, SHAPE America has established guidelines for children from birth to age 5. Active Start: A Statement of Physical Activity Guidelines for Children From Birth to Age 5 addresses the developing child’s unique characteristics and needs. The guidelines reflect the best thinking of specialists in motor development, movement and exercise about the physical activity needs of young children during the first years of life.
Play On! fully aligns with the National Standards and the Active Start guidelines while promoting fitness and fun on the playground. Each learning activity card identifies the National Standards or the Active Start guidelines that are emphasized. The charts below offer an at-a-glance matrix of which activities align with which standards and guidelines.
National Standards Matrix
& Grade 1 Activities
National Standards for K–12 Physical Education
STANDARD #1 Demonstrates competency in a variety of motor skills and movement patterns.
STANDARD #2 Applies knowledge of concepts, principles, strategies and tactics related to movement and performance.
STANDARD #3 Demonstrates the knowledge and skills to achieve and maintain a health-enhancing level of physical activity and fitness.
STANDARD #4 Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others.
STANDARD #5 Recognizes the value of physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression and/or social
National Standards Matrix (continued)
Grade 2 & 3 Activities
National Standards for K–12 Physical Education
A physically literate individual:
STANDARD #1 Demonstrates competency in a variety of motor skills and movement patterns.
STANDARD #2 Applies knowledge of concepts, principles, strategies and tactics related to movement and performance.
STANDARD #3 Demonstrates the knowledge and skills to achieve and maintain a health-enhancing level of physical activity and fitness.
STANDARD #4 Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others.
STANDARD #5 Recognizes the value of physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression and/or social interaction.
Grade 4 & 5 Activities
National Standards for K–12 Physical Education
A physically literate individual:
STANDARD #1 Demonstrates competency in a variety of motor skills and movement patterns.
STANDARD #2 Applies knowledge of concepts, principles, strategies and tactics related to movement and performance.
STANDARD #3 Demonstrates the knowledge and skills to achieve and maintain a health-enhancing level of physical activity and fitness.
STANDARD #4 Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others.
STANDARD #5 Recognizes the value of physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression and/or social interaction.
Fun for All Activities
National Standards for K–12 Physical Education
A physically literate individual:
STANDARD #1 Demonstrates competency in a variety of motor skills and movement patterns.
STANDARD #2 Applies knowledge of concepts, principles, strategies and tactics related to movement and performance.
STANDARD #3 Demonstrates the knowledge and skills to achieve and maintain a health-enhancing level of physical activity and fitness.
STANDARD #4 Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others.
STANDARD #5 Recognizes the value of physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression and/or social interaction.
Active Start Guidelines Matrix
Children
Active Start Guidelines for Preschoolers
GUIDELINE #1 Preschoolers should accumulate at least 60 minutes of structured physical activity each day.
GUIDELINE #2
Preschoolers should engage in at least 60 minutes—and up to several hours—of unstructured physical activity each day, and should not be sedentary for more than 60 minutes at a time, except when sleeping.
GUIDELINE #3
Preschoolers should be encouraged to develop competence in fundamental motor skills that will serve as the building blocks for future motor skillfulness and physical activity.
GUIDELINE #4
Preschoolers should have access to indoor and outdoor areas that meet or exceed recommended safety standards for performing large-muscle activities.
GUIDELINE #5
Caregivers and parents in charge of preschoolers’ health and well-being are responsible for understanding the importance of physical activity and for promoting movement skills by
for
Recommendations for Preschool-Age Children (Ages
2–5)
Research literature documents the fact that physical activity has a positive impact on all developmental domains for young children (Dotterwich et al., 2012; Stork & Sanders, 2008). Several leading national organizations, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Association for the Education of Young Children and SHAPE America have echoed these sentiments and recommend that preschool-age children have access to a variety of physical activity daily, indoors and outdoors, that is both structured and unstructured (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2012, NAEYC, 2009; NASPE, 2009). Specifically, SHAPE America (NASPE, 2009) suggests that young children ages 2–5 engage in physical activity, both indoors and outdoors, on a daily basis. Teachers should plan at least 30 minutes of structured physical activity for children ages 2-3 years, and at least 60 minutes of structured physical activity for children ages 3-5 daily. Additionally, young children should have at least 60
minutes of unstructured physical activity daily with materials that are designed to develop movement skills.
Activities around the six play elements (climbing, spinning, balancing, brachiating, swinging and sliding) exist for this age group, as well. However, playground equipment should be lower to the ground, have a wider base of support, and incorporate upper-body components that are designed to support young children’s body weight at a very low level. Activities that focus on upper body bilateral coordination and the patterning for climbing are the prerequisite skills that provide a foundation for brachiating and have been addressed in the preschool activities.
In preparation for Activities for ages 2–5, we used the Early Intervention Developmental Profile (EIDP; Rogers, D’Eugenio, Brown, Donovan, & Lynch, 1981; Rogers et al., 2005) to target developmental objectives. While young children are moving toward addressing the six play elements the EIDP targets prerequisite motor skills. The motor skills targeted from the EIDP are identified within the benefits section of each activity.
All 25 preschool-age activities also are aligned with standards set forth by the NAEYC, the largest organization of early childhood professionals. NAEYC (n.d.) has developed 10 program standards, based on child development research, to help identify early childhood program quality. The NAEYC’s Program Standards and Accreditation Criteria & Guidance for Assessment, which is a component of the NAEYC accreditation process, expands upon these standards. The NAEYC program standards addressed for each activity are also identified within the benefits section.
Within the NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards and Accreditation Criteria & Guidance for Assessment document (NAEYC, 2014), NAEYC addresses the physical development (p.1213); the physical environment pertaining to indoor/outdoor equipment, materials and furnishings (p.70- 73); and outdoor
environment design (p. 73-76) for young children.
Physical Development. NAEYC recommends that children as young as age 2 have access to environments that allow them to move freely and achieve mastery of their bodies through self-initiated movement (2.C.01) in order to practice emerging skills in coordination, movement and balance and perceptual-motor integration. Additionally, older children (preschool/kindergarten) should have opportunities to engage in large-motor experiences that stimulate a variety of skills, enhance sensory-motor integration and develop controlled movement (balance, strength and coordination). These experiences should range from familiar to new and challenging and should include structure that will help children learn physical games with rules and structure (2.C.04).
PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
Indoor and Outdoor Equipment, Materials and Furnishings. NAEYC recommends that children have the opportunity to interact with gross-motor equipment for activities such as pulling up; walking; climbing in, on and over; moving through, around and under; pushing; pulling; and riding (9.A.04).
Outdoor Environmental Design. NAEYC recommends that outdoor play areas be designed with equipment that is age- and developmentally appropriate and that is located in clearly defined spaces with semiprivate areas where children can play alone or with a friend. These spaces should include motor experiences such as running, climbing, balancing, riding, jumping, crawling, scooting or swinging (9.B.01). Additionally, outdoor play areas should be protected by fences or by natural barriers to prevent access to streets or other dangers (9.B.02) and should be arranged so that staff can supervise children by sight and sound (9.B.03). This space should include at least 75 square feet per child, based on a maximum of one-third of the total center enrollment being outside at one time (9.B.04). If sand boxes are used, they must be constructed for drainage, covered when not in use, cleaned of foreign matter regularly and have sand replaced as often as necessary to keep the sand clean (9.B.05). Children should be
safe from hazards related to outdoor play equipment, including: protection from falls (resilient surfacing should extend six feet beyond limits of stationary equipment). Equipment should be free of sharp points, or protruding hardware; be free from entrapment (openings should be less than 3.5 inches or more than 9 inches); be protected from tripping hazards (no exposed concrete footings, abrupt changes in surface elevations, tree roots, tree stumps, or rocks); and be protected from excessive wind and direct sunlight (9.B.06). Outdoor play equipment should meet the criteria established by applicable playground standards referenced previously on p. F/12.
The preschool activities included in this manual address these skills and are specifically identified by age range. All preschool activities include variations to make each activity easier or more challenging in order to meet the needs of children of all ability levels. Activities also include instructions for facilitators to help children adhere to rules within each activity.
Play On! Skill Assessment Worksheets
Use the following worksheets to assess the physical (specifically the six play elements of brachiating/upper body bilateral coordination, climbing, swinging, sliding,
spinning, balancing), fitness, social and personal development goals of your children through Play On! The 10 observable indicators listed beneath each development goal can be used for instructional cues, to track student progress and to provide feedback. Worksheets are separated by the age groups.
PRESCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN (AGES 2-5)
Physical Development
UPPER-BODY BILATERAL COORDINATION
28–31 months1
1. Throws ball 5 feet to 7 feet in a vertical pattern
3.5–4 years2
2. Throws a tennis ball for distance from a forward stance
4–4.5 years2
3. Catches a large ball with arms flexed at elbows
4. Throws a tennis ball overhand using trunk rotation
5. Uses both hands to bounce a large ball
6. Imitates body movements with integration of both sides of body CLIMBING
24–27 months1
1. Goes up and down stairs alone, nonreciprocally
2. Goes up stairs alternating feet
3–3.5 years2
3. Walks up stairs, alternating feet, no rail
4. Climbs on playground equipment
3.5–4 years2
5. Walks down stairs, alternating feet, while holding hand rail
4–4.5 years2
6. Walks up and down stairs alternating feet without holding onto a rail SWINGING
4.5–5 years2
1. Swings self on swing (seats self, can swing to 45 degree angle to the ground)
Physical Development (continued)
SLIDING
4.5–5 years2
1. Slides down a slide independently (climb up, seat self, push down, remain seated, come to standing at bottom of slide) SPINNING
4.5–5 years2
1. Walks in a circle quickly three times without falling. BALANCING
24–27 months1
1. Walks in a circle quickly three times without falling.
2. Kicks a stationary ball
3. Jumps from bottom step with feet together
28–31 months1
4. Walks on tiptoes
5. Takes a few alternate steps on balance beam
6. Rises to standing from back using a mature rising pattern (sitting up, then coming up onto feet; trunk does not rotate)
7. Stands on one foot and balances for 2-3 seconds
3–3.5 years2
8. Stands with feet touching with hands at side for 10 seconds
9. Walks backward
10. Runs, turning sharp corners
11. Jumps forward on both feet
12. Rises to standing from knees without using hands
3.5–4 years2
13. Walks with heel-toe placement
14. Jumps from 12-inch height with feet together
15. Hops on dominant foot
Physical Development (continued)
BALANCING (CONTINUED)
4–4.5 years2
16. Stands on one foot for 6 seconds
17. Walks on 6-foot balance beam independently in 10 seconds
18. Jumps forward 8-10 inches with both feet off the ground
19. Jumps over a 2-inch obstacle
20. Kicks a large ball toward an object positioned 6 feet away and accurately hits it 2-3 times
4.5–5 years2
21. Jumps backward with both feet six times
22. Jumps over a 4-inch obstacle
Fitness Development
1. Engages in physical activity for at least 60 minutes each day (can be broken into two 30-minute blocks)
2. Can perform at least one activity designed to improve each component of physical play (balancing, climbing, spinning, sliding, upper body bilateral coordination, swinging)
3. Demonstrates the core strength and stability needed to perform a variety of activities
4. Demonstrates sufficient muscular strength to support body weight
5. Demonstrates a full range of motion in multiple joints
6. Selects activities that address personal weaknesses as well as strengths
7. Leads an active, healthy lifestyle
Social Development
24-27 months1
1. Engages in pretend play of familiar activities (being asleep, telephoning)
2. Prefers to play near, but not with, other children 28-31 months1
3. Plays with other children 32-35 months1
4. Shares toy with adult prompts 3-3.5 years2
5. Plays simple games with other children 3.5-4 years2
6. Talks about her/his activities 4-4.5 years2
7. Plays in small group of children
8. Plays cooperatively with other children (shares, takes turns, engages in organized group activity)
Personal Development
24-27 months1
1. Independently chooses activity and begins to play 32-35 months1
2. Separates from familiar person in a strange environment for 5 minutes
3-3.5 years2
3. Plays simple games with other children
4. Plays simple “pretend” games with props
5. Makes simple choices between activities when given a choice
3.5–4 years2
6. Obeys stated safety rules (stay out of street, etc.)
4 -4.5 years2
7. Can dramatize play activities (“crawl like a bug”)
8. Can perform a short-term task until completed 4.5-5 years2
1. Responds with appropriate effect or action in social situations
2. Can distinguish fantasy from reality
3. Completes a long-term task until completed
NOTE: Due to the wide range of developmental differences among preschool-age children, some assessment indicators may not be appropriate for certain grade level groups. Please use your best judgment and assess children only on those indicators that clearly reflect the developmental abilities of their particular grade level group.
*Items in this checklist taken from the Developmental Programming for Infants & Young Children series.
1 Rogers, S. J., D’Eugenio, D. B., Brown, S. L., Lynch, E. W., Moersch, M. S., & Schafer, D. S. (2005). Early intervention developmental profile (revised ed.). In D. S. Schafer & M. S. Moersch (Eds.), Developmental programming for infants and young children,. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
2 Brown, S. L., D’Eugenio, D. B., Drews, J. E., Haskin, B. S., Lynch, E. W., Moersch, M. S., & Schafer, D. S. (2001). Early intervention developmental profile (revised ed.). In D. S. Schafer & M.S. Moersch (Eds.), Developmental programming for infants and young children. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN (GRADES K-5)
Physical Development
BRACHIATING 1,2
1. Can initiate with either hand
2. Able to execute a variety of grasps (over, under, mixed, wide, close)
3. Thumb is wrapped around bar (lock grip) at all times
4. Body swings forward and downward in smooth arc
5. Maintains efficient body control during swinging motion
6. Trunk rotates with every grasp
7. Entire movement is steady and fluid
8. Brachiates with minimal or no assistance
9. Able to vary brachiating speed
10. Dismounts with minimal or no assistance
CLIMBING 1
1. Can lead with either hand or foot
2. Trunk stays close to apparatus
3. Ascends using a contralateral arm-leg action
4. Descends using a contralateral arm-leg action
5. Avoids placing feet at same level (rung, step, etc.)
6. Climbs a variety of apparatus (stable & unstable)
7. Climbs with minimal or no assistance
8. Maintains good balance and body control
9. Dismounts gracefully
10. Adds complexity to the movement
Physical Development (continued)
SWINGING 3
1. Starts swing motion gracefully
2. Holds onto chains throughout
3. Leans upper body during forward stretch of lower body
4. Feet extended and legs together during forward stretch
5. Feet flexed and legs together during back kick
6. Trunk, feet and hands fully synchronized
7. Swings unassisted
8. Obtains and maintains medium to high height
9. Remains seated and balanced throughout
10. Stops swing motion and dismounts smoothly
SLIDING
1. Consistent and fluid bipedal locomotion up steps
2. Holds the supporting structure with both hands during ascent
3. Maintains an upright torso throughout descent
4. Descends unassisted
5. Descends without using hands to push or hold on
6. Descends without dragging feet
7. Safely dismounts unassisted
8. Clears path from exit area to leave space for next child to descend safely
9. Complies with the one-child-at-a-time rule
10. Descends a variety of slides
Physical Development (continued)
SPINNING
1. Affixes eyes on a focal point while spinning
2. Maintains stable postural control throughout
3. Stays on equipment for entire spin
4. When applicable, extends free limbs as counterbalances
5. Spins on a variety of equipment (individual and group)
6. Holds steady body alignment (without wobbling) after spin
7. Spins safely and with control and grace
8. Spins clockwise and counterclockwise
9. Maintains awareness of physical space in relation to others
10. Able to vary spin speed BALANCING 4,5
1. Aligns center of gravity over base of support
2. Displays wide base of support (when applicable)
3. Extends free body limbs as counterbalances
4. When applicable, holds body perfectly still
5. Focused on a stationary spot/object
6. Maintains upright body posture (head up, shoulders erect, and eyes forward
7. Balances unassisted
8. Balances on different surfaces (stable and unstable)
9. Uses minimal number of weight-bearing body parts
10. Alternates weight-bearing body part (either leg, etc.)
Fitness Development6,7
1. Engages in moderate to vigorous physical activities for at least 10 successive minutes without excessive fatigue
2. Engages in physical activity, mostly at least of moderate intensity, for at least 60 minutes daily
3. Recognizes the key components of physical fitness (muscular strength and endurance, aerobic fitness, flexibility and body composition)
4. Recognizes the benefits of physical fitness
5. Can perform at least one activity designed to improve each element of physical play (brachiating, climbing, swinging, sliding, spinning, balancing)
6. Demonstrates the core strength and stability needed to perform a variety of activities
7. Demonstrates sufficient muscular strength to support body weight
8. Demonstrates a full range of motion in multiple joints
9. Selects activities that address personal weaknesses as well as strengths
10. Leads an active, healthy lifestyle
Social Development6
1. Behaves respectfully toward others
2. Encourages playmates verbally and nonverbally
3. Plays cooperatively by taking turns and sharing equipment
4. Displays kindness and inclusiveness by helping others
5. Plays independently without interfering with others
6. Demonstrates leading skills
7. Demonstrates following skills
8. Participates and interacts with all peers, regardless of gender, social class, ethnicity and ability level
9. Plays fair, understands and abides by rules
10. Resolves conflicts peacefully
Personal Development6
1. Receptive to learning and experimenting with new activities and skills
2. Displays feelings of accomplishment and sense of self-esteem
3. Listens well and follows directions
4. Willingly challenges oneself beyond comfort zone
5. Demonstrates progress through persistent effort and practice
6. Complies with safety rules
7. Expresses self through creative games and movements
8. Values and enjoys physical activity
9. Accepts responsibility for own behavior
10. Voluntarily transfers learned play elements outside the playground
NOTE: Due to the wide range of developmental differences among schoolage children, some assessment indicators may not be appropriate for certain grade level groups. Please use your best judgment and assess children only on those indicators that clearly reflect the developmental abilities of their particular grade level group.
References
1 Based on the stages provided in: Frost, J. L., Brown, P., Sutterby, J. A., & Thornton, C. D. (2004). The developmental benefits of playgrounds Olney, MD: Association for Childhood Education International.
2 Based partially on: Avis, V. (1962). Brachiation: The crucial issue for man’s ancestry. Southwestern Journal of Anthropology, 18(2), 119-148.
3 Based on the Guttman scale on swinging behaviors provided in: Fox, J. E., & Tipps, R. S. (1995). Young children’s development of swinging behaviors. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 10(4), 491-504.
4 Based partially on balancing skill theme development in: Graham, G., Holt/Hale, S. A., Parker, M. (2007). Children moving: A reflective approach to teaching physical education (7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.
5 Based partially on stability mechanical principles in: Pangrazi, R. P. (2006). Dynamic physical education for elementary school children (15th ed.). San Francisco, CA: Benjamin Cummings.
6 Modified from sample performance outcomes in: National Association for Sport and Physical Education. (2004a). Moving into the future: National standards for physical education (2nd ed.). Reston, VA: SHAPE America.
7 Based on physical activity recommendations for youth in: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2008). Physical activity guidelines for Americans. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
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Freedman, D. S., Khan, L. K., Dietz, W. H., Srinivasan, S. A., & Berenson, G. S. (2001). Relationship of childhood obesity to coronary heart disease risk factors in adulthood: The Bogalusa Heart Study. Pediatrics,108, 712–718.
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Special Send-Home Resource for Families
Dear Teachers and Recreation Leaders:
As you know, family and parental support and involvement play a crucial role in children’s education. In the case of physical fitness, children are much more likely to get fit and stay fit if families promote physical activity and engage in it themselves.
Please photocopy the following pages and send them home to families so they can understand and support your efforts—and more importantly, understand and support their children. Families also can download their own copies by searching for the Play On! program at www.playcore.com/PlayOn.
(The Play On! program is copyrighted and users may not copy or distribute any additional pages. However, we do encourage you to copy and distribute this section for families.)
Play On! A Resource for Active Families
Dear Parent or Guardian,
Your child is participating in a new program called Play On! Promoting Physical Activity & Fitness Though Active Play. We want to share our enthusiasm about this program and offer suggestions for activities that your family can do together to promote fitness and healthy physical activity.
Have you seen the disheartening trends associated with childhood obesity? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
• Roughly 18 percent of children aged 6-11 years are obese, a percentage that has more than doubled since 1980 (when it was 7 percent).
• Obese children are more likely to become obese adults.
• Overweight adults are more prone to chronic health risks including heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and some forms of cancer.
• Approximately 365,000 premature deaths per year are associated with obesity, making it —along with smoking —one of the two most preventable causes of death related to chronic disease.
• Estimated annual obesity-related health care costs are in excess of $147 billion.
One major cause of the obesity epidemic is the physical inactivity of children today. In 2011, only 29 percent of students nationwide met the recommendations set forth by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services of 60 minutes or more of daily physical activity. This percentage steadily declines throughout adolescent years, and almost 14 percent of youngsters are not physically active at all on a regular basis.
Moreover, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP, 2013), the average American child spends about 7 hours each day engaged in sedentary entertainment media use (television viewing, video gaming, movie watching and web surfing)—a
PROMOTING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY & FITNESS THROUGH ACTIVE PLAY!
Russell L. Carson, Ph.D. Marybeth Lima, Ph.D. Cynthia F. DiCarlo, Ph.D.
stark difference from the two hour or less daily recommendation— from the AAP and many other national groups, including the White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity Report to the President (2010) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (2012). It is more important now than ever for children to engage in physical activity. Fortunately, when structured properly, physical activity can be fun!
This family resource provides information about play and the developmental benefits of playgrounds. We encourage you to read this information in its entirety. It is organized into subsections so that you can focus on the information you wish to reference at a later time. The subsections are:
• Benefits of physical activity.
• Introducing Play On!
• Six core play elements emphasized in Play On!
• Playing with your child.
• Suggestions for playing together as a family.
• Playground safety.
There also are suggestions for locating additional resources in the subsections. Thank you for your support in encouraging movement and fun every day at home. Have fun, and Play On!
BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
As you may know, regular physical activity has many benefits. Regular moderate to vigorous exercise:
• Reduces risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and colon cancer.
• Helps prevent obesity and premature deaths.
• Develops healthy bones, lean muscles and nonarthritic joints.
• Lowers blood pressure and cholesterol.
• Improves cognitive performance.
• Increases self-esteem.
• Reduces feelings of anxiety and depression.
That’s why physical activity experts recommend that young people (ages 5–19) engage in moderate to vigorous physical activity for at least 60 minutes, and up to several hours, each day of the week (U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). For preschoolers (ages 2–5), SHAPE America – Society of Health and Physical Educators recommends 60 minutes of structured activity, and at least 60 minutes and up to several hours of unstructured physical activity supervised by an adult (National Association for Sport and Physical Education, 2009).
Developing healthy habits early in life is essential to lifelong wellness. With this in mind, we are implementing a program to help your child get excited about physical activity. With your support, this program could help curb the current childhood obesity epidemic by establishing patterns and interests that will lay the foundation for a lifetime of fitness and wellness.
INTRODUCING PLAY ON!
This new and exciting program that has become an integral part of your child’s education is called Play On! The program uses playgrounds to enhance learning, increase physical activity, and offer fun ways for children to maximize the potential of their school or community playground. Through carefully crafted playground learning activities, children find themselves moving, learning, problem-solving, freely expressing themselves, exploring their capabilities, developing fundamental motor skills, experiencing diverse
elements of play, collaborating with one another, and— best of all—loving every minute of it. That is the most important aspect of this program: Play On! allows children to achieve physical fitness in a fun context that they enjoy!
Play On! can enhance the benefits of playgrounds by improving children’s physical fitness (cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength/endurance, flexibility and balance) and facilitating the development of personal (creativity, goal setting, self-confidence) and social (camaraderie, communication, leadership, etc.) skills. Play On! builds active, healthy bodies—a pressing and critical need among children today.
A team of physical activity experts who work with and understand children created Play On! The team represented preschool teachers, elementary physical education teachers and adapted “teachers of the year” from demographically diverse school settings; experienced university teacher educators and researchers of physical education; and elementary-age children themselves. A thorough process of testing and retesting certified that the activities reflected the following:
1. The developmental needs of preschool-age children (ages 2–5), kindergarten and grades 1–5 and activities for all school grades (K–5).
2. The six fundamental elements of play—climbing, swinging, sliding, spinning, balancing and brachiating (upper-body bilateral coordination).
3. Safety considerations.
4. Adaptations to accommodate a range of skill, ability and fitness levels.
5. Current thinking and practices regarding physical fitness and children.
6. SHAPE America’s National Standards for K–12 Physical Education and its Active Start guidelines for preschool-age children.
As a result, Play On! offers a comprehensive list of developmentally appropriate, diverse, safe, inclusive and meaningful playground activities to promote fitness and physical activity through active play.
CORE PLAY ELEMENTS EMPHASIZED IN PLAY ON!
Playgrounds contribute to overall child development and physical fitness while improving six essential elements of physical activity. Play On! offers 125 activities that emphasize the following six play elements.
1. Balancing: With your child, generate as many different matching balance poses as possible.
2. Sliding: Devise and perform a tag game with your child that incorporates sliding.
3. Brachiating/upper body bilateral coordination: Traverse across monkey bars following your child. Preschool-age children might try crawling on playground platforms.
4. Spinning: With your child, spin clockwise and counterclockwise on the surface of the playground, or a device designed for spinning.
5. Climbing: With your child, ascend and descend the climbing structures on the playground.
6. Swinging: Get on a swing and synchronize your swinging motion with your child’s.
Combined play benefits: With your child, design and execute an obstacle course that integrates each play element.
Please note: if you have a preschool-age child (ages 2–5), make sure that your child performs the activities on a playground designed for preschool-age children. The recommended age range should be marked clearly on signage at public playgrounds and/or on equipment.
Your child might be able to teach you the Play On! activities she or he learned or the two of you might make up your own. Perhaps cue your child by asking, “What sliding games have you learned so far?” or, “Show me a game we can play while we swing on the playground.”
Six Key Elements of Play Emphasized in Play On!
•
•
Balancing
• Increases understanding of efficient body positioning and control, principles of gravity, equilibrium, base of support, and counterbalances Promotes muscular strength and endurance throughout the entire body
Swinging
• Promotes aerobic fitness, muscular force, and wholebody awareness
6 1 3
• Emphasizes the importance of timely energy transfer during movement 2 4
Brachiating
• Improves muscular strength and endurance Promotes handeye coordination and rhythmic body movement
Spinning
• Develops kinesthetic awareness and postural control
• Improves understanding of speed, force, and directional qualities of movement
Another option is to take a free play approach. Allow your child to create activities that your family can do together. Maybe ask, “What can we learn or discover here?” or, “What challenges or games can we do together?” Talk about the benefits, what you liked best, and how you might do things differently next time. The key is to engage in activities that capitalize on the collective creativity, imagination and natural desires of you and your child while promoting and modeling fitness.
PLAYING WITH YOUR CHILD
Play is not just for children. It is essential throughout our lifespan. All age groups can benefit from the physical fitness, social contact, critical thinking and creative expression opportunities that playgrounds can offer. Playgrounds are places where children, parents and family members of all ages and abilities can come together to engage in fun interactive activities.
When you take your children to the park—or to the backyard—do you just watch? If so, try actively participating. This is where families can make a difference! Your child will be more engaged if you are!
Playing with your child is a perfect way to show your support for healthy physical activity as opposed to sedentary activities. Play allows you to connect with your child and be part of her or his life in a meaningful way. These quality experiences establish fitness habits and a physical activity lifestyle that is passed along from generation to generation. We want today’s children to teach tomorrow’s children the value of active play on playgrounds, thereby reversing current childhood obesity trends—and this can start with you.
There are many ways to play with your child, all of which can enhance your child’s enjoyment, your relationship, and even your own physical fitness.
There are several types of play. Each can contribute to the life and development of your child.
Free play is play that is dictated and controlled by children without adult input or guidance. Free play is beneficial to children because it allows them to experience a world in which they are the authorities because they are deciding what to do. During free play, children can work independently or together
to learn, solve problems, share, negotiate and lead. Tag, neighborhood races and spontaneous games on a playground without prompting from adults are examples of free play. Children begin to engage in free play independently at about age 7, or younger with adult support.
Imaginative play is a type of free play that involves children using their minds creatively. In other words, it is play that involves elements of dramatic play, pretend or make believe. This generally begins at about age 2. This type of play is important because it enables children to develop their imagination and creativity and to discover and explore their interests. A child playing with an imaginary friend is an example of imaginative play. Children learn important social skills such as perspective-taking as they pretend to be the parent while playing house, the teacher while playing school or an astronaut, monster, or famous person—all while on or around a playground.
Directed play is play that occurs under the facilitation of an adult, usually to meet a specific objective (such as physical fitness) that is not necessarily chosen by the children. Directed play is important to enable children to develop physically, emotionally and cognitively. Kickball, four square and hopscotch are examples of structured play because they are games with multiple rules that are usually administered and monitored by an adult, at least during the initial teaching process.
Guided play offers a loosely defined framework of social rules in which the environment may be more regulated than free play. Guided play is similar to directed play but with less guidance from the facilitator. The facilitator provides some guidelines for play, but the children can ultimately choose how to play within those guidelines.
Play On! activities incorporate all four types of play. Each activity provides structured play, but many activities encourage children to use their imagination and to engage in free play as they build and expand on activities to make them their own. For example, in the Play On! activity, “Follow the Zookeeper,” children pretend to be their favorite animal while sliding down a slide; in “Cling to Your Color,” children touch only one color of playground equipment at a time, but what they do on that equipment is entirely up to them.
All types of play are valuable, and we encourage you to use them at any outdoor play spaces or playgrounds that are available to your child. Reports by the American Academy of Pediatrics state that play allows children to use their creativity while developing their imagination, dexterity, and physical, cognitive and emotional strength; play is important to brain development. Additionally, these reports say that a combination of child-driven play and adult-driven play is important and that increased parent-child playtime is crucial.
SUGGESTIONS FOR PLAYING TOGETHER AS A FAMILY
There are a variety of ways that families can be physically active together. Consider taking your child to a nearby schoolyard, community park or your backyard and find creative ways to participate together in play. Children need play that is fun, physically challenging and socially and mentally engaging every day. To purport the age-old adage, “families that play together, stay together.” Below are some helpful suggestions for promoting a lifestyle of play.
• Ask your child, “Who did you play with today? What did you do? Was it fun? What did you like about it?”
• Allow your child to show you the Play On! or other playground activities she or he is learning at school or during recreation programs. Express genuine interest in what your child is doing and achieving. Work with your child to replicate the activity at home.
• Establish a set time for free play at home. Follow your child’s lead and allow the play to be totally directed by your child. If you get bored or distracted, stay with it. This is time for your child to be in charge, and for you to learn what’s interesting and important to her or him.
• Develop imaginative play activities or games that can be performed as a family. Act out musicals, perform skits, create a community circus, offer magic shows—whatever engages your child’s imagination and sense of fun. The more physical these activities are, the better. A sea lion in a game about the ocean, for instance, shouldn’t just “bark,” but also should “swim.”
• Turn a challenge into a teachable moment when your child tells you about an physical activity that was difficult or disappointing. Discuss persistence, compassion, teamwork or another relevant life lesson.
• Set a family goal to visit all the playgrounds in your local community. Make a list and check them off as you visit.
• Encourage your child to explore and perform physical challenges. Be prepared to provide an easier modification if your child cannot successfully perform the activity and a more challenging modification when she or he can. If an activity appears to be unsafe, stop it and redirect your child’s attention to a safer activity.
• Be a role model and engage in your own playful physical activities around your child. Children are likely to develop habits similar to their parents or guardians.
• Watch your child carefully if you are not able to actively engage with her or him on the playground. Scan the playground visually and position yourself in close proximity to your child.
• Keep records of physical activity and make it fun with charts, stars and other rewards.
• Keep a list of your family’s most popular physical activities and discuss new activities that you haven’t tried yet.
• Set goals for family physical activity such as participating in five physical activity outings per month (bowling, swimming, hiking, biking, jogging, mini-golfing, geocaching, etc.).
• Create backyard treasure hunts that incorporate physical activity.
• Have a playground night one evening a week. Pack a healthy dinner.
• Make it a priority to have some sort of active game at every family reunion or gathering.
• Have a picnic in the park (or schoolyard) during the weekend. Come up with a play activity as you enjoy a healthy meal, then go play.
• Learn a new form of physical activity each year (such as cross-country skiing or rollerblading) to expand your family’s physical capabilities and ambitions.
• Make it a family project to write letters to local authorities to develop more community spaces that promote physical activity (sidewalks, playgrounds, trails, parks, etc.) or to improve an existing infrastructure to make sure that it is safe.
• Tune up your bicycles or have a bicycle makeover to renew your child’s interest in biking. Designate a bike night periodically.
• Volunteer as a parent representative on your child’s school health advisory council or wellness committee and encourage playground use as a regular part of comprehensive school programming—before, during and after school activities.
Additional online resources for playing together as a family:
• www.bestfamilyadvice.com – click “Family Fun” for several ideas
• www.familyfun.com
• www.familytlc.net
• www.familyeducation.com
• www.funattic.com
• www.gameskidsplay.net
• www.healthychildren.org
• Tips for Family Fitness Fun at Shape Up America!— www.shapeup.org/children/tips_index.html
Related books and reading material for parents:
American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association, National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education. (2012). Preventing childhood obesity in early care and education programs (2nd ed.) Retrieved from http://cfoc.nrckids.org/WebFiles /PreventingChildhoodObesity2nd.pdf.
Carlson, F. M. (2011). Big body play: Why boisterous, vigorous, and very physical play is essential to children’s development and learning. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Harrison, A. (2002). 36 games kids love to play. Turners Falls, MA: Northeast Foundation for Children.
Hurn, R. (2006). Active playtimes: Playground activities for fit, healthy and happy kids. London, England: A & C Black.
Kettmann, S. (2005). The 2,000 best games and activities. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks.
Sanders, S. W. (2008) Active for life: Developmentally appropriate movement programs for young children. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Steffens, C., & Gorin, S. (2007). Learning to play, playing to learn: Curriculum and activities for classroom and playground management (3rd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Wellhousen, K. (2002). Outdoor play every day: Innovative play concepts for early childhood. Albany, NY: Delmar-Thomas Learning.
PLAYGROUND SAFETY
Playgrounds are fun, but they also can pose risks. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (2010), about 200,000 children visit emergency rooms each year as a result of injuries on playgrounds. About 79 percent of all playground injuries are due to falls from play equipment. Seventysix percent of all playground injuries occur on public playgrounds (in parks or schools, for example) and 24 percent occur on home playgrounds. About 15 children die from injuries sustained on playgrounds each year, and most of those deaths occur on home playgrounds.
This information is alarming. We share it so that you will be aware of the potential risks on playgrounds and so that children will play in the safest possible environment. The information in this section is not a comprehensive guide to playground safety, but is intended to give you the tools to minimize risks to your child. According to the National Recreation and Parks
Association, 84 percent of all playground accidents could be avoided through (a) adult supervision of play, and (b) proper maintenance of playgrounds.
Following are several steps you can take that will minimize the risk of your child being injured.
Before going to the playground:
• Apply sunscreen and dress your child in clothing that will provide protection from sun exposure. The American Academy of Dermatology estimates that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer during their lifetime. Your chances of developing skin cancer increase dramatically if you have experienced several bad sunburns during childhood. Everyone should make it a habit to apply sunscreen before going outside, even if it is cloudy or cold.
• Establish and reinforce rules for safer play. Before a trip to the playground, ask your child what she or he thinks the rules should be. This practice can empower your child to decide how to behave, which increases the likelihood that she or he will abide by the rules.
• Help ensure a positive play environment by encouraging your child to avoid using negative words (e.g., “no,” “do not”) in the rules that you have established together.
Following is a general set of playground rules that we recommend for children.
Suggested Playground Rules
• Listen to the adult(s) on duty.
• Follow directions.
• Be fair and respectful to others.
• Share play equipment and take turns.
• Treat playground equipment with respect.
• Play during dry weather and daytime hours (if the playground is not lighted).
• Stay within the designated play area.
• Avoid climbing on or over fences.
• Wear proper attire.
• Always keep playgrounds clear of:
• Backpacks
• Food and drinks
• Jewelry
• Scarves
• Clothing with drawstrings (especially hood or neck)
• Pets
• Sticks
• Bikes
• Bike helmets
• Baseball bats
• Hard balls
• Skateboards
• Roller skates
• Ropes
• Yo-yos or other toys with strings
• Chairs
Once at the playground but before play begins:
• Make sure that the playground upon which your child will play is age appropriate. Playgrounds are carefully designed to ensure that they are developmentally appropriate. Generally, there are two types of public playgrounds: those for preschool-age children (ages 2–5) and those for school-age children (ages 5–12).* Use the playground intended for your child! If your child is 5 years old you have to make a judgment call. Some children are advanced enough to use a playground intended for school-age children while others are not; the overlap at age 5 is
* Some playgrounds are for children ages 2–12 and span all age ranges. Still others are intended for even younger children; a separate set of safety and design recommendations applies to toddlers, children ages 6–23 months. These playgrounds are usually not available to the public. If they are available, safety guidelines regarding these areas are contained in the Public Playground Safety Handbook published by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. See reference section for details.
deliberate on the part of playground designers to accommodate developmental differences. If your child is younger than 5 years of age there is no judgment needed. Do not allow your child on a playground intended for school-age children. We realize that a preschool-age child will want to play on a playground intended for school-age children; it looks more challenging! Many parents make the mistake of thinking that if they are immediately adjacent to their child they will be able to intervene before the child gets hurt. This is not necessarily the case!
• Examine the play area for hazards. Even with regular maintenance playgrounds may contain hazards such as broken tree limbs, debris, slippery leaves, ice, insects, etc. Remove or avoid them. You might talk to your child about such hazards and check the play area together before play begins.
• Be careful of direct sunlight; look for areas to play in the shade and make sure your child isn’t burned on equipment such as metal slides or rubberized surfacing that has been in direct sunlight.
• Avoid having your child play on rusted or deteriorated equipment.
• Make sure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing material (such as wood chips, sand or rubber) under and around play equipment. This material is intended to cushion children when they fall.
• Examine the play area for protrusions or things that stick out upon which your child could be cut or scraped.
• Avoid head and neck entrapments, which are openings on play equipment (and sometimes on picket fences) that are generally between 3.5 and 9 inches wide. Head/neck entrapments should not exist on playgrounds. Note: Openings between 3.5 and 9 inches in which the ground is one of the boundaries are acceptable.
If your child is playing on a public playground report any concerns you have, along with the safety issues mentioned previously, to the organization or person in charge of the playground. If you report an issue and it is not addressed quickly, continue to report the issue and avoid using playground until the issue is fixed.
A QUICK CHECKLIST FOR FAMILIES
Keep Your Child S.A.F.E.
Place this list in a prominent area of your home for quick reference. Then, before you head out the door for the playground, check that:
Strings and ropes should not be present. Strings on clothing or ropes used for play can cause accidental strangulation if caught on equipment. Watch for potential hazards; observe, intercede and facilitate play when necessary.
All children play on age-appropriate equipment. Preschoolers ages 2–5, and children ages 5–12, are developmentally different and need different equipment located in separate areas to keep the playground safe and fun for all.
Falls to surface are cushioned. Nearly 70 percent of all playground injuries are related to falls. Acceptable surfaces include hardwood fiber/ mulch, pea gravel, sand and synthetic materials such as poured-in-place rubber mats or tiles. Playground surfaces should not be concrete, asphalt, grass, blacktop, packed dirt or rocks.
Equipment is safe. Check to make sure the equipment is anchored safely in the ground, all equipment pieces are in good working order, S-hooks are entirely closed, bolts are not protruding, there are no exposed footings, etc.
For a scorecard to see if your playground makes the grade, see www.playgroundsafety.org.
Reprinted with permission from the National Program for Playground Safety.
Once your child is at play:
• Engage playfully with your child on the playground, while enforcing the playground rules.
• You may need to prompt your child to refrain from using the play equipment in unintended ways. For example, your child should not run up slide chutes, climb up the outside of tube slides or climb swing set posts.
To learn more about playground safety, we recommend that you consult the National Program for Playground Safety (www.playgroundsafety.org). This organization provides a wealth of information for residential playground safety as well as public and early child care playground safety. Additional information on becoming an advocate for play safety is available from the National Recreation and Park Association (www.nrpa.org /playgroundsafety).
In summary, playground safety is a critical national issue. Most injuries on playgrounds can be avoided with proper adult supervision and maintenance. Educating your child about playground safety is a key to decreasing the number of accidents on playgrounds. We encourage you to be an advocate for safe playgrounds in your community; if you see a problem with your local public playground contact the organization that maintains it to address safety issues. Together, we can make our playgrounds safe and fun for all children in our communities.
REFERENCES
American Association of Pediatrics Council on Communications and Media. (2013). Policy statement: Children, adolescents, and media. Retrieved from pediatrics.aappublications.org/ content/132/5/958.full.
Consumer Product Safety Commission. (2010). Public playground safety handbook. Retrieved from www.cpsc.gov//PageFiles/122149/325.pdf
Ginsburg, K. R., & the Committee on Communications, and the Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child
and Family Health. (2007). The importance of play in promoting healthy child development and maintaining strong parent-child bonds. American Association of Pediatrics. Retrieved from pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/119/1/182.full.
National Association for Sport and Physical Education. (2009). Active start: A statement of physical activity guidelines for children from birth to age 5, 2nd edition. Retrieved from www.shapeamerica.org /standards/guidelines/activestart.cfm.
National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2012). Technology and interactive media as tools in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Retrieved from issuu.com/naeyc/docs/ps_technology_issuu _may2012?e=2112065/2087657.
United States Access Board Guide on Play Areas. www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/ recreation-facilities/guides/play-areas.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2008). 2008 Physical activity guidelines for Americans. Retrieved from www.health.gov/ paguidelines/guidelines/default.aspx.
White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity Report to the President. (2010). Solving the problem of childhood obesity within a generation. Retrieved from www.letsmove.gov/sites/letsmove.gov/files /TaskForce_on_Childhood_Obesity_May2010 _FullReport.pdf.
TO LEARN MORE . . .
To see sample activities from the Play On! program or to download Play On! A Resource for Active Families, go to www.playcore.com/PlayOn.
To learn more about playground safety, consult the National Program for Playground Safety (www.playgroundsafety.org). This website allows you to submit playground safety questions and a safety expert will answer you personally.
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? CONTACT US
SHAPE America (publisher of Play On!)—www.shapeamerica.org, 703-476-3481
PlayCore (sponsor of Play On!)—www.playcore.com, 877-762-7563
Have Fun and Play On!
Special Send-Home Resource for Spanish-Speaking Families
Dear Teachers and Recreation Leaders:
As you know, family and parental support and involvement play a crucial role in children’s education. In the case of physical fitness, children are much more likely to get fit and stay fit if families promote physical activity and engage in it themselves.
Please photocopy the following pages and send them home to Spanish-speaking families so they can understand and support your efforts—and more importantly, understand and support their children. Families also can download their own copies by searching for the Play On! program at www.playcore.com/PlayOn.
(The Play On! program is copyrighted and users may not copy or distribute any additional pages. However, we do encourage you to copy and distribute this section for families.)
¡Sigue jugando! Un recurso para familias activas
Apreciado padre o tutor legal,
Su hijo(a) está participando en un nuevo programa llamado ¡Sigue jugando! Actividades de aprendizaje en parques infantiles para la salud de los niños (Play On! Promoting Physical Activity & Fitness Through Active Play!). Deseamos compartir con usted nuestro entusiasmo sobre este programa y ofrecer algunas ideas de actividades que su familia puede realizar junta para mantenerse en forma y promover la actividad física saludable.
¿Ha visto usted las estadísticas desalentadoras sobre la obesidad infantil en este país? Según los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) de los Estados Unidos):
• en el año 1980, sólo el 7% de los niños entre los 6 y 11 años de edad estaban obesos. Desde entonces ese porcentaje se ha duplicado, y hoy aproximadamente el 18% de los niños sufren de obesidad.
• Es más probable que niños con exceso de peso lleguen a la edad adulta con sobrepeso u obesidad.
• Los adultos con exceso de peso son más propensos a riesgos de salud crónicos como la cardiopatía, la diabetes, la presión arterial alta, el colesterol alto y ciertos tipos de cáncer.
• Cada año ocurren aproximadamente 365,000 muertes prematuras relacionadas con la obesidad. Esto hace que la obesidad sea la segunda causa de muerte prevenible en el mundo después del tabaco.
• Se estima que los Estados Unidos gastan más de $147 mil millones de dólares en atenciones médicas ligadas a la obesidad.
Una de las causas principales de la epidemia de obesidad es la falta de actividad física entre los niños de hoy. En el año 2011, sólo el 29% de los estudiantes
PROMOTING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY & FITNESS THROUGH ACTIVE PLAY!
en los Estados Unidos alcanzaban los 60 minutos de actividad física por día recomendados por el Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos (U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). Este porcentaje va disminuyendo a medida que los jóvenes llegan a la adolescencia, y ahora casi el 14% de los jóvenes no hacen ninguna clase de ejercicio regular.
Además, según la Academia Americana de Pediatría (AAP; American Academy of Pediatrics, 2013), los niños pasan unas 7 horas por día participando en actividades sedentarias de entretenimiento con aparatos electrónicos (viendo televisión, jugando videojuegos, viendo películas y navegando por internet), lo cual sobrepasa por mucho la recomendación de la AAP y muchos otros grupos nacionales como la Fuerza de Trabajo sobre la Obesidad Infantil de la Casa Blanca (White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity Report to the President, 2010) como la Asociación Nacional para la Educación de Niños Pequeños (National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2012), según la cual tales actividades deben limitarse a 2 horas por día o menos. Es hoy más importante que nunca que los niños se mantengan activos. Afortunadamente, la actividad física bien estructurada puede ser muy divertida para los niños.
Russell L. Carson, Ph.D. Marybeth Lima, Ph.D. Cynthia F. DiCarlo, Ph.D.
Este recurso provee información para las familias sobre cómo los juegos en parques infantiles pueden ser beneficiosos para el desarrollo de los niños. Lo animamos a leer esta información en su totalidad. Este documento está organizado por secciones para que luego pueda encontrar fácilmente la información específica que desee. Las secciones del documento son las siguientes:
• Los beneficios de la actividad física
• Introducción a ¡Sigue jugando!
• Seis elementos principales de juego
• Juegue con su hijo(a)
• Ideas para jugar en familia
• Seguridad en el parque infantil
Además, se han incluido algunas sugerencias para encontrar información adicional. Le agradecemos por su apoyo y por promover la actividad física en su hogar diariamente. Diviértase, y ¡Siga jugando!
LOS BENEFICIOS DE LA ACTIVIDAD FÍSICA
El ejercicio practicado de forma regular y frecuente trae muchos beneficios. Seguramente usted ya conoce algunos de ellos:
• reduce el riesgo de desarrollar la cardiopatía, la diabetes y el cáncer de colon
• ayuda a prevenir la obesidad y la muerte prematura
• desarrolla huesos y músculos fuertes y ayuda a prevenir la artritis
• reduce la presión arterial y el colesterol
• mejora el desempeño cognitivo
• aumenta el autoestima
• reduce los sentimientos de ansiedad y depresión
Es por esto que los expertos recomiendan que los niños y jóvenes (entre las edades de 5 y 19 años) participen en por lo menos 60 minutos diarios (o hasta varias horas) de ejercicio moderado o intenso (U. S.
Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). La Sociedad de Educadores Físicos y de la Salud (SHAPE America – Society of Health and Physical Educators) recomienda que los niños pre-escolares (entre los 2 y 5 años de edad) participen en 60 minutos de actividad física organizada, y por lo menos 60 minutos adicionales (o hasta varias horas) de actividad física espontánea supervisada por un adulto (National Association for Sport and Physical Education, 2009).
El desarrollo de hábitos saludables durante la niñez es indispensable para el bienestar duradero. Con esto en mente, estamos utilizando este programa para enseñarle a su hijo(a) a disfrutar de la actividad física. Con su apoyo, este programa podrá ayudar a frenar la epidemia de obesidad por medio de establecer hábitos e intereses activos que servirán como fundamento para una vida saludable.
INTRODUCCIÓN A ¡SIGUE JUGANDO!
Este nuevo y emocionante programa que se ha convertido en parte integral de la educación de su hijo(a) se llama ¡Sigue jugando! (Play On!). El programa utiliza parques infantiles para aumentar el aprendizaje, promover la actividad física, y ofrecer a los niños una manera divertida de aprovechar los patios de recreo escolares y los parques en su comunidad. Por medio de actividades de aprendizaje en parques infantiles cuidadosamente diseñados, los niños tendrán oportunidades de moverse, aprender, resolver problemas, expresarse libremente, explorar sus talentos, desarrollar sus habilidades motoras, experimentar diversos elementos de juego, colaborar con otros y, más que todo, divertirse. El aspecto más importante del programa de ¡Sigue jugando! es que permite que los niños logren la salud física dentro de un contexto de diversión.
¡Sigue jugando! puede aumentar los beneficios de los parques infantiles por medio de mejorar la salud física de los niños (incluyendo la salud cardiovascular, la potencia y resistencia muscular, la flexibilidad y el equilibrio) y facilita el desarrollo de sus habilidades personales (creatividad, habilidad de ponerse y lograr metas y aumentar la confianza en sí mismos) y sociales (camaradería, comunicación, liderazgo, etc.).
¡Sigue jugando! desarrolla cuerpos sanos y activos, lo cual es una necesidad critica entre los niños de hoy.
¡Sigue jugando! fue creado por un equipo de expertos en la actividad física que trabajan con y entienden a los niños. El grupo constó de profesores de educación física pre-escolar y elemental y “profesores del año” provenientes de diversas escuelas. También participaron educadores universitarios con amplia experiencia e investigadores de educación física, y hasta niños de edad escolar primaria. Un proceso minucioso de pruebas y exámenes corroboró que las actividades de ¡Sigue jugando! incorporan lo siguiente:
1. las necesidades de desarrollo de niños en edad pre-escolar (de 2 a 5 años de edad), en kínder, y en grados 1 al 5, y actividades para niños en los grados K al 5.
2. los 6 elementos principales de juego: trepar, columpiar, deslizar, girar, equilibrar y braquiar (desplazamiento con ayuda de los brazos mediante impulsos pendulares).
3. consideraciones de seguridad.
4. adaptaciones para acomodarse a diversos niveles de habilidad, capacidad y estado físico.
5. el conocimiento y las prácticas actuales más modernas con respecto a la actividad y la salud de los niños.
6. los estándares nacionales para la educación física y las directrices de “Active Start” para los niños pre-escolares.
Como resultado, ¡Sigue jugando! ofrece una lista amplia de actividades en parques infantiles que son diversas, seguras, significativas y apropiadas para el desarrollo de los niños para promover la actividad física y la salud por medio de juegos activos.
SEIS ELEMENTOS PRINCIPALES DE JUEGO
Los parques infantiles contribuyen al desarrollo general y a la salud física de los niños por medio de 6 elementos principales de juego. ¡Sigue jugando! ofrece 125 actividades que enfatizan los siguientes 6 elementos de juego:
1. Equilibrar: Junto con su hijo(a), conciba una serie de posiciones del cuerpo que exijan practicar el equilibrio.
2. Deslizar: Conciba un juego con su hijo(a) que incluya deslizarse por el tobogán.
3. Braquiar/coordinación bilateral del tronco: atraviese las barras siguiendo a su hijo(a). Niños en edad pre-escolar pueden practicar gateando sobre las plataformas planas del parque infantil.
4. Girar: Junto con su hijo(a), gire a la derecha y luego a la izquierda sobre las plataformas planas del parque infantil.
5. Trepar: Con su hijo(a), suba y baje por las estructuras diseñadas para escalar.
6. Columpiar: Súbase a un columpio y trate de sincronizar sus oscilaciones con las de su hijo(a).
Combinación de elementos: Junto con su hijo(a), diseñe una pista de obstáculos que incorpore todos los 6 elementos de juego.
Nota: Si usted tiene un niño en edad pre-escolar (entre los 2 y 5 años de edad), por favor asegúrese de que su niño participe en estas actividades en un parque infantil diseñado para niños pre-escolares. Las edades recomendadas generalmente están indicadas en letreros en los parques públicos.
Quizás su hijo(a) pueda enseñarle a usted algunas de las actividades de ¡Sigue jugando! que él o ella ha aprendido o pueden juntos crear unas nuevas. Quizás pueda animar a su hijo(a) a jugar preguntándole “¿Qué juegos has aprendido hasta ahora que incluyan deslizarte por un tobogán?” o “Muéstrame un juego que podamos jugar juntos en los columpios”.
Otra opción es la del juego libre. Permita que su hijo(a) invente actividades que puedan hacer juntos en familia. Pregúntele “Qué podemos aprender o descubrir aquí?” o “Qué clase de actividades o juegos podemos hacer juntos?” Hablen sobre los beneficios, qué les gustó más, y cómo podrían hacerlo de manera distinta la próxima vez.
La clave es participar en actividades que susciten la creatividad colectiva, la imaginación, y las preferencias suyas y las de su hijo(a) y que también promuevan la salud física.
Equilibrar
• Aumenta el conocimiento sobre el posicionamiento y control del cuerpo, la ley de la gravedad, balance y estabilidad, control de la postura, y contrapeso
• Promueve la potencia y resistencia muscular en todo el cuerpo
Seis elementos principales de juego enfatizados en ¡Sigue jugando!
Deslizar
• Aumenta la estabilidad central (del “core”), el equilibrio dinámico, y la flexibilidad de las piernas y caderas
2
• Promueve la conciencia espacial y corporal
Columpiar
• Promueve la resistencia aeróbica, potencia muscular y conciencia corporal
Enfatiza el concepto de transferencia de energía en movimiento
Trepar
Aumenta la conciencia espacial y la coordinación corporal
• Promueve la potencia, resistencia y flexibilidad muscular en todo el cuerpo
JUEGUE CON SU HIJO(A)
Jugar no es sólo para los niños. Es una actividad esencial para toda la vida. Personas de cualquier edad se pueden beneficiar de las oportunidades que ofrecen los parques infantiles para fomentar la salud física, las relaciones sociales, el razonamiento analítico y la expresión creativa. Los parques son lugares donde los niños, sus padres y otros familiares de todas las edades y habilidades pueden compartir juntos en actividades interactivas.
Observa usted a su hijo(a) cuando van juntos al parque (o al patio de su casa)? Si es así, intente participar con su hijo(a). Las familias pueden tener un efecto positivo, ya que los niños son más activos cuando otros participan con ellos.
El jugar con su hijo(a) es la manera perfecta de mostrar su apoyo por la actividad física saludable más bien que por actividades ociosas o sedentarias. El jugar le da la oportunidad de conectar con su hijo(a) y de
Braquiar
• Aumenta la potencia y resistencia muscular
Promueve la coordinación ojo-mano y el movimiento rítmico del cuerpo
4 5 6 1 3
Girar
• Desarrolla la inteligencia corporal cenestésica y el control de la postura
Aumenta el entendimiento de velocidad, fuerza y otras características del movimiento
ser parte significativa de su vida . Estas experiencias establecerán hábitos saludables y un estilo de vida activo que se podrán pasar de generación en generación. Queremos que los niños de hoy les enseñen a los niños de mañana a valorar el juego activo en los parques infantiles para que así se pueda reversar la epidemia de obesidad...y ese proceso empieza con usted.
Hay muchas maneras de jugar con su hijo(a), todas las cuales pueden contribuir al disfrute de su hijo(a), al desarrollo de su relación con él o ella, y a la salud física de los dos.
Hay varias clases de juego. Cada una contribuye a la calidad de vida y al desarrollo físico de su hijo(a).
Juego libre se refiere a los juegos que son controlados por los niños sin la guía o el aporte de un adulto. El juego libre es beneficioso para los niños porque les permite tomar sus propias decisiones y experimentar un mundo en el cual ellos mismos son la autoridad.
Durante el juego libre, los niños pueden trabajar independientemente o juntos para aprender, resolver problemas, compartir, negociar y liderar. Carreras, jugar a las escondidas y otros juegos infantiles espontáneos sin intervención de adultos son ejemplos de juego libre. Los niños comienzan a participar en juego libre independientemente a partir de los 7 años, o quizás más temprano con la ayuda de un adulto.
Juego imaginativo es una clase de juego libre que supone el uso de la imaginación, lo cual pudiera incluir elementos de dramatización o fantasía. Esta clase de juego comúnmente empieza a los 2 años de edad. Es importante porque permite que los niños desarrollen su imaginación y creatividad y que puedan descubrir y explorar lo que les gusta. Un niño que juega con un amigo imaginario es un ejemplo de juego imaginativo. Los niños aprenden habilidades sociales importantes al tomar distintas perspectivas, como cuando fingen ser un padre cuando juegan al hogar, un profesor cuando juegan a la escuela, o hasta un astronauta, un monstruo, o una persona famosa. Los parques infantiles son un buen lugar para esta clase de juego.
Juego dirigido es el que es facilitado por un adulto para lograr algún objetivo especifico (como por ejemplo, el buen estado físico) y no necesariamente incluye actividades escogidas por los niños. El juego estructurado es importante para el desarrollo físico, emocional y mental de los niños. El kickball, cuatro cuadros y la rayuela son ejemplos de juego estructurado porque son juegos con reglas específicas que normalmente son dirigidas y supervisadas por un adulto, por lo menos en la etapa inicial de aprendizaje.
Juego guiado ofrece reglas flexibles en un entorno un poco más regulado que el juego libre. El juego guiado es parecido al juego dirigido pero con menos instrucciones de parte del adulto que lo facilita. El adulto provee algunas directrices para el juego, pero los niños deciden cómo jugar de acuerdo con esas directrices.
Las actividades de ¡Sigue jugando! incorporan estas cuatro clases de juego. Cada actividad provee juego estructurado, pero muchas otras animan a los niños a usar su imaginación y a participar en juego libre para que puedan ampliar las actividades y hacerlas suyas. Por ejemplo, en la actividad de ¡Sigue jugando! llamada “Sigue al guardián del zoológico” (Follow
the Zookeeper) los niños imitan a su animal favorito mientras se deslizan por el tobogán. En la actividad “Pégate a tu color” (Cling to Your Color), los niños tocan sólo las estructuras del parque infantil que sean de un color particular a la vez, pero pueden hacer lo que deseen en esa estructura.
Todas las clases de juego son valiosas, y le animamos a que las utilice cuando esté con su hijo(a) en el patio de su casa o en el parque infantil público. La AAP reporta que el jugar permite que los niños exploren su creatividad a medida que desarrollan su imaginación, destreza y fuerza física, mental y emocional. En otras palabras, jugar es importante para el desarrollo del cerebro. Además, los reportajes dicen que la combinación de juegos dirigidos por los niños y juegos dirigidos por adultos es importante, y que la participación de los padres en los juegos de sus hijos es de vital importancia.
IDEAS PARA JUGAR EN FAMILIA
Hay varias maneras en las cuales las familias pueden ser activas juntas. Considere llevar a su hijo(a) a un parque público o parque infantil cercano, o al patio de su casa y busquen maneras creativas de jugar juntos. Los niños necesitan participar en juegos que les diviertan, y que les den oportunidades diarias de desarrollarse física, social, y mentalmente. Aquí hay algunas ideas para promover un estilo de vida activo que apoye el dicho, “Las familias que juegan juntas, permanecen juntas”.
• Pregúntele a su hijo(a), “¿Con quién jugaste hoy? ¿Qué hiciste? ¿Fue divertido? ¿Qué fue lo que más te gustó?”
• Permita que su hijo(a) le muestre las actividades de ¡Sigue jugando! o algún otro juego infantil que él o ella haya jugado en la escuela o en un programa recreativo. Muestre interés genuino en lo que su hijo(a) está haciendo y logrando. Trabaje con su hijo(a) para realizar las actividades en casa.
• Designe tiempo en casa para el juego libre. Permita que su hijo(a) dirija el juego. Aunque quizás usted se aburra o se distraiga, no se rinda. Es tiempo para que su hijo(a) esté a cargo, y a usted le permitirá averiguar qué es lo que le interesa e importa a su hijo(a).
• Desarrolle actividades o juegos imaginativos que puedan hacerse en familia. Dramaticen obras musicales o teatrales, organicen un circo, un show de magia o cualquier otra cosa que envuelva la creatividad y el disfrute de su hijo(a). Entre más actividades físicas se puedan incorporar, mejor será. Por ejemplo, en un juego imaginativo sobre el océano, un león marino no debe solamente “ladrar,” sino también deberá “nadar.”
• Convierta los retos en oportunidades para enseñar. Cuando su hijo(a) le cuente sobre alguna actividad que le fue difícil o decepcionante, háblele sobre la persistencia, la compasión, el trabajo en equipo o alguna otra lección valiosa.
• Pónganse la meta como familia de visitar todos los parques infantiles de su comunidad. Haga una lista, y vaya tachando los que visiten.
• Anime a su hijo(a) a explorar y aceptar retos físicos. Sugiera simplificaciones si su hijo(a) no puede completar la actividad con éxito o una versión más difícil para cuando la complete con facilidad. Si la actividad parece ser riesgosa, déjela y anime a su hijo(a) a hacer algo más seguro.
• Sea un modelo a imitar. Participe usted mismo en actividades divertidas en presencia de su hijo(a). Los niños comúnmente desarrollan hábitos similares a los de sus padres o tutores legales.
• Observe a su hijo(a) con cuidado si no puede participar con él o ella en el parque infantil. Escudriñe los alrededores y quédese cerca de su hijo(a).
• Tome nota de la actividad física de su hijo(a). Hágalo divertido con el uso de diagramas, estrellas o premios.
• Mantenga una lista de las actividades físicas favoritas de su familia y hablen de actividades que aún no han probado.
• Ponga metas para la actividad física de la familia. Por ejemplo, planee cinco salidas por mes para hacer ejercicio (bolos, natación, caminatas, ciclismo, mini-golf, geocaching, etc.).
• Organice una búsqueda de tesoros en su patio o jardín que incluya actividad física.
• Designe una noche de juego por semana en un parque infantil y lleve una cena saludable.
• Ponga como prioridad el tener alguna clase de juego activo en cada reunión familiar.
• Hagan un picnic en el parque o patio de recreo durante el fin de semana. Participen en alguna actividad de juego en familia después de compartir una comida saludable.
• Aprendan una actividad física nueva cada año (por ejemplo el esquí o el patinaje en línea) para ampliar las ambiciones y habilidades físicas de la familia.
• Escriban en familia cartas a las autoridades locales pidiendo que mejoren los espacios comunes que promueven la actividad física (andenes, patios de juego, caminos, parques, etc.) o que mejoren la seguridad de las infraestructuras existentes.
• Afine sus bicicletas o haga una renovación de bicicletas para restablecer el interés de su hijo(a) en el ciclismo. Periódicamente planee una salida en bicicleta con la familia.
• Ofrézcase como representante voluntario en la junta de asesoría de salud escolar o comité de bienestar de la escuela de su hijo(a) y proponga que el uso de los parques infantiles o patios de recreo se convierta en un componente habitual del programa escolar antes, durante y después de clases.
Recursos adicionales para jugar en familia:
• www.bestfamilyadvice.com – haga clic en “Family Fun” para ver varias ideas
• www.familyfun.com
• www.familytlc.net
• www.familyeducation.com
• www.funattic.com
• www.gameskidsplay.net
• www.healthychildren.org
• www.shapeup.org/children/tips_index.html
Libros y materiales adicionales para los padres:
American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association, National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education. (2012). Preventing childhood obesity in early care and education programs (2nd ed.). Recobrado de http://cfoc.nrckids.org/WebFiles /PreventingChildhoodObesity2nd.pdf.
Carlson, F. M. (2011). Big body play: Why boisterous, vigorous, and very physical play is essential to children’s development and learning. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Harrison, A. (2002). 36 games kids love to play. Turners Falls, MA: Northeast Foundation for Children.
Hurn, R. (2006). Active playtimes: Playground activities for fit, healthy and happy kids. London, England: A & C Black.
Kettmann, S. (2005). The 2,000 best games and activities. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks.
Sanders, S. W. (2008) Active for life: Developmentally appropriate movement programs for young children Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Steffens, C., & Gorin, S. (2007). Learning to play, playing to learn: Curriculum and activities for classroom and playground management (3rd ed.) New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Wellhousen, K. (2002). Outdoor play every day: Innovative play concepts for early childhood. Albany, NY: Delmar-Thomas Learning.
SEGURIDAD EN EL PARQUE INFANTIL
Los parques infantiles son lugares divertidos, pero también pueden suponer riesgos. Según la Comisión para la Seguridad de Productos de Consumo (Consumer Product Safety Commission, 2010), cada año aproximadamente 200.000 niños tienen que ser llevados a la sala de emergencias por lesiones sufridas
en un parque infantil. Cerca del 79% de las lesiones relacionadas con parques infantiles son causadas por caídas desde diferentes equipos de juego. El 76% de los accidentes relacionados con parques infantiles ocurre en parques públicos o en la escuela y el 24% ocurre en patios de casas particulares. Cada año, aproximadamente 15 niños mueren por lesiones sufridas en parques infantiles, y la mayoría de esas muertes ocurren en patios de casa.
Estos datos son alarmantes. Los compartimos con usted para que esté consciente de los riesgos potenciales que existen en los parques infantiles y para que su hijo(a) pueda jugar en un entorno que sea lo más seguro posible. La información en esta sección no es una guía completa para la seguridad en los parques infantiles, pero se espera que las sugerencias incluidas aquí minimicen los riesgos para su hijo(a). Según la Asociación Nacional de Parques y Centros de Recreación (National Recreation and Parks Association), el 84% de todos los accidentes que ocurren en parques infantiles hubieran podido ser evitados con: (1) supervisión adulta y (2) el mantenimiento adecuado de las instalaciones y los equipos.
A continuación se describen varios pasos que usted puede tomar para minimizar los riesgos de lesión en su hijo(a).
Antes de ir al parque haga lo siguiente:
• Aplique protector solar y vista a su hijo(a) con ropa que provea protección del sol. La Academia Americana de Dermatología (American Academy of Dermatology) calcula que una de cada 5 personas en los Estados Unidos desarrollará cáncer de la piel en el trascurso de su vida. La probabilidad de desarrollar cáncer de la piel aumenta dramáticamente cuando la persona ha tenido varias quemaduras de sol graves durante la niñez. Todas las personas han de tener el hábito de aplicarse protector solar antes de salir, aún cuando el clima esté frío o nublado.
• Establezca y repase las reglas de seguridad. Antes de su salida al parque, pregúntele a su hijo(a) cuáles piensa deben ser las reglas. Esto le otorga al
niño el poder de decidir cómo debe comportarse y es más probable que obedezca sus propias reglas.
• Ayude a mantener un tono de juego positivo al animar a su hijo(a) a evitar expresiones negativas (como “no” o “no debes”) en las reglas que establezcan juntos.
A continuación hay una lista de reglas generales que recomendamos para los niños.
Reglas sugeridas para los parques infantiles:
• Obedece a los adultos encargados
• Sigue las instrucciones que se te den
• Se justo y respetuoso con otros
• Comparte los equipos de juego y toma turnos con otros niños
• Trata con respeto los equipos de juego
• Juega sólo cuando el clima esté seco y cuando esté de día (en caso de que el parque no tenga iluminación artificial para las horas de la noche)
• Permanece dentro del espacio designados para juegos
• Evita treparte sobre los cercados
• Usa ropa apropiada
• Siempre mantén el espacio de juego libre de:
• morrales o maletas
• comidas o bebidas
• joyas
• bufandas o pañuelos
• mascotas
• palos
• bicicletas y cascos
• bates y pelotas de béisbol
• monopatines/patinetas
• patines de ruedas
• sogas
• yo-yos u otros juguetes con cuerdas
• sillas
Al llegar al parque, pero antes de empezar a jugar haga lo siguiente:
• Asegúrese de que el parque infantil en el que vaya a jugar su hijo(a) sea el adecuado para su edad. Los parques infantiles están especialmente diseñados para garantizar que sean apropiados para el nivel de desarrollo de los niños. Generalmente hay dos clases de parque público: los que son para niños en edad pre-escolar (entre los 2 y 5 años de edad) y los que son para niños que están en edad escolar (entre los 5 y 12 años de edad).* Es de gran importancia que usted utilice el parque infantil adecuado para la edad su hijo(a). Si su hijo(a) tiene 5 años, usted deberá discernir cuál parque sería el más adecuado. Algunos niños de esa edad quizás tendrán el nivel de desarrollo necesario para utilizar un parque infantil para niños en edad escolar, mientras que otros quizás no estén listos aún. Fue justamente por esta razón que los diseñadores de los parques infantiles decidieron que las edades límite de cada parque se superpusieran a los 5 años, para adaptarse a las diferencias en el desarrollo de los niños que están en esa edad. Pero si su hijo(a) es menor de 5 años, por ningún motivo permita que juegue en un parque infantil para niños en edad escolar. Sabemos que los niños preescolares quizás quieran jugar en un parque para niños más grandes porque parecerá un reto más interesante para ellos. Y algunos padres creen que con estar pendientes y permanecer cerca de su hijo(a) podrán prevenir algún accidente o lesión . . . pero este no es necesariamente el caso.
• Examine el área de juego para identificar cualquier peligro o riesgo. Aún cuando el parque esté bien mantenido, a veces hay peligros como ramas
* Algunos parques son apropiados para niños entre los 2 y 12 años de edad, abarcando la gama de edades. También existen parques para niños pequeños, entre las edades de 6 a 23 meses; estos parques para niños pequeños están diseñados y construidos con recomendaciones de seguridad específicas en mente. Comúnmente estos parques no están disponibles al público, pero si usted encuentra uno disponible, puede repasar las recomendaciones de seguridad publicadas en el Manual para Parques Infantiles Públicos (Public Playground Safety Handbook) editado por la Comisión para la Seguridad de los Productos de Consumo (Consumer Product Safety Commission). Vea la lista de fuentes bibliográficas para más detalles.
LISTA DE VERIFICACIÓN PARA LAS FAMILIAS
Para la seguridad de su hijo(a)
Ponga esta lista en un lugar visible de su casa y revísela antes de salir con su hijo(a) al parque infantil o al patio de su casa.
No debe haber sogas o cuerdas ni en el parque infantil, ni en la ropa de su hijo(a), ya que estos pudieran causar estrangulación accidental si se enredaran con algún equipo. Esté pendiente de identificar cualquier peligro, observe a su hijo(a), e intervenga cuando sea necesario.
Los niños deben jugar solamente en los parques infantiles adecuados para su edad. Los niños preescolares entre los 2 y 5 años de edad y los niños en edad escolar entre los 5 y 12 años tienen niveles de desarrollo diferentes y necesitan estructuras y equipos de juego diferentes. El tener zonas de juego separadas según el segmento de edad contribuye a que todos los niños puedan jugar y divertiste de manera segura.
Asegúrese de que el parque tenga superficies amortiguadas adecuadas. El 70% de las lesiones que ocurren en los parques infantiles son el resultado de caídas. Materiales amortiguantes de relleno apropiados incluyen el aserrín, la arena, la gravilla fina o materiales sintéticos como la goma fundida en sitio o losetas de caucho o goma. Las superficies de concreto, asfalto, pasto, tierra compactada o piedras no son adecuadas para los parques infantiles.
Asegúrese de que las estructuras y los equipos del parque infantil estén en buen estado de mantenimiento y estén bien asegurados al suelo. Verifique también que los ganchos en forma S estén bien cerrados, que no haya tornillos salidos, y que no haya cimientos expuestos.
Visite la página de internet www.playgroundsafety.org para descargar una planilla que le ayudará a determinar si su parque infantil de casa cumple con los requisitos de seguridad.
caídas, desechos, hojas que hagan resbaloso el piso, hielo, insectos, etc. Remueva o evite estas cosas. Usted pudiera mencionarle tales riesgos a su hijo(a) y juntos revisar el área antes de empezar a jugar.
• Evite los lugares que estén expuestos directamente al sol. Busque áreas que estén a la sombra para evitar que su hijo(a) se queme con ciertos equipos que pueden estar muy calientes cuando están expuestos al sol, como toboganes de metal o superficies de goma.
• Evite equipos o estructuras que estén oxidadas o deterioradas.
• Asegúrese de que haya suficiente material amortiguante debajo y alrededor de las estructuras del parque (aserrín, arena, o goma). Estos materiales son para suavizar cualquier caída.
• Examine el área para identificar cualquier protuberancia u objeto expuesto que pudiera raspar o cortar a su hijo(a).
• Evite aberturas de entre 3.5 y 9 pulgadas de anchura donde pueda quedar atrapada la cabeza o el cuello de un niño. Esta clase de abertura no debe existir en los parques infantiles. Nota: aberturas entre 3.5 y 9 pulgadas que bordeen con el suelo son aceptables.
• Si su hijo(a) está jugando en un parque infantil público, reporte cualquier preocupación que usted tenga y cualquiera de los riesgos mencionados aquí a la organización o persona encargada del parque. Si no se resuelve de manera rápida, continúe reportándolo y evite ese parque infantil hasta que el problema haya sido corregido.
Cuando su hijo(a) esté jugando haga lo siguiente:
• Participe junto con su hijo(a) y haga cumplir las reglas de juego y de seguridad del parque infantil.
• Si observa que su hijo(a) está utilizando algún equipo de juego de manera indebida, dígale que deje de hacerlo. Por ejemplo, su hijo(a) no debe subir corriendo el tobogán, escalar la parte externa de los toboganes tubulares, ni trepar los soportes de los columpios.
Para saber más sobre la seguridad en los parques infantiles, recomendamos que consulte el Programa Nacional para la Seguridad en el Patio de Recreo (National Program for Playground Safety, www. playgroundsafety.org). Esta organización provee mucha información sobra la seguridad en los parques infantiles privados y públicos. La Asociación Nacional de Recreación y Parques (National Recreation and Park Association, www.nrpa.org/ playgroundsafety) también provee información sobre cómo ser un defensor de la seguridad de los parques infantiles y patios de recreo públicos en su comunidad.
Juntos podremos hacer que los parques en nuestras comunidades sean lugares seguros y divertidos para nuestros niños.
FUENTES BIBLIOGRÁFICAS
American Association of Pediatrics Council on Communications and Media. (2013). Policy statement: Children, adolescents, and media. Recobrado de pediatrics.aappublications.org/ content/132/5/958.full.
Consumer Product Safety Commission. (2010). Public playground safety handbook. Recobrado de www.cpsc.gov//PageFiles/122149/325.pdf.
Ginsburg, K. R., & the Committee on Communications, and the Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health. (2007). The importance of play in promoting healthy child development and maintaining strong parent-child bonds. American Association of Pediatrics. Recobrado de pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/119/1/182.full.
National Association for Sport and Physical Education. (2009). Active start: A statement of physical activity guidelines for children from birth to age 5, 2nd edition. Recobrado de www.shapeamerica.org /standards/guidelines/activestart.cfm.
National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2012). Technology and interactive media as tools in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Recobrado de issuu.com/naeyc/docs/ps_technology_issuu _may2012?e=2112065/2087657.
United States Access Board Guide on Play Areas. www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/ recreation-facilities/guides/play-areas.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2008). 2008 Physical activity guidelines for Americans. Recobrado de www.health.gov/ paguidelines/guidelines/default.aspx.
White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity Report to the President. (2010). Solving the problem of childhood obesity within a generation. Recobrado de www.letsmove.gov/sites/letsmove.gov/files /TaskForce_on_Childhood_Obesity_May2010 _FullReport.pdf.
Para ver ejemplos de las actividades del programa ¡Sigue Jugando! (Play On!) o para descargar esta sección especial para los padres, visite www.playcore.com/PlayOn.
Para saber más sobre la seguridad en los parques infantiles, consulte al Programa Nacional para la Seguridad en el Patio de Recreo (National Program for Playground Safety) visitando www.playgroundsafety.org/. Esta página electrónica permite que usted envíe por correo electrónico cualquier pregunta que tenga sobre la seguridad en los patios de juego y un experto en seguridad le responderá personalmente.
¿TIENE COMENTARIOS O PREGUNTAS? CONTÁCTENOS:
SHAPE America (editor de Play On!): www.shapeamerica.org, 703-476-3481
PlayCore (patrocinador de Play On!): www.playcore.com, 877-762-7563
Diviértase y ¡Siga Jugando!
Balloon Bounce
Children stand facing each other in close proximity on the soft surfacing in the middle of the playground while the facilitator drops an inflated balloon or lightweight ball in the middle of the children. The object of the game is to not let the balloon/ball hit the ground. Children can use their hands, elbows, head or any body part to tap the balloon/ball back and forth to each other. This can be played with an adult and one child, two children or a group of children.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Upper body bilateral coordination, balancing, spinning
ACTIVE START GUIDELINES: #1, #3, #4, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Balloons, lightweight balls and paper plates
BENEFITS
• Increases hand-eye coordination, running, bending and reaching.
• EIDP – Gross motor 28-31 months
• NAEYC 2.C.01, 2.C.04, 9.B.01
TEACHING TIP
• Be sure you have enough balloons/balls for all children to have contact.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that area is free of obstacles.
• Ensure that there is enough space so that children will not come into contact with equipment or each other.
• Close supervision with balloons is required. Be sure that children do not have latex allergies.
• Properly discard any popped balloons.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Help children keep the object up and/ or tap the balloons/balls toward younger children.
• More Challenging: Use paper plates to hit the balloons or have children spin in between hitting the balloon/ball.
DID YOU KNOW?
Balloons filled with hot air have been used as flying machines since the 18th century.
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Torpedo Kick
Introduce the activity by stating that the object of the game is to see how far they can kick a ball. Children stand in a line behind large balls set up in a row. When the facilitator shouts, “3-2-1 torpedo!” the children kick the stationary ball as far as they can, looking to see whose ball has traveled the furthest.
PLAY ELEMENT: Balancing
ACTIVE START GUIDELINES: #1, #3, #4, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Large balls and tape measure
BENEFITS
• Children practice coordination, strength and balance.
• EIDP – Gross motor, kicks ball 24-27 months, kicks ball with accuracy 4-4.5 years
• NAEYC 2.C.01, 2.C.04, 9.B.01
TEACHING TIP
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that balls are spaced far enough apart to prevent children from running into each other.
• Ensure there is enough space for balls to travel safely after being kicked and that no children are in the path of the balls.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Hold children’s hands to help them balance while kicking or provide a support for children to hold while kicking.
• More Challenging: Children can get a running start to kick the ball or kick a ball that is rolled toward them. Older children can use a tape measure to measure the distance the ball traveled or the distance between balls.
DID YOU KNOW?
The 3-2-1 count down is also called T-minus, which stands for time-minus or how much time is left until something happens, such as a rocket blasting off into the sky.
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Strike a Pose
Children climb up on a low designated play surface, such as the first step of a stair climber or a button step. They jump off while striking a pose such as a superhero or animal, then land in a standing position on the soft surface below. Once they land they can climb back up the stairs or step to “fly” again.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Climbing, balancing
ACTIVE START GUIDELINES: # 1, #3, #4, #5
BENEFITS
• Children practice climbing, jumping and balance.
• EIDP – Gross motor, up and down stairs alone nonreciprocally and jump from bottom step for 24-27 months, climbs on playground equipment and jump forward 3-3.5 years
• NAEYC 01, 2.C.04, 9.A.04, 9.B.01
TEACHING TIP
• Play motivational music or incorporate costumes or props for the activity. Children can use a vertical yardstick to estimate how high or far they jump.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that children are jumping from a surface that is ageappropriate.
• Children should not jump before other children have moved away from the area.
• Ensure that children have on enclosed footwear and tied shoelaces.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Hold children’s hands to assist them in landing on their feet.
• More Challenging: Challenge children to pose or to shout out the name of the superhero or animal they are pretending to be while jumping, while still landing on their feet.
DID YOU KNOW?
Strike a pose is a phrase used in photography that means get a little creative.
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Lily Pad Leap
Children assemble in the middle of the playground where a series of mats or hula hoop “lily pads” have been arranged on the surface. Children pretend to be frogs and hop from pad to pad to complete the lily pad obstacle course without falling in. Note: This activity can also be performed using the decks of the playground structure as the lily pads and the ground as the water. Children can climb up or down the equipment to balance components (logs/stumps) or to the ground (water).
PLAY ELEMENT: Balancing
ACTIVE START GUIDELINES: #1, #3, #4, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT: Lily pads (mats, carpet squares, hula hoops or polyspots)
BENEFITS
• Promotes gross motor strength and balance.
• EIDP – Gross motor, jumps in place 20-23 months, jumps forward 3-3.5 years
• NAEYC 2.C.01, 2.C.04, 9.B.01
TEACHING TIP
• Incorporate elements of dramatic play and learning by singing pond/frog themed songs, making the sound of a frog as they
hop, or adding numbers/letters to the lily pads for the children to identify as they hop around.
SAFETY TIPS
• Be sure that lily pads are affixed to the ground or are made of nonslip material.
• If you are using elevated surfaces as lily pads, ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Place lily pads closer together for younger children.
• More Challenging: Place lily pads farther apart. Create a course incorporating play equipment so that children have the opportunity to go over, under and around different pieces of play equipment while following the lily pad course.
DID YOU KNOW?
Frogs may use lily pads to rest or hunt for prey.
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Flamingos
Children imitate how flamingos maintain their balance on one leg individually or as a group, seeing how long they can each hold the flamingo pose.
PLAY ELEMENT: Balancing
ACTIVE START GUIDELINES: #1, #3, #4, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT: Timer
BENEFITS
• Promotes balance and strength.
• EIDP – Gross motor stands on one foot and balances 32-35 months
• NAEYC 2.C.01, 2.C.04, 9.B.01
TEACHING TIPS
• Count out loud with children (for younger children) or provide a timer (for older children) while they maintain the flamingo pose.
• Demonstrate or model for the children how a flamingo stands with one foot off the surface.
SAFETY TIPS
• This activity should be performed on a flat and level surface.
• Ensure that there is enough space so that children will not come into contact with equipment or each other.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Provide support to assist children in balancing or ask them to hold their arms out to the side if they begin to lose balance.
• More Challenging: Have children place their arms at their sides.
DID YOU KNOW?
Flamingos can stand on one leg for hours, even in their sleep.
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Airplanes
Children sit in a bucket swing seat. Explain that they will use the swing to pretend to fly like an airplane. Gently push the children in the swings to give them a flying sensation.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Swinging, balancing
ACTIVE START GUIDELINES: #1, #3, #4, #5
BENEFITS
• Develops core strength.
• Promotes coordination of movement and balance.
• EIDP – Gross motor imitates one part body movement 3-3.5 years, swings self on swing 4.5-5 years
• NAEYC 2.C.01, 2.C.04, 9.B.01)
TEACHING TIP
• Direct children to hold on with both hands and to lean back and forth to assist with movement while swinging.
SAFETY TIPS
• Keep other children away from children who are swinging.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: After giving the children an initial push to get them flying, see if they can pump their legs to continue to fly (so that the airplane can cruise).
• More Challenging: Work with children to pump their legs to take flight themselves from a stationary position.
DID YOU KNOW?
The first airplane had only one seat.
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Jumping Beans
Children perform a variety of jumping activities while playing a variant of Simon Says, while focusing on positional words. Provide the verbal direction for children to jump forward, backward, left or right and also incorporate number concepts (jump three steps forward).
PLAY ELEMENT: Balancing
ACTIVE START GUIDELINES: #1, #3, #4, #5
BENEFITS
• Increases muscle control and spatial body awareness.
• EIDP – Gross motor jumps forward 3-3.5 years, jumps backward 4.5-5 years
• NAEYC 2.C.01, 2.C.04, 9.B.01
TEACHING TIP
• Have children take turns being Simon.
SAFETY TIP
• Ensure that children have enough space to participate in the activity.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Model the action while giving verbal direction.
• More Challenging: Provide more than one direction at a time for children to perform in succession (“Jump forward three times, then jump two times to the left”).
DID YOU KNOW?
Mexican jumping beans are seed pods that contain a moth larva and will jump when they are abruptly warmed.
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Children take turns being “it” and naming the characteristic of a piece of playground equipment or something in the immediate environment (“Go find something blue,” or “Go find something bumpy”) while other children climb onto playground equipment and over other playground structures, slide and run to touch the piece of playground equipment matching the description.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Balancing, climbing, sliding
ACTIVE START GUIDELINES: #1, #3, #4, #5
BENEFIT
• Children develop their awareness of attributes of objects and use of descriptive vocabulary while engaging in gross motor activity.
• EIDP – Gross motor running 32-35 months
• NAEYC 2.C.01, 2.C.04, 9.A.04, 9.B.01
TEACHING TIP
• Ask children to focus on one attribute such as only shapes, only colors or only textures .
SAFETY TIPS
VARIATIONS
• Remind children to limit their object to materials within the playground area.
• If the item that the children need to touch is elevated, ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• This activity should be played with a few children at a time to avoid too many children running toward an item at once.
• Spot children when they are climbing up and down components.
• Easier: Limit to a smaller area with fewer objects.
• More Challenging: Use multiple attributes (“Go find a red triangle!”) or address spelling (“Go find something that begins with the letter ‘a’!).
DID YOU KNOW?
Spies often use codes to communicate with each other to deliver messages.
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Hula Hoop Hopscotch
Place a series of hula hoops in a line or hopscotch pattern; introduce the activity by explaining that children will hop through the hula hoops on one or two feet. Model this game to the children after describing it. Children will alternate between jumping on one foot or two, based on the arrangement of hula hoops and changing direction once they get to the end of the hopscotch course. They then return to the beginning.
PLAY ELEMENT: Balancing
ACTIVE START GUIDELINES: #1, #3, #4, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT: Hula hoops
BENEFITS
• Promotes body awareness, balance and motor control while moving through the hopscotch course.
• EIDP – Gross motor jumps forward on both feet 3-3.5 years, hops on one foot 3.5-4 years
• NAEYC 2.C.01, 2.C.04, 9.B.01
TEACHING TIPS
• Help children learn turn taking while waiting for a turn.
• Sing songs and incorporate other movement activities while the children wait their turn to keep them moving.
SAFETY TIP
• Place hula hoops on a flat surface (such as grass or playground safety surfacing).
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Place hula hoops in a straight line. Hold children’s hands while they jump through the course. Children who are not yet able to jump on one foot can jump using both feet or gallop through the course.
• More Challenging: Children can use a marker to toss through the hopscotch course and retrieve the marker, as in the traditional version of hopscotch.
DID YOU KNOW?
As of this printing, the longest time anyone has hula hooped is 74 hours and 54 minutes.
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Boom Ball
Children will practice throwing and catching while bouncing a ball on the ground to each other. Children can either stand across from each other or form a circle for this ballbouncing game. Children bounce a large ball on the ground while shouting, “Boom!” to a partner, who catches it. If playing in a circle, the children can either bounce the ball clockwise around the circle or say a child’s name across the circle before bouncing it to him or her.
PLAY ELEMENT: Upper body bilateral coordination
ACTIVE START GUIDELINES: #1, #3, #4, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT: Large balls
BENEFITS
• Explore intensity of movement by using different levels of force and hand-eye coordination to bounce the ball.
• EIDP – Gross motor throw from forward stance 3.5-4 years, throw overhand with trunk rotation 4- 4.5 years, catch large ball with arms flexed at elbow 4-4.5 years
• NAEYC 2.C.01, 2.C.04
TEACHING TIP
• Tell children to use varying levels of force (soft or hard) and/or different voice volume (whispering, inside voice or loud voice) while bouncing the ball.
SAFETY TIPS
• Use a large, soft ball that is properly inflated and bounces well.
• Play on an even surface free of obstacles.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Have two children bounce the ball to each other or bounce with a child to model.
• More Challenging: Bounce the ball two times before catching it. While in a large circle, bounce the ball across to another child without announcing the child’s name first. Children can climb to a platform on the playground equipment to drop balls to a partner, who will try to catch them.
DID YOU KNOW?
Bouncy balls are made of rubber. Smaller bouncy balls tend to be made of solid rubber, while larger ones are usually an air filled, rubber shell.
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Ants Go Marching
Children march around the playground, following the leader over various surfaces and obstacles such as stairs, ladders and slides. Children take turns leading the group as they imitate the designated leader (The ants go marching up the stairs! The ants go sliding down the slide!, etc.). Children may wish to incorporate the song into their movements as they perform them.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Climbing, sliding
ACTIVE START GUIDELINES: #1, #3, #4, #5
BENEFIT
• Encourage gross motor skills while following a model.
• EIDP – Gross motor imitates one part body movement 3-3.5 years, imitates body movements with integration of both sides of body 4-4.5 years
• NAEYC 2.C.01, 2.C.04, 9.A.04, 9.B.01
TEACHING TIPS
• Add more challenges to the march, such as spinning, hopping or crawling, for variation.
• Lead the group to get started and model the activity, then allow the children to take turns being the leader.
• Ensure that multiple children have a chance to lead the group by either specifying a starting and ending point or timing each child’s turn.
SAFETY TIPS
• Supervise the movement of the leader to ensure the safety of the group.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• Spot as needed.
• Ensure that paths chosen by the children include only age-appropriate equipment.
• Play equipment intended for school-age children should not be used (for example, free-standing arched climbers, fire poles and track rides).
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Assist children in completing gross motor activities by providing physical assistance or additional support.
• More Challenging: Put out additional obstacles such as crawl tunnels or cones to increase the complexity of the course. Encourage children to march across balance beams and ramps already on the playground; this adds to the complexity of the course.
DID YOU KNOW?
Ant hills have one queen, who lays the eggs.
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Over the River
Create two lines of bean bags in the center of the playground equipment. Children form a single line to jump over the river. After each jump, increase the spacing of the lines of bean bags to widen the river.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Balancing, climbing
ACTIVE START GUIDELINES: #1, #3, #4, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT: Sufficient bean bags to create two parallel lines
BENEFITS
• Increases balance, strength and coordination.
• EIDP – Gross motor, jumps forward both feet 3-3.5 years, jumps forward 8-10 inches, 4-4.5 years
• NAEYC 2.C.01, 2.C.04, 9.A.04, 9.B.01
TEACHING TIP
• Set up additional props to be in the river, such as fish, alligators or snakes.
SAFETY TIPS
• Set out bean bags on a flat, soft surface.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Hold children’s hands while they jump over the river or provide a stepping stone in the river for children who can only jump a shorter distance.
• More Challenging: Have the children see if they can jump 4 inches from the ground.
The Amazon River is the longest river in the world. It is 4,225 miles, which is longer than
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Bugs in the Garden
Place a variety of flowers (mats, hula hoops, or other objects representing flowers) around the playground, incorporating a variety of playground equipment. Children crawl, fly and move around the playground, pretending to be various insects. For example, they can crawl on all fours like a ladybug, hop like a grasshopper, flap their arms and buzz around like a bee, etc. The children will move on, over and around various play structures on the playground to visit different colored (or numbered) flowers. Children work their way through the playground, careful to visit each of the flowers before reaching the end of the course.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Upper body bilateral coordination, climbing, balancing, sliding
ACTIVE START GUIDELINES: #1, #3, #4, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT: Large flowers (mats or hula hoops)
BENEFITS
• Promotes climbing and balance.
• EIDP – Gross motor 3-3.5 years
• NAEYC 2.C.01, 2.C.04, 9.A.04, 9.B.01
TEACHING TIPS
• Set up the flowers randomly, or number them and place in sequential order to form a course.
• Encourage children to imitate various insects through their movement, sounds and behaviors.
SAFETY TIPS
• Easier: Keep flowers on flat surfaces of different texture (such as decks, ground or equipment with wide surface areas).
• Place flowers in locations that are age appropriate for the children in your group.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• More Challenging: Have children move around a variety of different leveled surfaces such as stairs, climbing structures and slides. Have children crawl like a bear throughout the playground on their hands and feet.
DID YOU KNOW?
Ladybugs are found in gardens, where they eat pests. Gardeners love ladybugs!
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Traffic Stop
Place a variety of cut-out traffic signs or use chalk to draw them on a path. Children move around the play structure and paths and obey the signs while traveling through the roads. Children pretend to drive cars or ride tricycles as they climb up play equipment and slide down slides, careful to obey traffic signs and other obstacles.
PLAY ELEMENT: Balancing
ACTIVE START GUIDELINES: #1, #3, #4, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT: Chalk, ride on toys and bicycles, traffic signs
BENEFITS
• Promotes climbing and sliding using playground equipment while dramatizing different community helper roles.
• EIDP – Gross motor climbs on playground equipment 3-3.5 years, slides down slide 4.5-5 years
• NAEYC 2.C.01, 2.C.04, 9.A.04, 9.B.01
TEACHING TIPS
• Integrate community helpers into this activity by having props available for children to pretend to be police officers directing traffic.
• Prior to beginning the activity, review what the various signs mean and discuss their colors and shapes.
• Incorporate car safety during the activity, such as reminding children to wear their seat belt, keep eyes on the road, etc.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that children move in the same direction within the path.
• Children can use ride-on toys, wagons, or tricycles on a path around the playground,
but must not use wheeled-toys on the playground structure. All children on tricycles must wear a helmet to protect them from head injuries; however they should never use playground equipment while wearing a helmet.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Lead and model for the child.
• More Challenging: Have children coordinate action as they pretend to be on a train or in a bus.
DID YOU KNOW?
Most traffic signs are made from the basic shapes: octagon, triangle, rectangle, circle and diamond.
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Shark Tank
Place toy sharks made of soft material or paper on the surfacing under and around the balance beam. Explain to children that they need to walk across the balance beam over the shark tank without falling in.
PLAY ELEMENT: Balancing
ACTIVE START GUIDELINES: #1, #3, #4, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT: Balance beam, toy sharks
BENEFITS
• Develops balance, patience and focus.
• EIDP – Gross motor 4-4.5 years
• NAEYC 2.C.01, 2.C.04, 9.A.04, 9.B.01
TEACHING TIP
• Remind children to take their time and control their muscle movements while walking across the balance beam.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that children cross the balance beam one at a time.
• Alert children when it is safe for another to cross.
The balance beam should be no more than 12 inches off the ground for preschool-age children.
Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
Easier: Hold children’s hands while they cross the balance beam or provide them with support to hold while crossing.
More Challenging: Time children’s progress across. Have children change direction while walking on balance beam. Ask children to bend down and touch or pick up one of the sharks as they move across the balance beam.
(EIDP – Gross motor 4-4.5 years)
DID YOU KNOW?
Most sharks live between 20 to 30 years in the wild.
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Over and Under
Standing in a line, one behind another, children pass a large ball to the next child in line by either passing the ball under their legs or over their head (dynamic directionality).
PLAY ELEMENT: Upper body bilateral coordination
ACTIVE START GUIDELINES: #1, #3, #4, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT: Large ball, music
BENEFITS
• Develops hand-eye coordination and communicating with peers.
• EIDP – Gross motor 4-4.5 years, speech and language, dynamic directionality 4.5-5 years
• NAEYC 2.C.01, 2.C.04, 9.B.01
TEACHING TIP
• Play music and have children freeze when the music stops.
SAFETY TIP
• Use a soft ball that is appropriately sized for the age group (e.g., use larger balls for younger children).
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Use music that is slower paced; have children rotate at the waist to pass the ball to each other face-to-face.
• More Challenging: Add multiple balls and/ or up-tempo music; have children alternate between over the head and under the legs.
DID YOU KNOW?
Not all balls are round. A football and rugby ball are nonspherical.
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Ball Drop
Children climb up to a platform on a play structure while an adult or another child holds a hula hoop on the soft surface below. Children drop or toss a ball through the hoop below. The hula hoop can be next to the structure or a short distance away.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Upper body bilateral coordination, climbing
ACTIVE START GUIDELINES: #1, #3, #4, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT: Large soft balls, hula hoop
BENEFITS
• Develops hand-eye coordination.
• EIDP – Gross motor 4-4.5 years
• NAEYC 2.C.01, 2.C.04, 9.A.04
TEACHING TIP
• Have a variety of balls available in sufficient number.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that children are able to maintain their balance when throwing balls through the hoop (i.e., that the elevated surface is big enough).
• Use soft/lightweight balls so that the adult or child holding the hula hoop is not injured if hit.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• Require children to hold onto the equipment with one hand while throwing with the other hand.
• Spot if needed.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Place the hula hoop close to the climbing structure to allow balls to be dropped through the hoop. Use an appropriately sized ball to allow children to hold the ball and/or use their other hand to balance or hold onto the equipment.
• More Challenging: Provide a basket of multiple balls and play music or use a timer to see how many balls children can drop through the hoop during a specified amount of time. Children holding the hula hoop can slowly turn in a circle or move from side to side to make a moving target.
DID YOU KNOW?
The first basketball game was played with a soccer ball.
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Slide and Catch
As children descend a slide, the facilitator or another child gently tosses them a soft ball. The sliding child attempts to catch the ball as she or he comes down the slide.
PLAY ELEMENT: Sliding
ACTIVE START GUIDELINES: #1, #3, #4, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT: Basket, large soft balls
BENEFIT
• Promotes hand-eye coordination by both throwing and catching.
• EIDP – Gross motor 4-4.5 years
• NAEYC 2.C.01, 2.C.04, 9.A.04, 9.B.01
TEACHING TIP
• Explain the rules of the game and oversee the role of thrower and catcher.
SAFETY TIPS
• Balls should be thrown with an underhand motion.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the slide.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Throw the ball from a shorter distance or hand the ball to the sliding child.
• More Challenging: Use a chalkboard for children to tally the number of balls caught. Or, the child can catch the ball and throw it back to the thrower. Reverse the activity by asking the child sliding to shoot the ball in a basket placed next to the slide or held by a facilitator as they descend.
DID YOU KNOW?
The world’s first playground slide was made in 1922 in England. It was made entirely of wood.
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Children lie tummy down on a bench with their arms extended alongside their head (one child per bench; Children can complete this activity simultaneously if there are several benches available). When prompted, children raise their arms and legs as if they are soaring through the air. One object of this activity is to see how long children can keep their limbs elevated above the bench; the other object is for children to travel the length of the bench on their stomachs in a scooting fashion. They can scoot forward or backward, and may use the hands and/or feet to assist.
PLAY ELEMENT: Balancing
ACTIVE START GUIDELINES: #1, #3, #4, #5
BENEFITS
• Develops lower back muscle endurance while increasing kinesthetic awareness.
• EIDP – Imitate one part body movement 3-3.5 years, identify body planes 3.5-4 years, move body with integration of both sides of body 4-4.5 years, place body in spatial relationship to objects 4.5-5 years
• NAEYC 2.C.01, 2.C.04, 9.B.01
TEACHING TIPS
• Provide children with helpful movement cues (tighten muscles and form straight body lines).
• Designate beginning and ending and counting duration of time children hold the position.
SAFETY TIPS
• After completing this activity, children should round their backs (by doing a forward bend, for example) to balance the arching stretch of the back in this activity.
• Remind children to be careful of having their bodies (especially hands, arms or heads) come into contact with parts of the bench as they move.
• Stay close to children to ensure they stay in contact with the bench at all times.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Start by having children raise their arms or legs only. Have children raise their right arm and left leg simultaneously and vice versa. Modify this exercise by holding the position for a shorter time (3 seconds, for example).
• More Challenging: Increase the time in which children hold the superkid position or reduce resting interval between activities.
DID YOU KNOW?
Sometimes superheroes do not extend their arms when flying in order to fly faster.
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Every other child in a swing bay swings in the opposite direction. The goal is for all children to synchronize their swinging motion so everyone is at the bottom at the same time and each swing diverges in an alternating direction after that.
PLAY ELEMENT: Swinging
ACTIVE START GUIDELINES: #1, #3, #4, #5
BENEFITS
• Develops aerobic fitness and muscular endurance.
• Develops understanding of body positioning and flow of movement.
• EIDP – Gross motor swings self on swing 4.5-5 years
• NAEYC 2.C.01, 2.C.04, 9.B.01
TEACHING TIPS
• Be sure that children are swinging only forward and backward.
• Help children determine strategies (softer or harder leg pumps) for passing other children at the desired location.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the swings.
• Be sure there are no other children in or around the swing bay.
• Remind children to hold onto the swing with both hands.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Start with smaller groups (e.g., 4-5 children) to help with timing.
• More Challenging: Increase group size or face alternating directions.
• Adaptation: Push children in a belt swing or a bucket swing.
DID YOU KNOW?
As of this printing, the world record for longest marathon on a swing is 32 hours, 2 minutes, 3 seconds.
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Spin and Freeze
On the signal, children spin in circles for a set number of seconds, then freeze in place (e.g., “Pose for 5 seconds,” “Pose for 2 seconds,” etc.). Change the amount of time regularly. Everyone can count aloud to ensure the pose is held for the designated time. Poses should be original; no two poses should be repeated.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Spinning, balancing
ACTIVE START GUIDELINES: #1, #3, #4, #5
BENEFITS
• Increases muscular endurance and flexibility
• Develops body control and awareness.
• EIDP – Gross motor stands on one foot and balances 32-35 months, Imitating one part body movement 3-3.5 years, identifies body planes 3.5-4 years, integrates both sides of body into movement 4-4.5 years, places body in spatial relationships to objects 4.5-5 years
TEACHING TIPS
• Remind children to tighten muscles to help maintain pose.
• Allow children to keep attempting poses until they display a novel one.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that children maintain a safe distance from one another as they spin.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Use a wide base of support when on posing.
• More Challenging: Ask children to create a statue pose while standing on one leg; increase the number of poses for each turn; increase the time period for each pose.
Adaptation: Allow the child to use the same pose again or give extra time to plan or pose.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Statue of Liberty (which is in a permanent freeze position) is 305 feet tall.
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Set up plastic bowling pins a few feet away from the base of as many slides as you have on hand. Make large balls available to children at the top of each slide. Children take turns rolling the ball down the slide to knock down the pins, and then climb back up to the top of the slide to return the ball to the top.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Upper body bilateral coordination, sliding, balancing
ACTIVE START GUIDELINES: #1, #3, #4, #5
BENEFIT
• Promotes hand-eye coordination.
• EIDP – Gross motor throws ball in vertical pattern 28-31 months, throws in forward stance 3.5-4 years, throws ball overhand 4-4.5 years
• NAEYC 2.C.01, 2.C.04, 9.B.01
TEACHING TIPS
• Demonstrate setting up the pins and rolling the ball down the slide before play begins.
• Encourage children to experiment with different size balls.
SAFETY TIPS
• Be sure that children clear away from the bottom of the slide once they have set up the bowling pins.
• Do not allow children to crawl up the slide.
• Ensure there is enough safety surfacing under and around the slide structure.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Set up the pins for younger children and use larger balls.
• More Challenging: Have the children set up the pins and use balls that are smaller in size, making the children use better aiming strategies.
• Adaptation: Assist children by handing the ball to them at the top of the slide or practice knocking down the pins with the ball while simply standing on the playground surface.
DID YOU KNOW?
An avalanche happens when lots of snow comes loose and falls down the sides of the mountain.
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Cool Slide
Children descend the slide with their hands behind their head and legs crossed, looking like they are fully relaxed on a beach.
PLAY ELEMENT: Sliding
ACTIVE START GUIDELINES: #1, #3, #4, #5
BENEFIT
• Develops body awareness.
• EIDP – Gross motor imitating one part body movement 3-3.5 years, identifies body planes 3.5-4 years, moves body with integration of both sides of body 4-4.5
TEACHING TIP
• Assist with dismounting at the base of slide.
SAFETY TIP
• Ensure that children do not stay in the cool position for so long that their heads come into contact with the slide exit or the ground in a horizontal position.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Descend with arms folded in front of chest and legs straight.
More Challenging: Place one ankle on opposite knee while sliding; switch ankles and knees on the next descent.
DID YOU KNOW?
Groovy is another word for cool.
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Up, Up and Away
Bring children to an open area on the playground floor and demonstrate the two necessary motions for this activity: spinning and jumping. Children stand on/in one of the spin/ blast zones (e.g., poly spot, hula hoop) that are dispersed throughout the playing area. On command, they spin around (like a twister) and after a designated number of spins or a designated spinning time they jump (up, up, and away) as high as they can, like a balloon.
• Children work on muscle strength while improving body awareness, jumping and landing skills.
• EIDP – Gross motor jumps with feet together 24-27 months, jumps from 12 inch height with feet together 3.5-4 years, jumps over 2 inch high object 4-4.5 years, jumps over 4 inch high object 4.5-5 years
• NAEYC 2.C.01, 2.C.04, 9.B.01
TEACHING TIPS
• Have children spin in place and turn entire body in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.
• Have children jump using a springing action performed with two feet, consisting of a 2 foot takeoff and then landing.
SAFETY TIPS
• Make sure that children are not too close to play equipment or to other children during this activity.
• Children should come to a complete stop prior to blast off.
• Children should maintain personal space by staying on/in their spinning/blast zone.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Talk to children about levels of effort and speed when spinning. Start with light effort and slow speed and increase progressively.
• More Challenging: Use multiple combinations of twister blast off (e.g., twist once and blast off, then twice and blast off, then three times and blast off); switch zones after each blast off; land on one foot after a blast off.
• Adaptation: Focus on either spinning or jumping.
DID YOU KNOW?
A hot air balloon once flew all the way up to 69,986 feet. This is twice as high as airplanes usually fly.
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Going on a Cub Hunt
Read or tell a cub- or bear-hunt story. Children perform actions and sounds that mimic the events in the journey as they travel on, under and through the playground equipment. Use the following framework: A bear family travels through the deep grass of a meadow, swims across a river, wades through oozy mud, journeys through a dark forest, experiences a snowstorm, and explores a cave.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Climbing, swinging, sliding, spinning, balancing
ACTIVE START GUIDELINES: #1, #3, #4, #5
BENEFITS
• Increases listening skills and body awareness
• Capitalizes on children’s locomotor and nonlocomotor skills.
• EIDP – Gross motor walks backward, climbs on playground equipment, rises to stand from kneeling using a mature rising pattern, imitates one-part body movement 3.5 years, walks down stairs alternating feet, jumps from 12 inch height, hops on preferred foot 3.5-4 years, stands on one foot for 6 seconds, walks on balance beam, jumps over 2 inch high object, imitates body movement with integration of both sides of body, swings self on swing 4-4.5 years, jumps backward, jumps over 4 inch high object 4.5-5 years
• NAEYC
2.C.01, 2.C.04, 9.A.04, 9.B.01
TEACHING TIP
• Promote imagination by asking children, “What else did the cub do?”
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure children maintain their own personal space throughout story.
• Ensure there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Read the story while demonstrating hand and body gestures before entering playground.
• More Challenging: Read the story and act more quickly each subsequent time.
• Adaptation: Read the story in a circle and have a facilitator assist children with completing hand motions.
DID YOU KNOW?
Bear cubs generally mature in 2–5 years.
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Criss-Cross Swinging
Every other child in a swing bay swings in the opposite direction. The goal is for all children to synchronize their swinging motion so everyone is at the bottom at the same time and each swing diverges in an alternate direction after that.
PLAY ELEMENT: Swinging
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #3, #4
BENEFITS
• Increases aerobic fitness, muscular endurance and collaboration.
• Increases understanding of body positioning and flow of movement.
TEACHING TIPS
• Be sure children are swinging only forward and backward.
• Help children determine strategies (softer or harder leg pumps) for passing other children’s swings at the desired location.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the swings.
• Make certain personal space is maintained while passing classmates (e.g., elbows and feet aligned with body).
• Ensure that children hold on with both hands while swinging.
• More Challenging: Increase group size; have children face in alternate directions.
DID YOU KNOW?
Swings can be dated all the way back to ancient Greece!
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Children travel the entire length of a horizontal ladder as if they were clothes on clothesline. They begin hanging from the overhead event with their body turned outward using an overhand grip. Children then move down the overhead ladder using their lead hand, followed by the same movement with their trail hand.
PLAY ELEMENT: Brachiating
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #2, #3, #5
BENEFITS
• Develops upper body strength, endurance and kinesthetic awareness.
• Builds a sense of accomplishment.
TEACHING TIPS
• This will be difficult for some, since young children exhibit developmental differences in upper-body strength and skeletal growth.
• Provide encouragement to all children.
SAFETY TIPS
• Be ready to help tired children dismount from the ladder.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children hang on the horizontal ladder for a specific period of time, but do not move across the bar.
• More Challenging: Children hold the interior part of the beam (body facing away from rungs) and maneuver around the rungs while sliding hands along the beam.
DID YOU KNOW?
The longest clothesline was in Wenduine, Belgium. It was 114,981 feet—over 21 miles long!
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Follow the Zookeeper
Children form a line at the top of the slide. The first child slides down, acting and sounding like an animal. The second child follows, acting and sounding like the same animal, followed by the third child and so on. After the last child in line is finished, the game starts over with a new leader (the second person in line), and a new animal of choice.
PLAY ELEMENT: Sliding
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #2, #3, #4, #5
BENEFITS
• Integrates science concepts with physical activity.
• Fosters creativity, body awareness and leadership opportunities.
TEACHING TIPS
• Choose animal environments related to classroom science lessons, such as the ocean, jungle, rain forest or desert. Call out a type of environment and have the first child choose a representative animal from that.
• Allow children to view the first child’s animal movement from the base of the slide before attempting to copy it.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that children use the slide one at a time.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
Easier: Provide the first child with a few animal options to choose from (e.g., dog, hawk, elephant, fish, alligator).
More Challenging: Change leaders more often by identifying a new leader before the last child in line slides down the slide.
DID YOU KNOW?
Zookeepers have existed since roughly 3000 B.C.
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Sneaky Spider
Children travel horizontally or diagonally across any vertical climbing component as quietly (with light force) as possible.
PLAY ELEMENT: Climbing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #5
BENEFITS
• Develops upper body strength and muscular endurance.
• Increases understanding of weight transfer, force absorption and body control.
• Requires imagination and independent thinking skills.
TEACHING TIPS
• Tell children to gently place feet and hands and press or pull as quietly as possible.
• Remind children to secure their feet before reaching with their hands.
SAFETY TIPS
• Watch for and spot children who may have difficulty climbing down.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children can see how loud the spider can be (heavy force).
• More Challenging: Spinning Spider—children turn and face their body inward and outward while climbing along the apparatus.
DID YOU KNOW?
There are approximately 40,000 spider species in the world. The Goliath Tarantula is the largest, but it is not deadly to humans.
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Belly Board
Children lie tummy down on a bench or other flat surface, one child per bench. When prompted, children raise their arms and legs as if they were soaring through the air. Upon hearing, “scoot!” children scoot forward or backward; they may use their hands and/or feet to assist.
PLAY ELEMENT: Balancing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #5
BENEFITS
• Develops lower back muscular endurance.
• Increases kinesthetic awareness.
TEACHING TIPS
• See how long children can keep their limbs elevated above the bench.
• Helpful movement cues: Have children tighten muscles and form straight body lines.
• Several children can complete this activity simultaneously if there are several benches available or enough space available.
• Have children round their backs (by doing a forward bend, for example) to balance the arching back stretch in this activity.
SAFETY TIPS
• Stay close to keep children from falling off the bench.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• Afterward, children should round their backs (by doing a forward bend, for example) to balance the arching back stretch in this activity.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Start with shorter scooting distances.
• More Challenging: Increase distance and time or reduce resting intervals.
• Adaptation: Children can raise either arms or legs and can travel down the bench however they choose.
DID YOU KNOW?
Belly boarding is like surfing on your stomach and there’s even a world competition every year.
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All Around Town
Call out a relational movement (in, under, around, through, on, alongside) or locomotor movement (walk, hop, jump, gallop) for children to perform. Examples: “Step over the stationary swing,” “climb up the ladder,” “crawl under the slide,” or “skip around the playground structure.”
PLAY ELEMENTS: Combo (swinging, climbing, balancing, spinning, brachiating, sliding)
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #5
BENEFITS
• Develops movement vocabulary and body and spatial understanding.
• Boosts flexibility.
• Develops muscular strength and endurance.
TEACHING TIP
• Demonstrate or teach a full range of relational movements prior to the activity.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that there is sufficient clearance for children to climb under equipment and to negotiate paths around the equipment.
• Ensure that children are a safe distance away from moving swings.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Limit the number of movements; repeat the same sequence.
• More Challenging: Add and combine sequences to make a routine or obstacle course.
DID YOU KNOW?
The first forms of public transportation were ferries and stagecoaches.
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Sliding Statues
Children slide down a slide one at a time and pose near the bottom while still seated on the slide or while standing near the base. Tell children how long they should hold each pose (“pose for 5 seconds,” “pose for 2 seconds”) and change the length of time regularly. Everyone can count aloud to ensure the pose is held for the designated time. Encourage creativity by asking children to attempt to come up with a new pose each time.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Sliding, balancing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #5
BENEFITS
• Develops muscular endurance and flexibility.
• Promotes body control and awareness.
• Fosters imagination, personal expression and self-esteem.
TEACHING TIPS
• Remind children to tighten their muscles to maintain statue.
• Allow children to keep attempting poses until they display an original one.
SAFETY TIPS
• Let the next child in line know (“slide clear”) when it is safe to slide.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• Ensure that as children exit the slide they do not stay in the statue position for so long that their heads hit the slide exit or that they come into contact with the ground awkwardly.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Have children use a wide base of support when posing.
• More Challenging: Ask children to create a statue pose while standing on one leg; increase the number of poses for each turn; increase the time period for each pose.
• Adaptation: Allow children to repeat the same again or give extra time for planning or posing.
DID YOU KNOW?
The oldest statue was built over 30,00 years ago and the tallest statue is over 500 feet!
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Tight Rope Walker
Designate an area to be the tight rope. This can be on the ground (drawn with chalk or delineated by bean bags), on a balance beam or on a wide elevated playground surface such as a bridge, deck or walking plank. Children enter the tight rope area one at a time and walk in as straight a line as possible.
PLAY ELEMENT: Balancing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
A sponge pool noodle or other long object to hold to simulate tight rope walking
BENEFITS
• Improves kinesthetic awareness and body control.
• Enhances personal pride and sense of accomplishment.
TEACHING TIPS
• Remind youngsters to focus on a fixed point straight ahead, not on their feet.
VARIATIONS
• Use multiple tight ropes at the same time; have children alternate between them.
SAFETY TIPS
• Balance beams should not be more than 16 inches off the ground for school-age children.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• Easier: Make the tight rope area wider.
• More Challenging: Make the tight rope area narrower and have children hold an object over their heads, in front of them or balanced on a body part (head, elbow) while walking; have children pick up a leg and touch a toe before taking the next step, or hop on one leg across the tight rope area.
• Adaptation: A partner or facilitator can walk alongside the child and hold hands to provide support.
DID YOU KNOW?
Tight rope walking is when a person walks across a wire or a rope that is placed high in the air. This is also called funambulism.
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Monkey Business
Starting from a two-handed hanging position, children travel across any overhead playground component by leading repeatedly with the same lead hand and using an overhand grip (palms facing away from body). For example, they transfer themselves to the first rung with one hand, follow by moving their trail hand to the first rung, continue to the second rung with the same lead hand, and so on. Children should make a monkey sound at every hand transfer.
PLAY ELEMENT: Brachiating
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #2, #3, #5
BENEFITS
• Develops upper body strength and endurance.
• Increases body awareness and an appreciation of one’s physical abilities.
TEACHING TIPS
• Encourage children to travel as far as they possibly can.
• Be ready to help tired children dismount from the overhead equipment.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that the apparatus is an appropriate height and demonstrate how children should dismount when they are ready.
• Spot as needed.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Change grips to a more comfortable hold and width (under grip: palms facing toward body; mixed grip: one palm facing toward body, the other away; wide grip: beyond shoulder width; close grip: hands almost touching).
• More Challenging: Have children travel down and back.
DID YOU KNOW?
Monkeys yawn when they’re tired, and when they’re angry!
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Driver’s Ed
Have children navigate a partner through the playground equipment while telling a story of their choice about driving somewhere. They might describe driving on a snowy mountain road, or competing in a stock car race, or watching out for big game while driving an allterrain safari vehicle. They should incorporate spinning seats, steering wheels or other spinning apparatuses into their play. Children should give their partner directions of how to interact with the spinning apparatus. Directions can include sudden spins, clockwise spins, counterclockwise spins and back and forth spins. Have children start at different parts of the playground area.
PLAY ELEMENT: Spinning
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #5
BENEFIT
• Fosters spatial awareness, creativity, core stability and rhythmic movement.
TEACHING TIP
• Encourage children to use smooth movements; they should try not to jerk the spinning mechanism quickly.
SAFETY TIPS
• If the spinning mechanism is elevated, ensure that there are enclosures to prevent children from falling.
• Ensure there is adequate safety playground surfacing under and around the elevated area.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Omit the story; just let children experiment with the spinning mechanism.
• More Challenging: Children can drive left handed or right handed.
DID YOU KNOW?
There are over 1 billion cars in the world. That number is expected to grow to 2.5 billion by the year 2050.
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Being Cool
Children go down the slide with their hands behind their head and their legs crossed, as if they are relaxing on a beach.
PLAY ELEMENT: Sliding
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #2, #3, #5
BENEFITS
• Fosters core stability and spatial awareness.
• Enhances kinesthetic awareness and body control.
TEACHING TIP
• Assist children with dismounting at the base of the slide.
SAFETY TIPS
• Have children uncross their legs before landing at the bottom of the slide.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children descend with arms folded in front of chest and legs straight.
• More Challenging: Children place one ankle on the opposite knee while sliding and switch ankles and knees on the next descent. Ensure that they resume the feet-first position before reaching the end of the slide.
Adaptation: Allow children to try an arm position or a leg position rather than both.
DID YOU KNOW?
Antarctica, now one of the coolest continents in temperature, was once as hot as modern day California.
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This is similar to the conventional game of “I Spy.” The leader indicates an object, shape or color within the field of vision (“I spy something round,” “I spy something blue”). By asking only yes or no questions, children (while swinging) try to guess what the leader has selected. The child who correctly identifies the object becomes the new leader.
PLAY ELEMENT: Swinging
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #3, #4, #5
BENEFITS
• Develops muscular endurance and aerobic fitness.
• Promotes interpersonal skill development, cooperation and rhythmic movement.
TEACHING TIPS
• Begin by choosing an obvious object.
• Ensure that all participating children are swinging before the game begins.
• Provide hints if the children are having difficulty guessing the object.
SAFETY TIPS
• Children should hold on with both hands while swinging.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the swings.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Play in small groups (4-5 children) with an unlimited number of guesses per game.
• More Challenging: Limit the number of guesses allowed per game; provide more abstract descriptions of the object (“I spy something that starts with the letter “V”).
• Adaptation: If children have low vision or a vision disability is present, change the game to “I hear” or “I smell.”
DID YOU KNOW?
Another word for spying is called espionage.
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Sea Cave
Children begin by lying face down on the playground or other appropriate surface and elevating their torso with their hands. They then “walk” (with their hands) around a “sea cave” (the playground), pretending to be a seal or walrus. Seals move one hand forward at a time while they drag their legs behind the body. Walruses spring both hands forward while they drag their legs behind the body. Children can either perform one movement for an extended period of time or interchange movements whenever they desire.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Balancing, prebrachiating, climbing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #3, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
Manipulative objects (bean bags, sponge balls)
BENEFITS
• Develops upper body muscular strength and endurance.
• Fosters body management skill practice and imagination.
TEACHING TIPS
• Have seals and walruses try to avoid locking elbows.
SAFETY TIPS
• Provide sufficient space on the playground so that children can imitate seals and walruses without coming into contact with play equipment or each other.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
Easier: All children perform the same movement at the same time and alternate on command.
More Challenging: Add more equipment so children can imitate a seal show (balancing an object on their heads or tossing it to each
Adaptation: A “seal” with less upper body strength might crawl on the ground military style. A “walrus” with less upper body strength might squat, place hands on the floor and then spring forward.
DID YOU KNOW?
There are 18 known species of true seals in the world, but only two species of walrus.
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Exploration Transformation
As children explore the playground equipment, they will form their bodies into shapes in as many different places on a climbing structure as possible. For example, they might ascend to the center of the apparatus and form a pretzel shape, move to a bridge and form a triangle shape, and then climb down to a lower level and form a round shape.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Climbing, balancing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #5
BENEFITS
• Develops flexibility and muscular endurance.
• Enhances body awareness and management skills.
• Provides enjoyment through movement exploration.
• Reinforces knowledge of shapes.
TEACHING TIP
• Children should try to hold shapes for at least 5 seconds.
SAFETY TIPS
• Spot for younger children.
• Monitor children to assist them in climbing down if necessary.
• Ensure that children maintain good footing and hold on with both hands while posing on elevated platforms.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Have children perform the activity on a stable climbing apparatus; identify the exact locations on the climbing structure where the shapes should be executed.
More Challenging: Increase amount of time the children hold the shapes; have children create shapes while standing on one foot.
Adaptation: Assign a partner to help the child make shapes; encourage pairs of children to form a shape (giant circle, figure 8) with their two bodies.
DID YOU KNOW?
The toy Transformer originated in Japan and was first produced in 1984. Now, it is one of the largest toy franchises in the world.
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Lucky Rainbow
Two lines of children face each other, standing at least 8 feet in front of the exit of a double or dueling slide. Children join hands and raise their arms to form an arch (rainbow). The first child in each line (closest to the foot of the slides) releases hands and climbs to the top of a slide. The children descend the slides at the same time, travel together under the arch while holding hands, and raise their joined hands at the end of the line to extend the rainbow. The cycle continues with two new sliders. (If this sounds a bit like the Virginia Reel square dance, that’s because it is).
PLAY ELEMENTS: Sliding, climbing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5
BENEFITS
• Uses locomotor skills and relational movement concepts.
• Boosts cooperation and communication skills.
TEACHING TIPS
• Children should not join hands until both partners have descended and are at the end of the slide.
• Have children make a wish before entering the rainbow.
SAFETY TIPS
• Be sure the rainbow begins at least 8 feet away from the bottom of the slides.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Have the two children crawl under the rainbow one at a time.
• More Challenging: Ask the children to suggest ways to make the activity more challenging or fun.
• Adaptation: Assist with sliding or allow a child using a mobility device to take an alternate route to the rainbow.
DID YOU KNOW?
A rainbow only occurs when it is raining on one side of the sky and sunny on the other. There are millions of colors in the rainbow-not just the few we see.
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Twister Blast Off
Begin by bringing the children to an open area on the playground and demonstrating the two necessary motions for this activity: spinning and jumping. Children then stand in or on one of the spin/blast zones (carpet square, hula hoop) dispersed throughout the play area. On command, children spin around (like a twister), then—after a designated number of spins or a designated spinning time—jump (blast off) as high as they can, like a rocket ship.
PLAY ELEMENT: Spinning
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3
EXTRA EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Carpet squares, hula hoops, etc.
BENEFITS
• Develops muscular strength.
• Improves body awareness and jumping and landing skills.
TEACHING TIPS
• Children should spin in place and turn the entire body either clockwise or counterclockwise.
• Children should jump by using a springing action that requires bent knees and arm action and a two foot takeoff and landing.
SAFETY TIPS
• Make sure that children are far enough from play equipment and other children so avoid colliding with either during this activity.
• Children should come to a complete stop prior to blast off.
• Children should maintain their personal space by staying on or in their spinning/ blast zone.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Talk to youngsters about levels of effort and speed when spinning. Start with light effort and progressively slow and increase speed.
• More Challenging: Have children use multiple combinations of twister blast off (twist once and blast off, then twice and blast off, then three times and blast off); switch zones after each blast off; land on one foot after a blast off.
• Adaptation: Focus on either spinning or jumping.
DID YOU KNOW?
Most twisters have wind speeds less than 100 miles per hour, but extreme tornadoes can reach over 300 miles per hour.
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Chipmunk Dens
Chipmunks” work together in teams; there should be one team for each available slide. Assign each team a den marked with a hula hoop and filled with several “nuts” (any collectable object), Position each den near the base of the home slide. Teams gather nuts from other chipmunk dens and place them in their own dens. Chipmunks must slide down their home slide one at a time before going to steal a nut and returning it to the team’s den. Chipmunks cannot visit the same den twice in a row. Chipmunks are not allowed to guard their own team den to protect the nuts. Children who are tagged by a chipmunk from another team while trying to gather a nut must relinquish that nut before returning to play.
• Teaches the importance of rule adherence and good sports behavior in successful game play.
• Promotes fitness, cooperation, communication, problem solving and teamwork.
TEACHING TIPS
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Play “spring cleaning.” Teams work to return all nuts to the original den, following the same rules.
• There should be at least one more nut in each den than there are children per team.
• Change den assignments after each game.
SAFETY TIPS
• Position dens at least 8 feet from the base of the slide and outside the immediate exit zone.
• Ensure that children do not run into each other or into the equipment.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• More Challenging: Children must travel by way of other obstacles (climbing ladders, brachiating across horizontal bars) to retrieve a nut.
• Adaptation: If needed, assign a partner to assist the child with special needs.
DID YOU KNOW?
Chipmunks are members of the squirrel family. They hibernate, but instead of storing fat on their bodies they stash nuts in their dens.
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Going on a Bear Hunt
Read or tell a bear hunt story. Children perform actions and sounds that mimic the events in the journey as they travel on, under and through the playground equipment. Use the following framework if the recommended story is unavailable: A bear family travels through the deep grass of a meadow, swims across a river, wades through oozy mud, journeys through a dark forest, experiences a snowstorm and explores a cave.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Combo (climbing, brachiating, swinging, sliding, spinning, balancing)
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT NEEDED: A copy of the story, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt
BENEFITS
• Fosters literacy, creativity, self-expression and listening skills.
• Applies movement concepts such as body awareness and positioning.
• Capitalizes on children’s locomotor and nonlocomotor skills.
TEACHING TIP
• Ask children to expand the story, “What else would the bear do?”
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that children maintain their own personal space throughout the activity.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Read the story to children and demonstrate hand and body gestures before entering the playground.
• More Challenging: Read and act out the story faster and faster each subsequent time.
DID YOU KNOW?
Bears can run up to 40 miles per hour. The fastest human can run only 27 miles per hour!
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Spinning Dolphins
Children run, leap and spin a full 360 degrees in the air (as dolphins leap and spin out of the water). After regaining their balance, the “dolphins” travel up the ladder and down the slide to return to the water.
PLAY ELEMENT: Combo (spinning, balancing, climbing, sliding)
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #2, #3, #5
BENEFITS
• Integrates science subject matter and locomotor skills.
• Fosters body awareness and imagination.
• Offers sensory rich movement experience.
TEACHING TIPS
• Have children drive arms to jump high; land under full body control, staying on feet.
• Children swing arms to one side to
SAFETY TIP
• Provide sufficient space on the playground so that children can run, jump and spin without coming into contact with play equipment or each other.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Spin less than 360 degrees.
• More Challenging: Spin first in one direction, then the other; add other creative and complex jumping, spinning, running or leaping patterns.
• Adaptation: Children using wheelchairs can alternate directions in which they or a friend helps them spin.
DID YOU KNOW?
Dolphins live together in small units called pods. They hear better than humans, and can hear with their ears and jawbones.
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Swamp Tour
Children go to one of four elevated platforms or other flat surfaces and form bird or tree poses, which they hold for a length of time before moving on to the next area and posing again. Children make bird sounds with the bird poses and wind sounds (along with a swaying motion) with the tree poses. They can use props or form a beak with two fingers to make the poses more lifelike.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Balancing, climbing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Props for trees or birds (pompons, balls)
BENEFITS
• Develops flexibility and muscular endurance.
• Promotes kinesthetic awareness, personal expression, creativity and imagination.
• Provides locomotor and nonlocomotor skill practice.
TEACHING TIP
• Demonstrate poses in advance. Crane pose (stand tall on tip toes with neck outstretched); stork pose (stand on one foot with other foot placed against the inside of the knee or thigh of standing leg); cypress pose (stand with legs spread wide and arms raised straight above head); willow pose (stand with back hunched and arms drooping).
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that elevated platforms higher than 4 feet have guardrails or other sufficient enclosures to prevent children from falling.
• Remind children to put both feet on the ground if they are having difficulty balancing.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children can perform poses only on the ground, or on the ground first.
• More Challenging: Children can close their eyes while performing poses.
• Adaptation: Children who demonstrate difficulty balancing on one foot can hold onto the equipment while posing.
DID YOU KNOW?
At 5 feet tall, the whooping crane is the tallest bird in the United States. This crane’s nickname is “the whooper” because of its call, which is so loud that it can be heard 2 miles away. Let’s hear your whooper call!
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Superhero Slide
Children choose their favorite superhero and embody that person/creature in action (including sound effects) as they slide, feet first, down a slide. Possibilities: Superman, Wonder Woman, Spiderman, Hawk Girl, Batman, Power Ranger, Captain America, Wonder Twin or the Flash.
PLAY ELEMENT: Sliding
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #2, #3, #5
BENEFITS
• Promotes kinesthetic awareness, physical control, creative expression and imagination.
TEACHING TIPS
• Remind children to assume their superhero pose before sliding down the slide.
• Position an adult at the base of the slide to assist with dismounts.
SAFETY TIPS
• Make sure that youngsters slide feet first and in a seated position.
• Use the “slide clear” command to indicate when it is safe for the next child to slide.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children use only noises to imitate a superhero.
• More Challenging: Children perform two different superhero poses during each descent.
DID YOU KNOW?
Batman is the most popular superhero in the world. Oddly enough, he is the only superhero without super powers.
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Space Shuttle Landing
An adult or designated child leader “launches” (throws) a ball as high as possible in the air. Others start at the base of climbing equipment and climb to see how high they can get before the ball lands. When the ball lands, the thrower yells, “space shuttle landing” and retrieves the ball as everyone freezes. The child who climbed the highest becomes the launcher and the game begins again.
PLAY ELEMENT: Climbing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Bouncing ball
BENEFITS
• Enhances focus and develops the ability to perform under pressure.
• Develops upper and lower body strength and endurance.
TEACHING TIP
• Limit participation to the number of children who can safely climb available equipment at one time; integrate others in a circuit system.
SAFETY TIPS
• Direct throwers to launch the space shuttle in an area away from the climbers.
• Remind climbers not to watch the ball but to listen for the call, “space shuttle landing.”
• Spot as needed.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Allow children to keep climbing through two or more launches.
• More Challenging: Have children jump twice before climbing.
• Adaptation: Give some children a head start.
DID YOU KNOW?
A space shuttle is a reusable space vehicle that is designed to return to Earth and land like a giant glider.
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Snake on a Playground
Children follow a designated (and adventurous) leader around, through, up, and over playground equipment until the leader meets up with the last child in line. At that point, they reverse direction and the last child becomes the leader, leading the snake in a new direction.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Combo (all)
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #3, #4, #5
BENEFITS
• Develops teamwork and ability to follow visual and physical directions.
• Fosters creativity and leadership ability.
• Promotes muscular strength and cardiovascular endurance.
TEACHING TIPS
• Use this activity when working with a large group of children.
• Choose a decisive, dynamic leader for the first turn.
• Encourage the children to help other parts of the snake as needed.
• Play music or encourage children to sing a song while snaking along.
SAFETY TIPS
• Spot as needed.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Have a younger or less athletic child lead.
• More Challenging: Children must hop on one foot and change feet when new leader begins.
• Adaptation: Encourage the entire snake to take responsibility for getting up, over and around the equipment. If a child in one part of the snake has trouble nearby parts of the snake must create modifications to enable everyone to continue.
DID YOU KNOW?
Snakes are not slimy. They smell with their tongues and hear through vibrations in the ground. They help us by keeping rodent populations under control.
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Slide Bowling
Set up plastic bowling pins at least 8 feet away from the base of each slide. Divide children into as many teams as there are slides and give each team a ball. The first person on each team bounces a ball down the slide and toward the pins, then goes down the slide and fetches the ball. While clutching the ball between the knees, the child hops or waddles back to the pins and stands up those that were knocked down. The child then hops or waddles to the back of a different line, handing the ball to the first child in that line.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Sliding, balancing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Plastic bowling pins, bouncy balls
BENEFITS
• Develops coordination, locomotor skills and body awareness.
• Fosters teamwork and group participation.
• Fosters respect for rules, safety and diverse abilities.
TEACHING TIPS
• Have a child demonstrate the process before play begins.
• Encourage children to adjust to the bounciness of the ball.
• Explain that the ball must bounce or roll down the slide, and not be thrown at the pins.
SAFETY TIPS
• Each child must move away from slide immediately after resetting the pins.
• Make sure children don’t travel with the ball back onto the playground equipment.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• Instruct children to wait until the ball reaches the pins before sliding to avoid meeting the ball on the slide bedway.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children can retrieve the ball and set up pins in any manner they choose.
• More Challenging: Children must use their nondominant hand to retrieve the ball.
• Adaptation: Assist children with ladders, pins and balls as needed.
DID YOU KNOW?
To earn a perfect score in bowling (300), you must throw 12 strikes in a row.
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Sharks in the Water
Divide children into two or three teams. Assess points (or other penalties) against a team each time someone falls in the water. Provide the directions: “Watch out! Sharks are circling your boat! You’ll be safe as long as you don’t fall in the water (touch the surface of the playground). See how far you can travel—and how much you can do—without falling in.”
• Promotes spatial awareness and efficient body positioning.
• Cultivates exploration and teamwork.
TEACHING TIPS
VARIATIONS
• Present the activity in a spirit of fun and imagination, not danger.
• Ask children what the consequences should be for those who fall in the water. For example, they may have to complete a physical activity before starting over.
SAFETY TIPS
• Spot as needed.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• Easier: Allow three falls per team before assessing points or penalties.
• More Challenging: Distribute “dead weight” (balls, bean bags, hula hoops, etc.) throughout the playground equipment. Tell children the boat is sinking and they must retrieve the dead weight and throw it overboard before anyone can proceed.
DID YOU KNOW?
Sharks don’t have bones. A shark’s skeleton is made up of cartilage. More people are killed by bee stings and lightning than from shark attacks.
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Switching Tracks
Children stand behind a line at the border of the playground. Upon the command, they race to the designated pieces of equipment. The first child to touch any piece of equipment yells, “I’m the engine!” Each time that child yells, “Switch!” the other children (“train cars”) must run to a new piece of equipment, remaining in continuous motion. The “engine” can choose to switch to a new piece of equipment or not. Play continues until you choose a new engine by calling out a child’s name. That child takes over until you choose another child. Note: You also can call out “Switch!” at any time.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Combo (climbing, brachiating, swinging, sliding, spinning, balancing)
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5
BENEFITS
• Provides a full-body fitness experience emphasizing muscular strength and endurance, flexibility and cardiovascular endurance.
• Offers leadership development opportunities and promotes group cohesion.
• Applies fundamental motor skills and movement concepts.
TEACHING TIPS
• Encourage children to become aware of their own body in relation to other children on the playground.
• Explain that “engines” must yell “Switch!” loudly, at a variety of intervals and not too often.
SAFETY TIP
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: “Engines” count to 50 before yelling “Switch!”
• More Challenging: Children use different locomotor movements (hopping, jumping, leaping, crab walk) when moving between pieces of equipment.
DID YOU KNOW?
Trains were invented before cars.
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Firefighter Rescue
Balance a retrievable object (“critter”) atop the center or highest pole of a side-stepping fitness climber or alternative climbing apparatus. One child at a time climbs to the critter, rescues it and then tosses it through a hula hoop that is either held by a peer below or placed directly on the playground surface. A second child returns the critter is returned to its original position and a third child becomes the retriever. Children continue to alternate roles.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Climbing, balancing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #4
EXTRA EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Retrievable objects that balance easily (bean bags, rubber critters), hula hoops
BENEFITS
• Develops upper and lower body strength and endurance.
• Provides tossing accuracy practice from varying heights and distances.
• Promotes body control and awareness along with teamwork.
TEACHING TIP
• If there is a target holder, emphasize the assistance that child provides as much as the tossing and climbing skills of the climber.
SAFETY TIPS
• Remind children to be careful not to lose their balance when tossing the object through the hoop.
• Require children to hold onto the equipment with one hand while throwing with the other hand.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• Spot as needed.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Move the target closer to the climbing apparatus; balance the critter at a lower point on the apparatus.
• More Challenging: Move the target farther away from the apparatus with every successful toss; have the climber retrieve two objects that are positioned at different locations; have children toss the object with their nondominant hand.
• Adaptation: Children using mobility devices might catch or throw the object.
DID YOU KNOW?
There are about 1.1 million firefighters in the United States. Most (800,000) volunteer their time to help their communities. Organized firefighting is believed to have originated in Egypt.
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Pump It Up
Children sit on a swing without touching the ground with their feet. Starting from this position, they try to swing as high as possible using 10 or fewer leg pumps. They may rock their bodies forward and backward to help commence the swinging motion, but they cannot touch the ground at any time during the leg pumps.
PLAY ELEMENT: Swinging
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3
BENEFITS
• Develops leg, arm and core strength.
• Promotes coordination and the movement qualities of force and speed.
TEACHING TIPS
• Emphasize quick and forceful leg pumps, or let children discover and comment on this.
• Have children lean the entire body back to a horizontal position or beyond before executing the first leg pump.
SAFETY TIPS
• The swinger must grasp the swing with both hands at all times, especially when leaning backward to initiate the swinging motion.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• Spot as needed.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Allow children one small push to help get the swinging motion started.
• More Challenging: Muster a distinguishable swinging motion in 5 or fewer leg pumps; challenge children in the same swing frame, to see who can go the highest with 10 pumps.
DID YOU KNOW?
Swings can be found on art dating as far back as 5th Century B.C.!
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Coconut Carry
Children imagine they are monkeys carrying coconuts between their knees or feet from one end of the overhead playground component (horizontal ladder, trapeze rings, etc.) to the other. They can grasp the rungs with an overgrip or undergrip.
PLAY ELEMENT: Brachiating
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #2, #3, #4, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Coconuts (small ball, bean bag, any round object); hula hoop
BENEFITS
• Develops upper body strength and endurance.
• Increases kinesthetic awareness.
• Advances cooperation and communication skills.
TEACHING TIPS
• Be prepared to help children to reposition the coconuts that they drop.
• The first child should be at least halfway across the overhead playground component before the next child begins.
SAFETY TIPS
• Spot as needed.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Lower children to the ground for a quick break whenever their coconut falls; then, raise them back to the same position to finish crossing the overhead component.
• More Challenging: Children use their legs to “toss” the object through a goal or drop it into a hula hoop at the end of the journey.
• Adaptation: Children travel a shorter distance or simply hang with the object between their knees or feet.
DID YOU KNOW?
Coconut water is super hydrating and has less sugar and more potassium than a sports drink.
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Balancing Bear
One at a time, children bear walk along any playground balance component (beam, planks, netting, etc.). The object is for children to develop balance by negotiating the features of the balance equipment (unsteady, wide, narrow or high) while in a bear walk position. Encourage children to mimic the way a bear sounds or moves.
PLAY ELEMENT: Balancing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #5
BENEFITS
• Fosters dynamic balance and kinesthetic awareness.
• Develops flexibility in a fun way.
• Promotes self-directed movement exploration.
TEACHING TIP
• Youngsters travel forward slowly on all fours using an ipsilateral (same side) or contralateral (opposite side) arm-leg motion.
SAFETY TIPS
• Remind children to slow down or exit the equipment if they are having difficulty balancing.
• Balance beams should not be more than 16 inches off the ground.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children perfect the bear walk on the playground surface before moving to the balance component.
• More Challenging: Children perform tricks such as moving forward and backward or spinning around on the component.
• Adaptation: Children start on the ground or place hands on knees while walking on the lowest possible balance beam.
DID YOU KNOW?
When baby bears are born, they do not have hair or teeth.
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High Five Climb
Two children climb ladders or a climbing wall alongside each other. When they reach the top, they turn to one another and give a “high five.” They then descend together, dismount and give a “high 10.”
PLAY ELEMENT: Climbing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #3, #4, #5
BENEFITS
• Develops upper and lower body strength and endurance.
• Combines body management skills and relational movement in a fun way.
• Fosters child interaction and mutual support in group work.
TEACHING TIPS
• Pair children of similar body size and strength.
• Multiple pairs can perform the activity simultaneously on separate climbing apparatuses. Pairs switch to new climbing apparatuses after a designated length of time.
SAFETY TIPS
• Assist children who may have difficulty climbing down.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Perch one child on the platform at the top of the climbing component to give high fives to climbers when they reach the top. Rotate children after each climb.
• More Challenging: Expand beyond pairs to groups of three or four.
DID YOU KNOW?
National High Five Day is celebrated every year on the third Thursday of April.
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Slide in Sync
Position one child atop each slide on the playground. The goal is for children to synchronize descents so they all land at the base of the slides at exactly the same time. Children will quickly learn that some slides are faster than others.
PLAY ELEMENT: Sliding
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #2, #3, #4, #5
BENEFITS
• Cultivates awareness and respect for the diverse characteristics of others.
• Enhances problem-solving, communication and teamwork skills.
• Incorporates understanding of speed and force movement.
TEACHING TIPS
• Provide time for children to explore the dissimilar descending speeds of the different slides.
• Let children discover on their own that success may require each slider to start at a different time.
• Encourage children to call out a word or phrase (“play on!” “down!” “safe!”) when they land.
SAFETY TIPS
• Make sure that children slide feet first (instead of head first) and in a seated position.
• Be careful of heat buildup on slides (especially if children are wearing shorts).
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Establish the synchronicity of two sliders and then gradually add others.
• More Challenging: Do not provide any cues or clues regarding start times; have children switch slides and attempt to complete the task successfully again; continue the process until each child has completed the task successfully from each slide.
• Adaptation: Have children with vision difficulties lead the way, with others adjusting to their speed.
DID YOU KNOW?
The world’s tallest water slide is over 168 feet tall which is taller than the Statue of Liberty!
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Zip Line Boogie
One at a time, children place both hands on a track ride, zipline or other overhead climbing apparatus and rotate and twist in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction as they ride or move themselves to the end of the track or overhead event without letting go. Children use their own explosive energy to rotate themselves while in motion on the track ride. Children can incorporate creativity into this activity by imitating something (bird, insect, animal, famous person, etc.).
PLAY ELEMENT: Spinning, brachiating
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #5
BENEFITS
• Develops upper body muscular strength, endurance and power.
• Increases kinesthetic awareness.
• Combines imagination and self- challenge in a fun movement experience.
TEACHING TIPS
• Have children keep their eyes fixed on a designated point as long as possible when rotating.
• Encourage children to rest between trips.
• Encourage children to rotate in a different direction and to add rotations for each trip.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• Spot as needed.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children perform rotations in the center of the track ride without traveling down; help children begin rotating; children ride first without rotating.
• More Challenging: Children perform the activity in a flexed arm hang (elbows at a 90 degree angle) position for as long as possible.
DID YOU KNOW?
A zip line is also called a Flying Fox.
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Flip Flop
Using any angled climbing component or apparatus, children ascend to the top with their body either above the frame (prone position, facing the ground) or below the frame (supine position, facing the sky) and descend in the opposite body position.
PLAY ELEMENT: Climbing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3
BENEFITS
• Develops strength and endurance.
• Promotes specialized skill practice (body management) and the understanding of movement concepts (body awareness and relational movement).
TEACHING TIPS
• Most children will prefer to ascend with their body above the frame and descend with their body below the frame, but they can be challenged to try both.
VARIATIONS
• If using a large, expansive climbing component, allow multiple children to perform the activity simultaneously.
SAFETY TIPS
• Provide a spotter when the child changes from the over to the under position (or vice versa) at the top of the climber.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• Easier: Children first ascend and descend facing the same direction on both sides of the frame, then attempt to change positions on the same climb.
• More Challenging: Two children perform the activity together (acting as mirrors), ascending on each side of the frame, switching sides at the top and then descending.
DID YOU KNOW?
The name flip flop comes from the sound the sandal makes while walking.
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Sea Lion Steal
Children work in “sea lion” teams. The number of teams should equal the number of playground slides. Assign each team a rock, which is marked with a hula hoop filled with several portable balls (any portable balls) and positioned near the base of their home slide (outside the immediate exit use zone). The goal is for each team to steal balls from other sea lions’ rocks and place them on (or in) their own rock. Sea lions must slide down their home slide before they can steal a ball. Children must return each stolen ball to their team’s rock before more can be gathered. Sea lions cannot visit the same rock twice in a row. Children may not guard their team’s rock to protect the balls. If a sea lion from another team tags a child who is trying to obtain a ball, that child must relinquish the ball before returning to play.
• Teaches the importance of rule adherence and sportspersonship in successful game play.
• Promotes fitness, cooperation, communication and teamwork.
TEACHING TIPS
• There should be at least one more ball on each rock than there are children per team.
• Change rock assignments after each game.
SAFETY TIPS
• “Rocks” should be positioned away from the base of the slide, outside of the immediate exit zone.
• Remind children to watch where they are going so they avoid each other and the equipment.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children try to return all balls to their original rock following the same rules of the game.
• More Challenging: Children travel by way of other obstacles (climbing ladders, brachiating across horizontal bars) before retrieving a ball.
• Adaptation: Assign a partner to help a child slide and steal balls.
DID YOU KNOW?
Seals have to wiggle or roll to get around on land. Sea lions can rotate their flippers forward to help them scoot along rocks or beaches.
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Children traverse across an overhead playground component (horizontal ladder, trapeze rings, etc.) using one type of movement (such as alternating the lead hand), then return using a different movement (such as leading with the same hand or skipping rungs).
For example, a child might make the first pass by leading with the left hand, with the two hands coming together on each rung. Then, when returning, the child might skip every other rung. Children continue until they are no longer able to come up with a different movement for each trip.
PLAY ELEMENT: Brachiating
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #5
BENEFITS
• Develops upper body muscular strength and endurance.
• Teaches children to appreciate the value of effort and creativity.
• Uses relational movement concepts and body management skills.
TEACHING TIPS
• Emphasize effort and creativity rather than just proper skill form.
• Remind children that movement differences can be small (crossing legs, bending knees, opening and closing mouth, alternating hand grip, etc.).
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• Spot as needed.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Ask children to repeat unique movements.
• More Challenging: Children complete traverses as quickly as possible.
• Adaptation: Allow children to repeat grips or just hang while incorporating a different movement.
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Underarm Swinging
Children stand in the middle of parallel bars, dip station or other side-by-side component. With assistance, they jump up and catch the bars with their upper arms and slowly allow the bar to roll under their underarms. In this position (known as an underarm support), children attempt to swing their fully extended legs forward and backward for a certain length of time or for a total number of swinging motions. Then, they repeat the same motions while supporting themselves from a stiff-arm position.
PLAY ELEMENT: Swinging, upper body
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3,
BENEFITS
• Develops flexibility and upper body strength and endurance.
• Promotes the awareness of efficient body positioning.
TEACHING TIPS
• Children should tighten their torso and attempt to swing their body “as straight as a pencil.”
• Children should look straight ahead when hanging and take rests as needed.
SAFETY TIPS
• Encourage children to place their feet on the ground if their shoulders or arms begin to tire.
• Spot as needed.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children bend legs while swinging.
• More Challenging: Children swing high enough so that the body is almost parallel to the ground.
• Adaptation: Place children in the underarm support position and allow them to hang with assistance.
DID YOU KNOW?
The parallel bars are an event in male gymnastics competitions.
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Fire Drill
One at a time, children use a spinning apparatus or grab the top of a fire pole from an elevated position and pretend to spin down to the bottom “firefighter” style. The emphasis should be on creating a controlled spin and exit off the spinning apparatus or fire pole.
PLAY ELEMENT: Spinning
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #2, #3
BENEFITS
• Develops upper and lower body muscular strength and endurance.
• Develops spatial awareness.
TEACHING TIPS
• This is a difficult activity. Children may not be able to complete the spin. Encourage them to practice.
• Use this activity as a station in a larger circuit to minimize waiting time.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that children do not come in contact with others if they need to exit the equipment.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• Spot as needed.
VARIATIONS
• Adaptation: If a child has difficulty sliding down or climbing the pole, ask them to touch the pole or any vertical post with one hand and spin or move their bodies around it.
• Easier: Children attempt the task twice, one time in each spinning direction (clockwise and counterclockwise), with the goal of completing a full 360 degree rotational spin before exiting to the group.
• More Challenging: Children reverse this activity by starting at the bottom of the pole and shimmying up the pole in a spinning manner until reaching the elevated platform.
DID YOU KNOW?
Fire poles were first invented for firefighters to go from the second floor to the first floor quickly when responding to an emergency.
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Water Slide
Hold a hula hoop at least 8 feet from the foot of a slide. Children slide down the slide, imagining they are on a water slide, then crawl or somersault through the hula hoop. Children pretend they just landed in topsy-turvy water at the base of the water slide and need to spin the hula hoop with a body part (generally the hips) as long as possible.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Sliding, balancing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Hula hoops
BENEFITS
• Promotes flexibility, spatial awareness and efficient body positioning.
• Cultivates balance, imagination, personal enjoyment and satisfaction.
TEACHING TIPS
• Use the largest hula hoop available (to accommodate larger children).
• Teach children hula hooping and have them practice before participating in the activity.
• To increase participation: Conduct the activity at the base of each slide, using child assistants as hoop holders; allow children only two hula hooping attempts per descent.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that children engage with the hula hoop at least 8 feet away from the slide to make sure they stay beyond the use zone of the slide exit.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
Easier: Children duck through the hoop rather than using their hips to spin it.
• More Challenging: Children spin the hoop with a different body part (i.e., hips, arms, legs, neck, etc.) after each time down the slide.
DID YOU KNOW?
Roxann Rose holds the world record for hula hooping the longest: 90 hours. Marawa the Amazing holds the world record for the most hula hoops spun at once: 160.
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Watch Out for Bugs
Several objects (“bugs”) are placed strategically on the rungs/steps/holds of a climbing structure. While ascending, children must not awaken any bugs by touching them with their hands, stepping on them or knocking them off their perches. If children step on a bug or knock one off its perch, they must climb back down to the bottom and start over. The goal is to get to the top without disturbing any bugs.
PLAY ELEMENT: Climbing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3
EXTRA EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
Manipulative objects (bean bags, rubber spiders or other critters) to serve as bugs
BENEFITS
• Develops upper and lower body strength and endurance.
• Fosters body management, spatial awareness and coordination.
TEACHING TIPS
• Position objects far apart on the climbing structure. Over time, allow children to place objects in personally challenging locations.
• Remind children to move their legs first; legs are stronger than arms.
• Encourage children to perform this activity from any angled or vertical climbing component.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• Spot as needed.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Place fewer bugs on the structure.
• More Challenging: Children shout out a different bug as they pass each object; children spell bug words that you provide as they pass each object.
DID YOU KNOW?
The study of bugs is known as entomology. There are more than one million different species of bugs in the world.
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Shuffle Ball Change
This activity is a modified playground version of a famous tap dance step. Children work in pairs. One child stands on the ground and the other stands (balances) on the end of a balance beam or similar balance component. The two children face each other and, together, they shuffle down the length of the beam while passing a ball back and forth. When they reach the far end of the beam they change directions and continue. Children then change roles.
PLAY ELEMENT: Balancing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Large balls (basketballs, kick balls) or small balls (wiffle balls, sponge balls)
BENEFITS
• Combines dynamic balance and manipulative skill practice.
• Promotes agility and hand-eye coordination.
• Nurtures social interaction and teamwork within a challenging, fun movement experience.
TEACHING TIPS
• Encourage children to pass and catch the ball with two hands in front of the body.
• Ensure children feet do not cross when shuffling.
• If possible, pair children of similar passing and catching abilities.
SAFETY TIPS
• Remind children to widen their stance with both feet on the ground if they are having difficulty balancing.
• Balance beams should not be more than 16 inches off the ground.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Use a soft, spongy ball.
• More Challenging: Children use one hand, use a small ball or stand farther apart.
• Adaptation: Hand the children the ball as they shuffle down the beam rather than tossing it.
DID YOU KNOW?
The shuffle ball change is a step in tap dance. Tap dance began in the mid-1800s.
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Spinning Bodybuilders
Ateam of children stand on the whirl or other spinning apparatus. On command, a second team pushes the apparatus to get it spinning, then watches what develops. As the whirl or spinning apparatus spins, children establish a firm base of support with their legs, then perform a series of bodybuilder poses of their choice. They continue posing until the whirl or spinning apparatus stops. They then jump off and “hand off their pose” to another child, who jumps on. (The hand off can be a high five, a handshake or another creative means of tagging.) The first team now pushes the whirl or spinning apparatus for the second team as team members imitate, as best they can, the poses of the children who tagged them.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Spinning, balancing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5
BENEFITS
• Cultivates awareness of and respect for the diverse characteristics of others.
• Improves body control, kinesthetic awareness and ability to perform in public.
• Improves balance and core stability.
TEACHING TIP
• Instruct children to hold on with one or two hands, as needed.
SAFETY TIPS
• Space children apart from one another.
• Ensure that children who are watching this activity stand a safe distance away.
• Limit the speed of the spin.
• Ensure that the whirl has come to a complete stop before giving the “jump off ” cue.
• Ensure that there is adequate playground safety surfacing under and around this equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children hold on with two hands at all times.
• More Challenging: Children all face a certain direction, as if having their picture taken, despite the spinning of the wheel.
• Adaptation: Have the child perform a bodybuilder pose off the equipment or from a sitting position on the equipment.
DID YOU KNOW?
Mr. Olympia is the title given to the best body builder in the world.
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Orangutanin’
Starting from a two-handed hanging position, children travel across any overhead playground component (horizontal ladder, trapeze rings, etc.) alternating right and left lead hands with an overhand grip. Encourage children to screech or act like a wild orangutan while traversing.
PLAY ELEMENT: Brachiating
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #2, #3, #5
BENEFITS
• Develops upper body strength and endurance.
• Promotes body awareness and an appreciation of one’s physical abilities.
TEACHING TIPS
• Encourage children to travel as far and as fast as they can.
• Be ready to help tired children dismount.
SAFETY TIPS
• Spot as needed.
• Ensure that there is adequate playground safety surfacing under and around the overhead playground equipment.
VARIATIONS
DID YOU KNOW?
• Easier: Children revert to a lead hand movement as described in Monkey Business (K & 1st grade section).
• More Challenging: Alternate from an over grip to an under grip (see Monkey Business in K & 1st grade section) for each hold.
• Adaptation: Children use any method to travel across the component.
Orangutans are thought to be the most intelligent animal on the planet (after humans).
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Basket Weaving
Call out a pattern that children can make while on a wide climbing apparatus. The goal is not to ascend to the top, but rather to create the pattern (e.g., circle, square, figure eight, rectangle, trapezoid, diamond, pentagon, oval) with their movement.
PLAY ELEMENT: Climbing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3
BENEFITS
• Develops upper and lower body strength and endurance.
• Promotes spatial and body awareness and positioning.
• Reinforces understanding of geometric shapes.
TEACHING TIPS
• Remind children that their legs are generally stronger than their arms.
• Rather than dismounting, encourage children to take rests on the apparatus.
• Use this activity as a station in a larger circuit to minimize waiting time.
SAFETY TIP
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children work in pairs to collectively create the called shape.
• More Challenging: Children create the identified pattern twice, once facing inward and once facing outward.
• Adaptation: Station a child who uses a wheelchair or mobility device by the chosen equipment and ask them to move arms and hands to make the called-out pattern; child chooses and calls out the pattern or creates it on the ground with others.
DID YOU KNOW?
Basket weaving is an art and craft highly prized in many cultures throughout the world.
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Children attempt to manipulate an object in as many different ways as possible while balancing on a playground balance component (beam, plank, or balance pod). They might choose to self-toss and catch the object several times, balance the object on a body part, or circle it around their waist or legs. They might move along the balance component as they manipulate the object (walk along the beam while bouncing a ball on the ground). Once comfortable with the object and the balance component, they can play catch with each other.
• Provides an opportunity to practice a full gamut of fundamental motor skill and movement concepts.
• Fosters creativity, personal expression, handand foot-eye coordination and teamwork.
TEACHING TIPS
• Encourage children to explore a wide range of possibilities relative to where (direction, height, pathway) and how (force, speed, relationship, etc.) their body and object moves in place (nonlocomotor) or across the balance component (locomotor).
• Encourage children to talk to each other about where they want to receive it (high, low, left, right) when tossing an object.
SAFETY TIPS
• Remind children to dismount if they are having difficulty balancing.
• Balance beams should not be more than 16 inches off the ground.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children successfully (without dropping the object) execute a chosen manipulative movement twice before trying another movement.
• More Challenging: Children develop a series of movements to perform as a mistake-free (without dropping the object) routine; two children count how many times they can pass an object between them; children work in pairs and gradually increase the distance between themselves.
• Adaptation: Child begins on the lowest balance equipment and carries an object while walking across. Progress to more difficult skills.
DID YOU KNOW?
An acrobat is a person who is really good at gymnastics such as tumbling, walking a tight rope or swinging on a trapeze bar.
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12 O’Clock Rock
Using a piece of spinning equipment, children work together to identify the 12 numbers on a clock face that correspond to directions that radiate outward from the spinning equipment. (Example: “If you’re facing the oak tree, it’s noon or midnight.”) Children then get on the equipment and establish the goal is by location (“Stop spinning when you get to 11:00”); by the number of spins (“How many hours can you stay on the clock?”); by counting (“Who can go past 2:00 the most times?”); or by spinning speed (“How fast can you go around the clock once? Twice?”).
PLAY ELEMENTS: Spinning, brachiating (if performed on overhead component)
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #5
BENEFITS
• Improves kinesthetic awareness, body control and speed, force and directional qualities of movement.
• Promotes abstract thinking and understanding of telling time.
• Cultivates joyful feelings of accomplishment.
TEACHING TIPS
• It may be helpful for children to fix their eyes on the desired stopping location while spinning.
• Be prepared to help children begin the spinning motion and dismount from the equipment.
SAFETY TIPS
• Children should not continue to spin if they feel dizzy or sick.
• Remind children to be careful when exiting spinning equipment so that their momentum doesn’t cause them to hit nearby play equipment or other children.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• Spot as needed.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Assist children in stopping at the designated location.
• More Challenging: Have children perform the activity in at least two body positions (facing inward or outward, prone or supine, etc.).
• Adaptation: Provide a clock to help children identify the correct stopping place. help children in wheelchairs stop and spin at the right locations.
DID YOU KNOW?
The term 12 O’Clock is used to describe the position above or ahead.
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Children climb halfway up any angled climbing component or vertical climbing component. There, they turn sideways and hold on with just one hand and one foot. They attempt to compose a star with their body by extending their free hand and foot away from the apparatus.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Climbing, balancing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #5
BENEFITS
• Develops upper and lower body flexibility and muscular endurance.
• Enhances spatial awareness, balance and effective body positioning.
• Provides personal enjoyment and cultivates artistic expression.
TEACHING TIPS
• Remind children to establish a firm footing with the planted foot.
• Emphasize that the star should be perpendicular to the apparatus.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that children have secure footing before letting go with one hand.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children make a half star by extending one hand or one foot from the climbing apparatus; they switch and extend the opposite hand, then foot.
• More Challenging: Children create horizontal stars while facing toward or away from the apparatus.
• Adaptation: Children let go of one hand or foot for just a moment before trying to extend the movement.
DID YOU KNOW?
Stars can be many different colors including white, red and blue.
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Cannonball Run
One at a time, children sit at the top of a slide. When ready, they carefully roll onto their lower back, hug their knees against their chest, and shoot down the slide like a cannonball. For special effects, children can make their most creative cannonball sound while on the way down.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Sliding, balancing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3
BENEFITS
• Develops core strength and endurance.
• Encourages stability while moving (dynamic balance).
• Increases kinesthetic awareness.
TEACHING TIPS
• Demonstrate the tucked position and dismounting safety tip beforehand.
• Position an adult at the end of the slide to remind children to untuck their bodies before dismounting and to assist with the dismounting.
• Have children point to the body parts most involved in this activity.
SAFETY TIPS
• Remind children to bring their chin to their knees to avoid hitting their head on the platform or slide.
• Remind children to come out of the cannonball position as they approach the exit (bottom of the slide).
• Children’s feet should touch the ground before dismounting.
• Children should not enter the slide platform until the previous child has dismounted.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Encourage children who are unable to hug their knees to hold their knees as close as possible.
• More Challenging: Instead of starting in cannonball position, children form their cannonball as they move down the slide. The later they make the cannonball, the more difficult.
• Adaptation: Children place their hands on their knees while sliding and gradually work up to the more difficult move.
DID YOU KNOW?
There is a city in North Dakota named Cannon Ball.
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Little Engine that Could
A“train” of children ascends to the top of any angled or vertical climbing component, following the same path (“train track”) you or child leader calls out. If a straight pathway is called, children climb straight up the component in their line; if a zigzag is called, children travel in a diagonal pattern up the component. They also might travel in a curved pattern.
PLAY ELEMENT: Climbing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #4
BENEFITS
• Develops upper and lower body muscular strength and endurance.
• Advances spatial awareness via a relational movement experience.
• Emphasizes the importance of group cooperation.
TEACHING TIPS
• Choose the size of the group based on the size of the climbing structure. All “train cars” should be able to ascend the structure at the same time.
• If possible, “trains” should climb on an angled climbing component before progressing to a vertical climbing component.
• Remind children to move their legs first; legs are stronger than arms.
SAFETY TIPS
• Make sure that there is enough room between children so that they do not come into contact with each other while climbing.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: The lead child (“engine”) chooses the pathway the train will take to the top of the component.
• More Challenging: Children maintain the same order on the way back down, with the lead child maneuvering to the front of the descending line.
DID YOU KNOW?
The book The Little Engine That Could was written in 1930 and is still a very popular book today.
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Side-2-Side
Children begin by facing the side of the balancing equipment (beam, plank, balance pods, etc.). When prompted, children assume an incline push-up position with their hands on the balance beam and their and their feet extended behind them, on the ground with shoulders over hands. Children then progress down the beam by simultaneously moving one arm/foot and then the other in succession. When children reach the end of the equipment, they can either move down the same side of the equipment in the opposite direction, or travel back to the starting position from the other side of the equipment.
PLAY ELEMENT: Balancing, upper body
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #2, #3
BENEFITS
• Develops coordination and upper body muscular strength.
• Applies the movement concepts of body awareness and performer-equipment relationships.
TEACHING TIPS
• More than one child may perform the activity on each side of the balancing equipment concurrently. Ensure that they are adequately spaced.
• Remind children to tighten their abdominal muscles to help maintain an aligned body position.
• Try this activity on a variety of playground components.
SAFETY TIPS
• Encourage children to stop if they become exhausted so that their arms don’t give out.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• Balance beams should not be more than 16 inches off the ground.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children scoot feet closer to the balancing equipment to distribute more weight to the lower body and less to the upper body.
• More Challenging: Children perform the activity in reverse body position by placing toes on the beam and hands on the ground.
• Adaptation: Children to keep their feet close to the beam and coordinate their feet and hands to move down the beam.
DID YOU KNOW?
The plank exercise, similar to what is done in this activity, is a great for core strength.
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Lobster Race
Divide a team of eight children in half, positioning four at either side of a climbing net. Two at a time, children crawl across the net (or similar unstable horizontal climbing apparatus) using all four limbs. When they get to the other side, they high five each other, then tag two new teammates, who crawl back. Compare the time it takes all eight to cross with the time of another team, or children can go again, crossing backward.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Balance, climbing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5
BENEFITS
• Develops core stability and upper body muscular strength and endurance.
• Promotes body control and awareness.
• Fosters social interaction, teamwork and personal enjoyment.
TEACHING TIPS
• Encourage children to experiment with the equipment before the race begins.
• Have children must work together in pairs; children tag cannot new players until high five has taken place at the far end of the netting.
SAFETY TIPS
• Instruct waiting children to crawl around the dismounting “lobsters” to give them room to dismount.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• Spot as needed.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Allow children to walk across holding onto a railing, if available.
• More Challenging: Children act as “injured lobsters” and only use three limbs to cross.
• Adaptation: Children cross the netting however they can.
DID YOU KNOW?
The teeth of a lobster are in its stomach. Lobsters can be greenish brown, blue, yellow, red and even white.
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Mosquito Buzz
Select several children to be mosquitoes. Have children and “mosquitoes” move through the playground equipment freely. Once a mosquito touches another child, the child who was touched performs “mosquito push-ups” (let children use their imagination) and then becomes the new mosquito. To avoid being touched, the child may hang from any climbing apparatus (a “tree”). If a second child joins a tree both are safe, but if a third child comes to the tree, the first two children must then leave the tree. Mosquitoes cannot guard the trees.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Combo (Brachiating, climbing, swinging, sliding)
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #3, #4, #5
BENEFITS
• Develops upper body muscular strength and endurance.
• Uses a combination of locomotor skills in a game setting.
• Promotes interpersonal skill development.
• Teaches the importance of rule adherence and strategy.
TEACHING TIPS
• Follow a one mosquito per five child ratio for maximum participation.
• Play short games and change mosquitoes often.
SAFETY TIPS
• Spot as needed.
• Remind children to watch where they are going to avoid running into each other or the equipment.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Mosquitoes must walk, or children may only hang for five seconds.
• More Challenging: Children must hang using one arm at a time.
DID YOU KNOW?
Some species of mosquitoes are attracted to smelly feet!
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Creature Feature
The youngest child is the first leader. All other children spread out on the playground equipment in an area where they can spin around freely (but in close proximity to the play equipment). The leader yells, “Zero!” the children must “freeze” in the form of a creature (person, animal or monster) while balancing on the play equipment. For example, one child might pose as Frankenstein while sitting on the slide entrance or exit and another might pose as an eagle on a climber. The leader then goes around tot each of the “frozen” creatures and tries to guess what they are. The first correctly named creature is the next leader, and a new round of play begins. If no creatures are identified correctly, the leader tries again!
PLAY ELEMENT: Spinning, balancing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #2, #3, #4, #5
BENEFITS
• Promotes muscular endurance and static balance (center of gravity over base of support)
• Fosters creativity, child interaction and leadership opportunities
• Provides a body- and spatial-awareness movement experience
TEACHING TIPS
• Clearly identify and mark boundaries (i.e. playground surfacing).
• Ask children to choose their pose before the activity begins.
SAFETY TIPS
• Remind children to keep sufficient space between them so that they don’t run into each other.
• Extend the countdown time if children seem too dizzy to safely run and navigate the equipment.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: To lessen the length of time poses are held, creatures that are not being guessed may relax until approached or multiple leaders may guess simultaneously.
• More Challenging: The leader must tag all creatures before poses are relaxed and a new round begins.
• Adaptation: If a child is unable to mount a piece of equipment, he or she can perform a pose on ground or, as the leader, point to the “frozen” creatures from the ground.
DID YOU KNOW?
In the story of Frankenstein, Frankenstein is the name of the scientist who creates a monster not that actual name of the monster. The monster is never given a name!
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Soccer Catch
Stand in front of a child swinging on parallel bars or dip station and gently toss an object to that child, or choose a child to perform this function. The goal is for the child to catch the object with the body (feet, ankles, knees) and continue swinging. Similar to soccer, children cannot use their hands to catch the object. Children switch after a certain number of catches.
• Highlights the importance of cooperation and communication to achieve a common goal.
• Applies movement concepts such as body awareness, force absorption and performerobject relationships.
TEACHING TIPS
• Experiment with tossing at different points in the swinger’s arc.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
SAFETY TIP
• Spot as needed.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children kick the object rather than catching it.
• More Challenging: Children catch the object once with ankles, then once with knees.
• Adaptation: Children can attempt to lift their bodies using the bars or simply catch the object with their legs, knees or feet from a seated position.
DID YOU KNOW?
Pakistan is a leading manufacturer in soccer balls.
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The defense scatters within the playground boundaries while the offense forms a line behind home base (positioned at one corner of the playground boundaries). When both teams are ready (“play on!”), the first offensive player in the line either strikes a ball off a tee or kicks a stationary ball toward the defense. Any defensive player fields the ball and passes it to a teammate. Passing continues among defensive players until all have touched the ball. The defense yells, “stop!” The goal of the offense is to use as many different playground apparatuses as possible before they hear the word “stop.”
If you are keeping score, award one point for each playground apparatus that the entire offense uses in the designated time. All offensive players should have a turn at striking the ball before they switch roles and become the defense.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Combo (climbing, brachiating, swinging, sliding, spinning, balancing).
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #3, #4, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Baseball/ softball tee, sponge ball, bat, kickball, home base, boundary cones
BENEFITS
• Enhances aerobic fitness, good sports behavior and cooperation.
• Fosters hand- and foot-eye coordination and manipulative skill development such as throwing, catching and kicking.
TEACHING TIPS
• There should be five or fewer players per team.
• The offense should strike or kick the ball to open spaces within the playground boundaries. Players perform do-overs when a ball lands outside the playground boundaries.
• Defensive players must toss, rather than hand off, the ball to each other.
SAFETY TIPS
• Remind children to be careful not to come in contact with other children or the play equipment.
• Offensive players may not touch the ball and players may not touch each other.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Teams use just one playground apparatus per turn.
• More Challenging: The defense begins the game while stationed on an above ground component.
DID YOU KNOW?
Rounders is an English game similar to baseball and softball.
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Giant Octopus
Children attempt to ascend a climbing structure using any three-limbed combination of arms and legs (e.g., using both arms and only the right leg, or both legs and only the left arm).
PLAY ELEMENT: Climbing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #2, #3, #5
BENEFITS
• Develops upper and lower body strength and endurance.
• Promotes spatial and body awareness and positioning.
• Offers an opportunity to create selfdesigned movements.
TEACHING TIPS
• Remind children to start with their legs instead of their arms.
• Use this activity as a station in a larger circuit to minimize waiting time.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• Remind children to grab the climber with all four extremities if they lose their balance.
• Spot as needed.
• Some climbing equipment may be too difficult for this activity.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children alter their three-limb combination as they climb.
• More Challenging: Climbers use a two-limb combination that includes one arm and one leg.
DID YOU KNOW?
The giant octopus can be more than 20 feet long and is capable of killing a shark.
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Leap Frogger
One child maintains a tight ball position (bent at waist, hands hugging knees, chin tucked to chest) at least 8 feet from the base of a slide. The remaining children slide down the slide one at a time. Upon reaching the bottom, they leap frog over the balled-up child by pressing down on their lower back while straddle jumping. The last child in line (or the fifth child if a there is a large group) becomes the new frog and the cycle continues.
PLAY ELEMENT: Sliding
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #4
BENEFITS
• Boosts trust and cooperation among peers.
• Promotes the combination of body awareness and jumping and landing skills.
• Enhances leg and hip flexibility and explosive upper body movement.
TEACHING TIP
• Have children practice landing at the base of the slide, then jumping in a straddle jump without a huddled child.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that the child in the ball position is at least 8 feet from the base of the slide.
• Remind the child on the ground to stay in the tucked position.
• Remind sliding children to be careful not to come in contact with others.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Smaller children use a tighter tuck.
• More Challenging: Children leap frog over several children (one at a time) rather than one.
• Adaptation: Children slide and then jump like a frog on the ground instead of leaping over another child.
DID YOU KNOW?
Frogs and toads are different. Frogs have to to live near water to survive and toads don’t.
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
83 Traffic Jam
Divide children into two teams, with Team A standing on one end of the balance beam and Team B on the other end of the beam, with a clear space in between. Starting with the children at the far end of the beam, children attempt to walk past or over the opposite team without falling off the beam. Children who fall off the beam must return to the starting position and try again. The goal of the activity is for all children on each team to pass the opposite team and end up in the same order as at the beginning of the game.
PLAY ELEMENT: Balancing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #3, #4, #5
BENEFITS
• Enhances problem-solving, communication and teamwork skills.
• Promotes balance.
• Cultivates awareness and respect for the diverse characteristics of others.
TEACHING TIP
• Allow teams to come up with a game plan before mounting the beam.
SAFETY TIPS
• Describe or demonstrate an exit strategy from the balance component so that children have a safe way off if they lose their balance.
• Balance beams should not be more than 16 inches off the ground.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Rule changes—all members from both teams must get to the opposite side of the beam in any order they wish; both teams get one free ground touch.
• More Challenging: If anyone falls off the beam, both teams return to their original positions and start over.
DID YOU KNOW?
The state of California has over 24 million licensed drivers; that’s the most in the United States!
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Zigzagging
Children travel the entire length of the horizontal ladder in a zigzag pattern using the rungs. Starting in a two handed long hanging position on the left side of the first rung, move sideways to the right side of the rung before advancing to next rung. On the second rung, move from right to left, before advancing and continue. The child repeats this pattern until reaching the end of the ladder.
PLAY ELEMENT: Brachiating
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #2, #3
BENEFITS
• Develops upper body muscular strength and endurance.
• Promotes awareness of efficient body positioning.
TEACHING TIPS
• The next child can begin after the first child performs a full zigzag.
• Challenge groups of children to see how far they can zigzag down and back by having each child begin where the last group member ended.
SAFETY TIPS
• Spot as needed.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: The body does not have to rotate in any particular direction as long as hands travel down the overhead component in a zigzag pattern.
• More Challenging: Add an occasional 360° full-body turn while zigzagging.
DID YOU KNOW?
Monkey bars and jungle gyms were designed to appeal to the “monkey instinct” for the benefits of climbing for exercise and play.
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Lumberjack Roll
One at a time, children use a log roll or other balance component and begin running in place. The object is for the child to stay on the log roll or balance component as long as possible. Children can stay on this equipment for a period of time or can count the number of times that their feet come into contact with the log roll or balance component without dismounting the equipment.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Balancing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3
BENEFITS
• Develops skill-related fitness (agility, foot speed) and upper body muscular endurance.
• Promotes kinesthetic awareness.
• Combines locomotor and nonlocomotor skill patterns.
• Promotes dynamic balance.
TEACHING TIP
• This is a difficult activity; children will probably need practice before feeling successful.
SAFETY TIPS
• Remind children to be careful when they enter the equipment and to hang on to nearby poles.
• Describe or demonstrate an exit strategy so that children have a safe way down if they lose their balance.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• Easier: Children should spread their legs apart to provide a wide base of support.
• More Challenging: Children attempt to contact the log in a zigzag sequence—middle, right side; middle, left side, middle; and so on.
DID YOU KNOW?
There’s a Lumberjack World Championship where log rolling is one of the events.
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Three Moves
In response to commands and working in pairs, children move top to bottom, side to side, diagonally, etc. of a wide climbing apparatus. One child leads while the other child imitates a series of three moves.
PLAY ELEMENT: Climbing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6
BENEFITS
• Develops upper body strength and muscular endurance.
• Promotes body control and awareness.
• Encourages cooperation and social interaction.
TEACHING TIPS
• Pair children of similar body size.
• For large groups, allocate a set amount of time for pairs to complete the pattern or time pairs and compare results.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that there is adequate surfacing under and around the climber.
• Remind children to give each other sufficient space during this activity.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children move in any direction.
• More Challenging: Children return to the same starting position before each movement.
• Adaptation: Children climb individually.
DID YOU KNOW?
People can also communicate using their body. This is called nonverbal communication; 55 percent of communication is nonverbal!
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Banana Picking
Children hang feet down from any rung, bar or loop of an overhead playground component (horizontal ladder, trapeze rings, loop ladder, etc.) using an overhand grip. The object is to touch the next ring with their foot before they grab it with their hand. (Children imagine they are loosening the banana from the tree with their foot before grabbing it.) At first, they should try to touch and grab the bar with the foot and hand from the same side of the body (right foot touch, right hand grab). Children continue traveling across the overhead component alternating the side of the body used to foot touch and hand grab.
PLAY ELEMENT: Brachiating
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #2, #3
BENEFITS
• Develops abdominal strength and hamstring, hip and back flexibility.
• Promotes the awareness of efficient body positioning.
TEACHING TIP
• Remind children to take a rest when their hand grips start to loosen.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that proper playground safety surfacing is in place under and around the component.
• Spot as needed.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children perform a two-handed hanging tuck or pike position before grabbing the bar.
• More Challenging: Children foot touch forward, but travel in reverse.
• Adaptation: Children touch the next bar with the hand instead of the foot.
DID YOU KNOW?
The average American consumes about 28 pounds of bananas every year.
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Body-Up Series
Children hang from an elevated bar, rings or loops using an over grip; children should be shoulder width apart. The object is to pull up to a position that aligns a specific body part with the bar. Once they reach the designated height, children lower themselves to the starting position and then attempt to raise their body to the next designated body part. This activity is completed when one full up/down repetition is performed in the following order: hair up, eye up, nose up, chin up, neck up.
PLAY ELEMENT: Brachiating
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #2, #3, #5
BENEFITS
• Develops upper body muscular strength and endurance.
• Promotes spatial and body awareness and positioning.
TEACHING TIPS
• Emphasize overcoming personal limitations rather than technique.
• Challenge children to begin each repetition from a full body long hang.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that there is adequate safety surfacing under and around the component.
• Spot as needed.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children alter the width and grip hold to various configurations (under grip—palms facing toward body; mixed grip—one palm facing toward body; wide grip—beyond shoulder width; close grip—hands almost touching).
• More Challenging: Children do doubles or triples (two to three repetitions) of each body part.
• Adaptation: The child, while hanging, shrugs, blinks or wiggles the body part.
DID YOU KNOW?
There are over 600 muscles in the human body!
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Carnival Show
With a partner or in a small group, children attempt to manipulate an object in as many different ways as possible while balancing on a playground balance component. For example, they might choose to toss a ball to a person sitting on the ground while walking on the balance component, play catch with a child across from them on the same playground component, or play catch with a child on another balance component.
• Fosters creativity, personal expression and manipulative skill practice.
• Cultivates appreciation and respect for the decisions of others.
• Enhances coordination and kinesthetic awareness.
TEACHING TIPS
• Ask children to perform all roles within the movement before moving on to the next.
• Emphasize the variety of movements demonstrated to encourage imagination.
• After a while, have partners or groups move to a different balance component.
SAFETY TIPS
• Demonstrate a strategy for exiting from the balance component so that children have a safe way down if they lose their balance.
• Balance beams should not be more than 16 inches off the ground.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children to perform the manipulative movement on the ground.
• More Challenging: Children manipulate a number of objects simultaneously.
• Adaptation: Child carries an object, throws an object at a target or exchanges an object with a friend while balancing on the equipment.
DID YOU KNOW?
Carnivals became popular after the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893.
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Flying Squirrels
Children traverse across any overhead playground component (horizontal ladder, trapeze rings, loop ladder, dome climber) using alternating right and left overhand grip and skipping every other rung.
PLAY ELEMENT: Brachiating
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #2, #3
BENEFITS
• Develops upper body strength and muscular endurance.
• Increases kinesthetic awareness.
TEACHING TIPS
• Encourage children to long hang from the final rung with both hands before dismounting.
• Allow only one child to perform the activity at a time; others can be at other stations in a circuit.
SAFETY TIPS
• Spot children at the hips at all times.
• Ensure that children fully wrap the lead hand around the bar with their fingers before releasing the trailing hand.
• Make sure that children don’t extend their arms beyond their range of motion to the point of injury.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children pause in a double hold (both hands gripping the bar) before releasing the trailing hand.
• More Challenging: Children skip more than one rung between grasps; children alternate from an over grip to an under grip.
• Adaptation: Child hangs from each rung while traveling down the component.
DID YOU KNOW?
Flying squirrels glide through the air and use their tails to keep them steady while in flight.
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Half of all the “mail carriers” line up at each end of the overhead climbing component (horizontal ladder, trapeze rings, loop ladder, dome climber). The first mail carrier at one end travels across the ladder with a package (small ball, bean bag, rubber critter) held between the legs and delivers it to the first mail carrier at the other end. Deliveries are performed with both participants long hanging and without the use of hands (feet, ankles, knees and thighs are okay). The recipient then travels across the component, delivers the package to the next person in line, and goes to the back of the line. Time how long it takes for all the mail carriers to receive the package or count how many deliveries the group can make in a designated amount of time. If multiple teams and overhead components are available, the activity can be performed as a relay.
• Nurtures cooperation, communication and teamwork.
• Develops upper body muscular strength and endurance.
• Promotes spatial and body awareness and positioning.
TEACHING TIP
• Assist mail carriers with dismounting after each delivery is made.
SAFETY TIPS
• Spot as needed.
• Ensure that there is adequate playground safety surfacing under and around the overhead play component.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Carriers make deliveries at the center of the overhead playground component rather than at the side. The mail carriers receiving the delivery long hang, one at a time, in the center (if necessary help get them in position).
• More Challenging: Mail carriers deliver progressively smaller objects.
• Adaptation: A carrier takes the mail with their hands.
DID YOU KNOW?
The United States postal service delivers more than 6,000 pieces of mail per second.
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Proud Playground
Children assume the Proud Warrior 1 position on a playground surface near a wide balance component (platform, deck, ramp, bridge, etc.). After a designated length of time, they come out of this position, climb on the balance structure, and assume the Proud Warrior 2 position. After holding this position for a designated length of time, they continue to another platform on the composite structure and assume the Proud Warrior 3 position for a designated length of time. The object is to create a playground full of proud warriors in a choreographed dance, moving from ground to a balance component to a platform. For more about proud warrior positions, consult any yoga book or search the term on the Internet.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Balancing, climbing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #5
BENEFITS
• Promotes leg and arm strength and endurance.
• Enhances static balance and whole body flexibility.
• Integrates spatial and body awareness and teamwork.
TEACHING TIPS
• Demonstrate the three Proud Warrior positions and have children practice beforehand.
• Remind children to keep their arms and legs straight (except for the 90 degree bent leg at the knee in Warrior 1 and Warrior 2), their torso straight (rolling hips under spine), their abdominal muscles tight, and their chins up.
• Instruct children to breathe in a slow, steady manner while in each position.
SAFETY TIPS
• Modify the warrior positions to match children’s abilities. For example, for Warrior 3, children may use the support of their hands on the ground if necessary.
• Make sure that elevated platforms are properly enclosed.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children complete all poses on a flat surface.
• More Challenging: Children complete the activity on a smaller or dynamic composite structure (swaying bridge, mini pod, balance beam, etc.).
DID YOU KNOW?
A person who teaches yoga is called a yogi.
Share how you are implementing this activity or using your playground to promote physical activity! Send your ideas, thoughts, photos and/or videos to playon@playcore.com
Reverse Tarzan
Children traverse backward across any overhead climbing component using an alternating right and left overhand grip. Starting in a long hang position with both hands on the first rung, children reach back with either hand and grasp the closest rung behind them. They then reach back again and grasp the rung with the other hand. This pattern continues until children reach the end of the overhead playground component.
PLAY ELEMENT: Brachiating
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #2, #3
BENEFITS
• Develops upper body strength and muscular endurance.
• Increases kinesthetic awareness.
TEACHING TIPS
• Encourage children to stop swaying before reaching for another rung.
• Ensure that at least two rungs separate each child on the overhead component.
SAFETY TIPS
• Demonstrate entering and exiting the overhead play component, as negotiating these transitions may be challenging.
• Spot as needed.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
DID YOU KNOW?
• Easier: Children bring their trailing hand to the same rung before reaching for the next rung.
• More Challenging: Children skip rungs between grasps or grab the bar at different locations (center, right or left side) with each grasp.
The story of Tarzan is about a boy who was raised by apes and becomes king of the jungle.
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Bombs Away
Place a small and large target a few feet in front of each swing. The object is for children to toss an object at a target with their feet while swinging so that it either stays on or in the target or knocks it over.
PLAY ELEMENT: Swinging
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT
NEEDED: Small (hot spots, cone) and large (carpet squares, hula hoop) targets; tossing objects (bean bags, balls, etc.)
BENEFITS
• Combines rhythmic and manipulative movement practice.
• Fosters kinesthetic awareness.
• Emphasizes effective throwing angle and release properties when propelling an object.
• Enhances aerobic fitness.
TEACHING TIPS
• Be prepared to give the objects to the children before they begin swinging.
• Allow children to rotate to different swings with different targets.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that the target is out of the swing’s use zone (at least 6 feet away).
• Give objects to children to hold in their feet before they begin swinging.
• Ensure that there is adequate playground safety surfacing under and around the swings.
• Ensure that children hold on with both hands while swinging.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children swing in a smaller arc; shorten the target’s distance; make the target bigger.
• More Challenging: Make the toss before the child reaches the front apex of the swing.
DID YOU KNOW?
Bombs can be dated as far back as 700 years ago in battles in China!
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Paul’s Playground
Two teams play tennis as follows: Position one team at a focal play component (platform, bridge, mini pod, etc.) at the center of the playground. Position the other team on the ground about 15-20 feet away. Play begins with one player on the focal play component serving (throwing) the ball to the team on the ground. The teams volley by gently throwing the ball back and forth between them. The volley ends when a player misses the ball. The team on the ground climbs to a parallel playground component and play continues, with the other team still on the original component. Use rally scoring; teams move to a new location when the predetermined score is reached. Note: This activity was created in honor of Paul Michetti (1949–2007), who coached tennis at Indian Creek High School in Wintersville, Ohio.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Combo (Climbing, balancing, spinning)
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Soft items to throw (sponge balls, bean bags, etc.)
BENEFITS
• Promotes child interdependence and collaboration.
• Emphasizes the importance of spacing and communication in team play.
• Provides throwing accuracy and catching practice from varying heights and distances.
TEACHING TIPS
• Ensure the play components used are at an appropriate distance for the child’s throwing ability.
• Remind children to throw softly but accurately; placement is the key.
SAFETY TIPS
• Make sure elevated surfaces have appropriate enclosures to prevent children from falling.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children can drop the ball; a volley ends only with an uncatchable throw.
• More Challenging: All players catch and throw the ball before a player can catch or throw for the second time.
DID YOU KNOW?
The word “love” is used in tennis for a score of zero. This word comes from the French word “l’ouef,” which means egg, or goose egg (a slang term for zero).
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Mission Impossible
One at a time, children enter any overhead climbing component. At the first rung, the child rotates the entire body one revolution (360 degrees) and moves on to the next rung. The object of this activity is to traverse the length of the overhead play component while rotating fully at every link of the component.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Spinning, brachiating
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3
BENEFITS
• Increases kinesthetic awareness.
• Develops upper body strength and muscular endurance.
• Provides nonlocomotor movement (i.e., turning) practice.
TEACHING TIPS
• Encourage children to use various grips (over, under, mixed) to complete the rotation.
• Let several children, one hanging from each rung, practice rotating the entire body before starting the activity.
• This is a good activity to reinforce clockwise and counterclockwise directions.
SAFETY TIPS
• Spot as needed.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children rotate their body in progressive increments of 90 degrees and back (in either
direction) at each rung until they are capable of completing a full rotation.
• More Challenging: Children perform one full revolution in each direction at each rung; children perform two rotations in the same direction at each rung.
• Adaptation: Child traverses the length of the overhead component in the best way possible or twists or rotates only one time.
DID YOU KNOW?
Mission Impossible was a television show popular in the 1960s and 1970s about secret government agents.
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Quick Feet
Children perform quick, explosive jumping exercises from the playground surface onto a balance apparatus (balance beam, bench, etc.). Like a kangaroo, children should bend their knees before every jump and absorb impact by recoiling when they land. Exercises: Jump ups—standing to the side of the apparatus, jump up onto it while fully extending arms above; jump downs—jump down from the apparatus and immediately back up onto it; straddle jumps—jump onto the apparatus beginning from a straddle position.
PLAY ELEMENT: Balancing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3
BENEFITS
• Enhances agility and muscular power.
• Strengthens lower body muscles and stretches muscles prior to contraction.
• Uses speed, force and flow movement qualities along with a combination of jumping and landing skills.
TEACHING TIPS
• Demonstrate and allow children to practice jumps on the playground surfacing before beginning the activity.
• Allow children to rest between jumps.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that children avoid excessive sideto-side or twisting motion at the knee when landing.
• Have children land softly (from ball of foot to heel) to help dissipate impact forces.
• Spot as needed.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• Balance beams should not be more than 16 inches off the ground.
• Easier: Children perform exercises on a wider balance apparatus, such as a balance pod.
• More Challenging: Children jump from or land on one foot.
• Adaptation: Children perform the jumps on a flat area or on a long rectangle drawn on the floor.
DID YOU KNOW?
A baby kangaroo, called a joey, can be as small as a grain of rice when born! Once they are born they will live in their mother’s pouch until they are big enough to leave.
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Baboon Touch
Children work in pairs. One child hangs from the center ring of an overhead climbing component; the other hangs from a rung on either end. The baboon (hanging from the end) attempts to touch the partner (hanging from the center) before the partner reaches the opposite end. If the baboon is successful or if the partner reaches the end rung, roles switch and both turn and traverse in the opposite direction.
PLAY ELEMENT: Brachiating
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #2, #3, #4
BENEFITS
• Develops upper body strength and muscular endurance.
• Promotes spatial awareness and efficient body positioning.
• Cultivates cooperation by taking turns and
TEACHING TIPS
• Pair children of similar body size and strength.
• Tell children that touching is performed with hands only.
SAFETY TIPS
• Spot as needed.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
Easier: Children are closer together to facilitate quicker touching.
More Challenging: Extra children line up at both ends of the overhead component. When a “chasee” reaches the end, she or he is replaced by the first child in line.
DID YOU KNOW?
The collective name for a group of baboons is troop, cartload, flange or congress.
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Apple Corps
Two children face each other in a long hanging position from separate exterior beams of an overhead climbing apparatus. One child holds an object between their legs pretending it is an apple. The two attempt to exchange the apple using any part of the legs (thighs, knees, ankles, feet). The goal is for the pair to see how many times they can successfully pass the “apple” as they travel the length of the ladder. Children must travel (in either direction) a distance of at least one arm length before every pass. If they drop the apple they pick it up and continue the activity from that point.
• Develops upper body and abdominal strength and endurance, footeye coordination and kinesthetic awareness.
• Advances cooperation and communication skills.
TEACHING TIPS
• Pair children of similar upper body strength to foster enjoyment and challenge.
• Help reposition the passing object and the children in a hanging position when the apple drops.
SAFETY TIPS
• Children cannot pass the object with their hands.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• Spot as needed.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Pairs pass the object back and forth without traveling down the ladder.
• More Challenging: Pairs complete to see who can complete 10 exchanges fastest.
• Adaptation: Child remains stationary while the partner travels to make the exchange.
DID YOU KNOW?
To make one gallon of apple cider you need the juice from about 35 apples.
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Parallel Bar Shuffle
Children begin in a straight arm hold (arms fully extended) at one end of the parallel bars, dip station or other similar apparatus. In one motion, children swing their legs forward over the bar so that the bars pass under their knees. Children lean forward while straddle sitting on the bar, regrasp the bar in the front of the body, and loosen legs in order to swing forward again. Children repeat the movement until they reach the other end of the parallel bars.
PLAY ELEMENT: Swinging, brachiating
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3
BENEFITS
• Develops upper body muscular strength and endurance, and lower body flexibility.
• Promotes body awareness and management principles.
TEACHING TIP
• Remind children to keep their elbows locked throughout the sequence.
SAFETY TIPS
• Spot as needed.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children bend legs while swinging; children walk the length of the bar without swinging.
• More Challenging: After one pass, children reverse action and go backward.
DID YOU KNOW?
Parallel lines will never touch and are used in everyday structures like sidewalks, buildings and roads.
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Playground Safari
Create a sequence of stations on the playground, with each station corresponding to an animal that the child must imitate. Either one by one or in small groups, children go to each station and imitate the animal for a specified time period and, if possible, as they travel to the next station. Listed in order from easier to more difficult, some potential animal movements include:
• Lion. Children sit upright on their shins, knees forward, place their hands on top of their thighs, lean back as they breathe in, then lean forward and roar when they breath out with their mouths and eyes wide open.
• Baby giraffe. Children walk around on their tiptoes with their hands held high above their head.
• Frog. Children crouch with knees apart and hands placed on the ground and jump forward while extending their body, landing in the same position.
• Crab. Children travel on all fours with belly up and body level.
• Crow. Children squat to the ground, put their hands down on a flat surface, and use their upper arms to hold their thighs off the ground. They balance only on the hands.
• Gorilla. Children brachiate across a piece of climbing equipment such as a monkey bar or overhead climbing apparatus. They walk like a gorilla (letting arms hang, almost touching ground) as they approach and leave the apparatus.
• Free choice. Children have great imaginations. Ask them to come up their own animal movement.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Combo (climbing, brachiating, sliding, spinning, balancing)
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5
BENEFITS
• Develops balance and body control skills, body and spatial awareness, flexibility, and muscular strength and endurance.
• Cultivates self-expression, group cohesion and satisfaction.
TEACHING TIPS
• Clearly identify the stations and suggested animal movements before starting the
activity. Mark stations with task cards or ask children to memorize “the gorilla station,” etc.
• Emphasize physical challenge, fun and silliness rather than perfect technique.
SAFETY TIPS
• Make sure that the elevated surfaces used during this activity have appropriate enclosures to prevent children from falling.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
DID YOU KNOW?
The roar of a lion can be heard from 5 miles away!
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Centipede Parade
Teams of three traverse an overhead ladder or other brachiating apparatus. The “head” of the centipede sets the pace, style and rhythm: Whatever that child does, the other two children (the “segments”) must also do at the same time. The head calls out commands or otherwise leads the team: “Right hand forward! Skip one rung, grab with left! Swing both legs left, then right!” The second child takes the lead on the way back. Continue until all children have had a turn as the head.
PLAY ELEMENT: Brachiating
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #3, #4, #5
BENEFITS
• Develops core stability, kinesthetic awareness and upper body muscular strength and endurance.
• Fosters cooperation, teamwork and leadership opportunities.
TEACHING TIPS
• The head of the centipede will have to “hang around” for a short time as the two segments take their places.
• Remind children that the centipede needs to move like one integrated organism.
SAFETY TIPS
• Spot as needed.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• More Challenging: Children travel sideways or backward.
DID YOU KNOW?
Although the name centipede means “hundred-legged,” the centipede can have between 15 and 177 pairs of legs, depending on the species.
Fun for All School-Age Children (Grades
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Cling to Your Color
Divide children into about three teams (such as red, yellow, blue) based on the colors assigned to the playground equipment available. Rules: All teams begin by standing, sitting or hanging on the equipment that is their color. No parts of the body can touch another color. Children can touch the ground but must hop on one foot. Groups switch colors upon leader’s command: “Red team go to blue; blue team go to yellow; yellow team to go red.” The length of clinging time for each color can vary. Teams can cling to the same apparatus or different apparatus of the same color.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Combo (climbing, brachiating, swinging, sliding, spinning, balancing)
NATIONAL STANDARDS:
#1, #2, #3, #4, #5
BENEFITS
• Develops whole body muscular strength and endurance.
• Promotes spatial awareness and efficient body positioning.
• Cultivates group cohesion, communication and creativity.
TEACHING TIPS
• Remind children to be aware of and respectful toward each other as they move from one apparatus to another.
• Elect or appoint a blue captain, yellow captain, etc. to make sure team members stay on the right color.
SAFETY TIPS
• Spot as needed.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children who need to travel along the surface do not need to only hop.
• More Challenging: Command a color change often.
• Adaptation: A child stays on one color apparatus throughout the game.
DID YOU KNOW?
Guess how many colors can be created by mixing red, yellow and blue? (The answer is millions.)
for All School-Age Children (Grades
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Children roll a ball down a slide. Once the ball hits the ground, the child chases it by sliding down the slide and fielding the ball before it stops rolling. The next child then releases a ball.
PLAY ELEMENT: Sliding
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT NEEDED: A variety of balls (wiffle balls, sponge balls, kickballs, etc.)
BENEFITS
• Integrates sport-related skills (fielding), fundamental locomotor skills and speed qualities of movement.
• It’s fun and personally challenging.
TEACHING TIPS
• Cue children on when to descend if a slide (tube or spiral) obstructs vision.
• Use all slides simultaneously and cue children to release balls at the same time.
SAFETY TIPS
• Make certain that the ball will completely roll across the play surface before engaging in this activity.
• Ensure that children wait for the previous fetcher to finish and clear the landing zone before starting.
• Make sure that children descend legs first and in a seated position.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children start sliding before the ball reaches the ground or use a less bouncy ball such as a wiffle ball.
• More Challenging: Children use a dense, bouncy ball or two or more balls.
• Adaptation: Children slide down first, then retrieve a ball released at the top of the slide by the next child in line.
DID YOU KNOW?
The word “fetch” also refers to the distance that wind travels over water.
Fun for All School-Age Children (Grades
Surfacing featured in this photo is synthetic turf.
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Swing Set Superstar
Children choreograph a movement routine or tell a story using a swing. They can swing on the swing, stand next to the swing and hold it with one hand, pretend the swing is a dance partner and dance with it, or whatever they can think of as long as it’s a safe use of the swing. The only rule is that they must be in contact with the swing at all times. Encourage them to use their imagination. Once the routine is complete, children may demonstrate it individually or as a group.
PLAY ELEMENT: Swinging
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5
BENEFITS
• Fosters kinesthetic awareness through an expressive, rhythmic movement experience.
• Cultivates respect for the ideas and diverse characteristics of self and others.
• Encourages communication and teamwork skills.
TEACHING TIPS
• Have children work with partners or in small groups.
• Allow adequate time for children to practice the routine.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the swings.
• Ensure that children hold on with both hands while swinging.
• Do not allow children to wrap the swing chain around any part of their bodies.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Groups choose whether each member displays one movement at a time or collectively as a group.
• More Challenging: Provide a rubric of required elements to be included. For example: Two locomotor skills (hop, slide), two nonlocomotor skills (stretching, twisting), a forceful quality (hard leg pump) and speed quality (deceleration), two strength poses, and two balances at two different levels.
• Adaptation: Children sit on the swing and start the swing moving with their legs.
DID YOU KNOW?
Playgrounds started to be developed in the late 1800s after the minimum working age increased, so children had a safe place to play.
Fun for All School-Age Children (Grades
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Basic Training
Together with the children, devise an obstacle course throughout the playground. Include each play element: climbing, brachiating, swinging, sliding, spinning and balancing. Some children may wish to be timed to see how quickly they can complete the course-either individually or as an entire class.
• Integrates fundamental motor skills and movement concepts in a pleasurable way.
• Develops muscular strength, endurance and flexibility.
• Provides self-challenge, social interaction and a sense of group membership.
TEACHING TIPS
• If necessary, post arrows to help children follow the activity sequence.
• Provide children with plenty of time to practice the activities and sequence.
SAFETY TIPS
• Younger children (K-1) may experience difficulty climbing down equipment; monitor children to assist them with climbing.
• Ensure that there is adequate playground safety surfacing under and around all equipment.
• Spot as needed.
Easier: Children complete several shorter courses that collectively address all play elements; children complete the course with a partner.
• More Challenging: Children complete courses that span the entire playground; children complete the course in reverse.
• Adaptation: The child completes the course with a partner.
DID YOU KNOW?
At the end of basic training, Marines have to complete the Crucible, a 54 hour field event to test what they’ve learned.
Fun for All School-Age Children (Grades K–5)
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Balance Routine
All children have been accepted to compete in a world championship balance beam competition. The catch: They just found out and it’s coming up soon! With only three minutes to prepare, teams of three rehearse and then perform for each other. Include props and music for an additional element of fun!
PLAY ELEMENT: Balance
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Portable music player, balls, foam noodles, small scarves
BENEFITS
• Develops whole-body flexibility and muscular strength and endurance.
• Fosters teamwork, collective thinking and creativity.
• Promotes spatial awareness and efficient body positioning.
TEACHING TIPS
• Encourage all three members of the team to actively participate in the routine.
• Offer suggestions for balance beam moves to those who need help.
SAFETY TIPS
• Spot as needed.
• Balance beams should not be more than 16 inches off the ground for school-age children.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Teams have more time to prepare and rehearse.
• More Challenging: All three members are on the beam throughout the routine.
DID YOU KNOW?
The first gymnast to be awarded a perfect score of 10 in an Olympic gymnastic event was a Romanian named Nadia Comaneci in 1976. She was 14 years old.
Fun for All School-Age Children (Grades
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Around the World
Children begin at a piece of spinning equipment (spinning chair, merry-go-round or overhead spinning equipment such as a tilted sky runner, sky wheels, etc.). Together, identify geographical places that correspond to different directions that radiate from the spinning equipment. For example, France could be defined as east, Canada as north, Japan as west and Brazil as south. One at a time, children enter the equipment and begin to spin . Options for ending the activity are: The number of visits (“Go to Japan three times,” “Who can go to Brazil the most times?”); the number of spins before visiting a location (“Go around the world three times and stop in Canada”); or the spinning speed (“How fast can you go around the world once, twice, etc.?”).
PLAY ELEMENTS: Spinning, brachiating (if performed on overhead component)
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #2, #3, #5
BENEFITS
• Integrates geography and the cardinal directions with playful movement.
• Emphasizes spatial awareness and the speed/force qualities of movement.
TEACHING TIPS
• To reduce feelings of dizziness have children spin in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions, and sporadically interchange children.
• Nonspinners can help spinning children determine when to stop.
SAFETY TIPS
• Children should not continue to spin if they feel dizzy or sick.
• Ensure that there is adequate playground safety surfacing under and around the spinning equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children begin by identifying locations that are visible (e.g., the slide, the swings, the recreation center).
equipment that holds more than one child at once at different times and geographical locations.
• Adaptation: Children spin a set number of times or stop to face small objects such as bean bags or other visual cues placed at different locations around the spinning device.
DID YOU KNOW?
The late American aviator, Steve Fossett, holds the world record (67 hours) for flying solo and nonstop around the world in a plane. He is also the first person to fly solo around the world in a hot air balloon, a feat he accomplished in 13 days, 8 hours and 33 minutes.
Fun for All School-Age Children (Grades
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Fourth of
July
Scatter a handful of balloons, balls or lay out bubble wrap at the base of each slide. Children slide down the slide and try to either pop a balloon, kick a ball, or pop an air pocket on the bubble wrap with their feet. Children cannot use hands and can make only one attempt at each slide. Children continue to another slide and attempt to pop another balloon/bubble or kick a ball.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Combo (sliding, balancing, climbing)
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #2, #3, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
Lightweight balls, balloons or bubble wrap
BENEFITS
• Emphasizes kinesthetic awareness and the force quality of movement.
• Provides personal enjoyment and satisfaction.
TEACHING TIPS
• Position one child at the base of each slide (but outside of the exit pathway of the slider) to help keep the balloons or bubble wrap from scattering.
• Employ this activity near the end of class as a fun closure.
SAFETY TIPS
• Make sure that the exit of the slide is properly surfaced and free of exposed concrete footers.
• Remind children to sit while sliding and to lean their weight forward as they try to pop the object on the ground. If children exit the slide with their feet too high they can lose balance and might hit the back of their head on the slide exit or on the surfacing.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• Refrain from using balloons if any children have latex allergies.
• Be sure to collect and dispose of any pieces of popped bubble wrap or balloon material.
VARIATION
• Adaptation: Children who are unable to descend a slide can attempt popping from a seated position at the base of the slide.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776, and was written by Thomas Jefferson.
Fun for All School-Age Children (Grades
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Ms. Wells Says
This activity is similar to the traditional game of “Simon Says.” Call out various movements while children swing. Children attempt to perform only the movements preceded by, “Ms. Wells says….” However, this version varies in that children also count the number of times they perform a movement that is not preceded by “Ms. Wells says….” Possible movement commands: Swing while extending your right leg; slow down; move right hand up the chain; slide your left hand up and down the chain; pump legs hard; pump only your left leg; pump arms soft; etc. Allow the child with the fewest number of mistakes to be the leader for the next game.
PLAY ELEMENT: Swinging
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #4
BENEFITS
• Develops aerobic fitness and upper body muscular endurance.
• Uses weight transfer and flow movement qualities.
• Teaches the importance of rule adherence, honesty and listening in game play.
TEACHING TIPS
• Occasionally ask children to shout out their total number of mistakes.
• Position yourself where you can see all children.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the swings.
Ensure that children hold on with both hands at all times while swinging.
VARIATIONS
Easier: Children close their eyes and focus on the commands.
More Challenging: Give commands faster in an attempt to fool children. Give two- or three-step commands.
Adaptation: Give commands such as “pick out a swing,” “get on the swing” or other basic moves such as “make a silly face.”
DID YOU KNOW?
Children in Sweden play a version of Simon Says called “Do this, Do thus.”
Fun for All School-Age Children (Grades
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Suspended in Time
Children hang from an elevated bar using a preferred grip with their body fully extended and perpendicular to the ground. On the command, “hang 10,” the children hang for 10 seconds, and so on. Other command options include, “hang time” (you or another child time children to see how long they can hang); and, “hang and sing” (children attempt to hang while singing the song that you call out).
PLAY ELEMENT: Brachiating
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #3, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Stopwatch
BENEFITS
• Develops upper body muscular endurance.
• Provides nonlocomotor and body management skill practice.
• Offers enjoyment through the exploration of movement.
TEACHING TIPS
• Cue, “Hang as straight as a pencil.”
• Encourage children to look straight ahead when hanging.
• Stop timing once one finger (usually the pinky) is no longer gripping the bar.
SAFETY TIPS
• Have children dismount by releasing hands and dropping straight to the surface.
• Ensure that there is adequate playground safety surfacing under and around the overhead play component.
• Spot as needed.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children explore various hand grips until they find one that is easiest for them.
chest and hold for a few seconds before returning to the original position; children move to a pike position.
• Adaptation: Children hang for a shorter amount of time.
DID YOU KNOW?
Hang ten is a surfing move where the surfer walks to the front of the board and hangs all ten toes over the edge.
Fun for All School-Age Children (Grades
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Relay
Climb
Divide children into two or more teams and disperse teams throughout the playground. The object of the relay is to make sure the entire team ascends and descends all climbing structures. For example, the first team member ascends a climbing structure and touches a teammate waiting at the top. This teammate descends and touches the next teammate at the base of this structure. Twist: To keep all children moving, each child should then follow along behind the teammate after descending so there is eventually a parade of children following the lead child.
PLAY ELEMENT: Climbing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #3, #4, #5
BENEFITS
• Develops upper and lower body muscular strength and endurance.
• Emphasizes the importance of child interdependence, collaboration and interaction when achieving a common goal.
• Uses a combination of locomotor and body management skills.
TEACHING TIPS
• Teams should consist of no more than four or five youngsters to minimize waiting time.
• Allow teams to practice ascending/ descending the apparatuses beforehand.
• Spot as needed.
SAFETY TIPS
• If more than one team is playing at once, remind children to watch out for each other.
• Ensure that there is proper playground safety surfacing under and around the climbing equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Omit the parade of children; use only one apparatus, with each member
ascending and descending the same climbing apparatus before the team continues to a different climbing apparatus. Teams should visit each climbing apparatus on the playground.
• More Challenging: Teams complete the circuit twice; once following the original pattern and the second time in reverse.
• Adaptation: Children travel a shorter distance before touching a teammate.
DID YOU KNOW?
The longest ladder is made of wood and measures 135 feet long.
Fun for All School-Age Children (Grades K–5)
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Globetrotters
Assign a different country (or state) to each playground apparatus. Ideally, use geographic regions that represent areas children are learning about in class. Work cooperatively with the facilitator to design task cards that require children to perform movements that are representative of each geographic region (for example, “Imagine you are a tornado and twist four full rotations while in Iowa”—the horizontal ladder). Children progress through the task cards in groups and receive a stamp at each region they experience. This is a great field day activity.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Combo (climbing, brachiating, swinging, sliding, spinning, balancing)
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Task cards, a different stamp or sticker for each region
BENEFITS
• Increases understanding of cardinal directions and symbolic geographic movements in a playful way.
• Promotes spatial and body awareness and positioning.
TEACHING TIP
• Walk children through the movements and rotation patterns of each location before starting the activity.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• Spot as needed.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children choose from several available movement options at each region.
• More Challenging: Children create their own representative regional movement during a second round.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Harlem Globetrotters are a basketball team that started in 1926 in Chicago; this team still travels around the world and plays exhibition games for fun.
Fun for All School-Age Children (Grades
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Synchronized Swinging
Two or more children (depending on the number of swings available in the swing bay ) attempt to swing simultaneously alongside one other. All parts of their bodies should match each other throughout the swing motion (back extending/ flexing, legs extending/ flexing, arms extending/flexing, etc.). Children may add their own movement to their swinging performance (fluttering feet at the apex of the swing, turning their head side-to-side, etc.).
PLAY ELEMENT: Swinging
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5
BENEFITS
• Advances body awareness and matching/ mirroring relationships in rhythmic movement patterns.
• Promotes interpersonal skill development and the inclusion of all children.
TEACHING TIPS
• Children should perform the activity in pairs before progressing to larger groups.
• Highlight the variety of movements observed to encourage the display of imaginative rather than replicated movements.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the swings.
• Ensure that children hold on with both hands while swinging.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children swing in rhythm with each other without necessarily mirroring exact leg and arm motions.
• More Challenging: Children mirror (exact opposite) their partner’s movements.
• Adaptations: Assign a partner to swing alongside a child who has a vision disability and call out directions; the child who has a vision disability calls out directions and the partner synchronizes with her or him.
DID YOU KNOW?
Synchronized swimming became an Olympic spot in 1984.
Fun for All School-Age Children (Grades
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Tornado Alley
The object of this activity is for children to see how many different playground structure posts (supporting poles for any playground component or swing frames) they can spin around in an allocated amount of time. No more than one child may spin around a post at once.
PLAY ELEMENT: Spinning
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, BENEFITS
• Develops aerobic fitness and locomotor movements.
• Promotes body and spatial awareness.
TEACHING TIPS
• Provide sufficient rest time before children repeat the activity.
• Discourage children from waiting for a post to become free; emphasize constant movement.
SAFETY TIPS
• Make sure wooden posts are smooth so that children do not get splinters.
• Ensure that there is enough space between the pole and other equipment so that children will not come into contact with equipment (or each other) when they stop spinning. This is especially important as children will be dizzy.
• Remind children to be sure that they do not come into contact with the post or other equipment when they stop spinning.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• Easier: Rather than spinning around different posts, children try to see how many different ways they can spin around the same post (spin while holding post high or low or with left hand, right elbow, left ankle).
• More Challenging: Children demonstrate a different locomotor movement as they move to each post; children perform one full 360 degree revolution in both directions at each post.
DID YOU KNOW?
A tornado is a column of rotating air that hits the ground. The average wind speed inside a tornado is 80-100mph and the average tornado is about 250 feet wide.
Fun for All School-Age Children (Grades K–5)
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Rivaling Mirrors
Children work in pairs. One partner performs a balancing movement (stork stand, seat balance, leaning forward balance) on any piece of playground equipment for a certain length of time or number of repetitions. Children may use additional equipment as desired (juggle while balancing on one leg, balance a bean bag on head, etc.). The partner’s challenge is to perform the same movement for one more second or one more repetition. If successful, the first child must try to add an additional second/repetition. Children continue until one child is unable to out-do the other. The activity restarts with a new originator and a new movement.
PLAY ELEMENT: Balancing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #3, #4, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Hoops, bean bags and any other equipment that can be used while balancing
BENEFITS
• Combines body management and nonlocomotor skill practice.
• Fosters creativity, child interaction and leadership opportunities.
TEACHING TIPS
• Remind children that there are no right or wrong movements; imagination is the key.
• Ask children to count aloud for time dependent movements.
SAFETY TIPS
• Demonstrate an exit strategy (especially for young children) in case they lose their balance and need to exit the equipment.
• Balance beams should not be more than 16 inches off the ground for school-age children.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children perform the movement for the same length of time or number of repetitions.
• More Challenging: Children perform the movement for more time or more repetitions.
• Adaptation: Children balance as long as they can without a set time.
DID YOU KNOW?
The first mirrors were polished stone and metal.
Fun for All School-Age Children (Grades
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Count Swingula
The facilitator calls out an age-appropriate math problem. Children on swings shout out the answer and then count each leg pull aloud until they reach that number.
PLAY ELEMENT: Swinging
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3
BENEFITS
• Reinforces math concepts through kinesthetic movement.
• Develops aerobic fitness and upper body muscular endurance.
• Increases the understanding of weight transfer and movement continuity.
TEACHING TIP
• Allow children to get into a steady swinging rhythm before beginning.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the swings.
• Ensure that children hold on with both hands while swinging.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children can shout out a number on every other leg pull.
• More Challenging: Children count backward from the math problem answer; children in the same swing bay work together (one child shouts out a number at a time) to count to the correct answer.
• Adaptation: The child solves easier problems or receives assistance with swinging
DID YOU KNOW?
Dracula means “Son of the Dragon.”
Fun for All School-Age Children (Grades
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Climbing Charades
One child climbs partway up a climbing structure to play a traditional game of charades with other children on the playground. The climbing structure should allow the child to balance on their feet and perform hands free movements. Provide the person/animal/thing to act out or ask the child to choose the category themselves. The child who guesses correctly becomes the new actor.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Climbing, balancing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #3, #4, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
Random collection of props
BENEFITS
• Fosters balance and body management skill practice.
• Develops upper and lower body muscular strength and endurance.
• Promotes independent thinking, social interaction and creativity.
TEACHING TIPS
• Remind children that the actor is not allowed to talk.
• Keep children moving; rotate actors or give hints if no one guesses correctly within a designated time frame (such as 1 minute).
• Review the signals to use for correct guesses, sounds like category and giving the number of words.
SAFETY TIPS
• Remind children to hold onto the climbing equipment with their hands if they start to lose their balance.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• Spot as needed.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children use props or helpful hints such as stating the first letter of the charade.
• More Challenging: Partners or small groups act out a scene together.
• Adaptation: Children work in pairs to act out their charade.
DID YOU KNOW?
The word “charade” means a word riddle that players try to figure out.
Fun for All School-Age Children (Grades
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Extreme Hopscotch
This game is a playground version of hopscotch. However, instead of avoiding the area where the bean bag lands, children must use it. Children work in pairs. One tosses a bean bag on a piece of playground equipment and the partner must use whatever piece of equipment it lands on or near. The first child then rolls a die, chooses a card or tosses another bean bag on a hopscotch grid drawn on a nearby concrete slab to determine how many times, or for how many seconds, second child must use the equipment. For example, if bean bags land on the spiral slide and on the number four on the hopscotch grid (or if the number four is picked from the card stack or face up on the rolled die), the child would descend down the spiral slide four consecutive times.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Combo (climbing, brachiating, swinging, sliding, spinning, balancing)
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #3, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
Bean bags, sidewalk chalk, large foam die
BENEFITS
• Combines body management, locomotor skill and throwing practice.
• Develops upper and lower body muscular strength and endurance.
• Offers an interactive experience that creates a sense of accomplishment.
TEACHING TIPS
• Place the tossing location at an ageappropriate distance and distance can vary after each execution.
• Permit all children to take turns playing both roles.
SAFETY TIP
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children toss the bean bag and roll the die to determine how many times they complete the activity.
• More Challenging: Children skip to each piece of playground equipment for all activities; children cannot use a playground apparatus twice in a row.
DID YOU KNOW?
Hopscotch is played in many countries across the world. In India, it’s called Stapu or Kith-Kith.
Fun for All School-Age Children (Grades
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Swinging Spelling Bee
Call out a developmentally appropriate spelling word. Children on swings repeat the word and then shout out a new letter with each leg pull until they have spelled the entire word correctly. Variation: Children swinging in a row add one letter each, with the first child contributing the first letter, the second child adding the second letter, and so on. If a child contributes the wrong letter other children should shout out the correct one.
PLAY ELEMENT: Swinging
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3
BENEFITS
• Combines language skills with rhythmic movement.
• Promotes cooperation (in the team variation).
• Develops aerobic fitness and upper body muscular endurance.
• Increases the understanding of weight transfer and movement continuity.
TEACHING TIP
• Allow children to get into a steady swinging rhythm before beginning the activity.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the swings.
• Ensure that children hold on with both hands while swinging.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Spell out the word and have children repeat it, with one leg pull per letter.
• More Challenging: Children spell the word backward.
• Adaptation: Offer easier words to spell or the facilitator can alternate giving the letters to spell the word.
DID YOU KNOW?
The National Spelling Bee winner receives $30,000!
Fun for All School-Age Children (Grades
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Leaping Lizards
One at a time, children attempt to leap along a balancing apparatus that has a wide base of support such as mini pods, platforms or wide beams. Before leaping to the next platform, the child must balance on the landing foot for a minimum of 5 seconds. If a toe, hand or any body part touches the ground or apparatus in an attempt to maintain balance, the child must start again from the first platform or pod. The object is to make it across the apparatus without any touches.
PLAY ELEMENT: Balancing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #4
BENEFITS
• Promotes body control and awareness.
• Cultivates fair play by taking turns and following rules.
TEACHING TIPS
• Demonstrate the full range of forbidden touches.
• Assign three to four children to each available apparatus; children rotate after every touch or successful completion. This is a great station activity.
SAFETY TIPS
• Have children aim to land on the center of the balancing apparatus with the ball of their foot.
• Remind children to put both feet on the platform if they are having difficulty balancing on one foot.
• Demonstrate an exit strategy for children in case they need to exit the equipment due to a lack of balance.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• Balance beams should not be more than 16 inches off the ground for school-age children.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children balance on two feet instead of one.
• More Challenging: Children skip one mini platform between each leap; children balance on toes rather than the whole foot.
• Adaptation: Children walk or step across to each platform and balance on one foot while holding other equipment for support.
DID YOU KNOW?
The largest of all lizards is the Komodo dragon. It grows up to 10 feet long and can catch and eat deer.
Fun for All School-Age Children (Grades
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Playground Story Time
Tell the children a story (or read from a book). The children use the playground equipment to reenact the story (on the Titanic avoiding the iceberg, driving across a country, escaping from Alcatraz, etc.). The object of this activity is for children to use their imagination and diverse play equipment to reenact the story. The children might first reenact or rehearse segments before performing the entire story.
PLAY ELEMENTS: Combo (brachiating, swinging, sliding, spinning, balancing)
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #5
EXTRA EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Story book or ideas for a fun story to reenact
BENEFITS
• Fosters awareness of fundamental motor skills and movement concepts.
• Promotes self-expression, creativity, positive social interaction and laughter.
• Develops physical fitness.
• Reinforces literary comprehension.
TEACHING TIP
• Plan ahead; choose a story with lots of activity and adventure.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
• Ensure that children hold on with both hands while swinging.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Read the story in advance. Children brainstorm as a class and practice possible movements before heading to the playground.
• More Challenging: Groups of children act out different stories and the remaining children attempt to guess the story they are acting out (this works best if groups act out stories the entire class knows).
DID YOU KNOW?
A fable is a kind of story that teaches a moral or a lesson. Aesop’s Fables are a collection of stories by the author Aesop who lived in Ancient Greece.
Fun for All School-Age Children (Grades
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Tire Change
Two or three children sit on a tire swing or other spinning apparatus and spin themselves around with or without help for a designated number of spins or for a designated amount of time. The goal is for the children to experiment with and develop a sense of balance while spinning. Supplement this activity by having children participate in another spinning activity after they exit the tire swing or other spinning apparatus. For example, children could try to spin the same number of times while standing on the ground.
• Promotes interpersonal and collaborative skill development.
TEACHING TIPS
• Encourage swinging children to count the number of rotations as a group.
• Have each group slowly increase the number of spins and length of time on the tire swing.
• Ask children to spin clockwise, then counterclockwise.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that children distribute body size and weight equally on the tire swing or spinning apparatus.
• Make sure that multiple swings and/ or spinning apparatuses are not close together in which children could come in contact with each other.
• Ensure that there is proper playground safety surfacing under and around the tire swing or other spinning apparatus.
• Ensure that children hold on with both hands while swinging on a tire swing.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Help children get the tire or spinning apparatus spinning.
• More Challenging: If there’s room, have four children on the tire and work together to get the tire or spinning apparatus going.
DID YOU KNOW?
The invention of the wheel is considered one of the greatest accomplishments for humans.
Fun for All School-Age Children (Grades
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Sport Figures
Children begin by thinking of three poses that depict a favorite sport or athlete. Then, one by one, children display these poses while standing on a piece of balancing equipment (balance beam, plank, bench, balance pod, etc.) while the others attempt to guess which sport or which athlete the posing child is imitating. The object of this activity is for children to form creative balance poses for at least 15 seconds each. Children switch roles after all three poses or when a pose is guessed correctly, whichever comes first.
PLAY ELEMENT: Balancing
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5
BENEFITS
• Promotes enjoyment and social engagement through the exploration of movement forms.
• Cultivates appreciation and respect for the decisions of others.
• Enhances spatial awareness and effective body positioning.
TEACHING TIPS
• Give children several minutes to generate poses before the game begins.
• Provide prompts if children cannot think of poses.
• To keep score, give one point for each pose that is guessed correctly.
SAFETY TIPS
• Remind children to exit the equipment if they are having difficulty balancing in their poses.
• Balance beams should not be more than 16 inches off the ground for school-age children.
• Ensure that there is sufficient playground safety surfacing under and around the equipment.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children ask yes or no questions if no one can guess the sport or athlete that the posing child is imitating.
• More Challenging: Children display each pose on different piece of balancing equipment.
• Adaptation: Children work with a partner or hold the pose for a shorter period of time.
DID YOU KNOW?
In 1931, sports figures’ pictures were put on boxes of Wheaties cereal to go with the slogan “The Breakfast of Champions.”
Fun for All School-Age Children (Grades
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Tick
Tock Clock
Using a preferred grip, children hang from an elevated bar, loop or rung so that their body is fully extended and perpendicular to the ground. Children attempt to swing their body in a pendulum motion, keeping their arms and legs fully extended and straight, for a certain length of time or for a total number of swinging motions.
PLAY ELEMENT:
Swinging, upper body
NATIONAL STANDARDS: #1, #2, #3
BENEFITS
• Fosters kinesthetic awareness.
• Develops muscular strength and endurance.
• Combines body management and rhythmic qualities.
TEACHING TIPS
• Remind children to keep their body as straight as a pencil.
• Assist children in starting the swinging motion.
SAFETY TIPS
• Ensure that there is adequate playground safety surfacing under and around the overhead play component.
• Spot as needed.
VARIATIONS
• Easier: Children perform the activity with different grips (over, under, mixed, etc.).
• More Challenging: Children vary leg positions while swinging (V-shape, knees to chest, pike, tuck, etc.); children perform a one-handed swinging motion.
• Adaptation: Children can attempt to hang without swinging their bodies.
DID YOU KNOW?
The word clock comes from the French word “cloche,” which means bell.
Fun for All School-Age Children (Grades
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ADVOCACY Join the Movement!
Become a National Demonstration
• Promote your leadership through best practice program and design considerations that promote physical activity through active play
• Collaborate with program partners and document the process for others to replicate
• Create positive attention and attract partners/funds that support health and wellness initiatives to combat sedentary lifestyles
• Gain national awareness through various media outlets, press releases, collateral materials, and nationwide presentations
• Receive certificate of recognition and signage for serving as a model demonstration site
Site
To learn more about creating a Play On! play and learning environment in your community, purchase a Play On! program, or to become a National Demonstration Site, please visit: www.playcore.com/PlayOn
“The Play On! Program is an exciting opportunity to extend our physical education classroom to the outdoors. Through creative learning, the Play On! curriculum arouses the student’s sense of curiosity, imagination and adventure to achieve a healthy, active lifestyle.”
- Theresa Boehm Miller Curriculum Development Chair, Springfield Public Schools, Springfield, MO
Play On! provides educators and programmers with a unique resource to promote physical fitness, health, strength, endurance, flexibility and balance through play. Developed by SHAPE America and a team of physical activity experts, Play On! aligns to National Standards for K–12 Physical Education and Active
Start guidelines for preschool-age children and is a vital component in maximizing the value and potential of your playground.
PROGRAM FEATURES
• 125 standards-based playground activities for grades PreK–5
• Assessment worksheets and equipment lists
• Playground design considerations
• Family resources
• Playground funding information
For more information, visit www.playcore.com/PlayOn.
