New Fitness Curriculum for Children: Play On! Playground Learning Activities for Youth Fitness
By: Katherine Fallen, Administrative Assistant/Publications Coordinator, AAPAR (read short bio)

A new playground fitness curriculum for school-aged children offers physical educators and community leaders 100 learning activities designed to turn playgrounds into fitness training centers. "Play On! Playground Learning Activities for Youth Fitness" shows educators how to use playgrounds to promote physical activity, develop wellness habits, and meet national standards for physical fitness - all in the context of fun.

Launched at the 2008 national convention of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance, Play On! Playground Learning Activities for Youth Fitness was created by the American Association for Physical Activity and Recreation (AAPAR) in partnership with PlayCore, Inc., a playground manufacturing company, and a team of play experts from Louisiana State University, Russell L Carson, Ph.D. and Marybeth Lima, Ph.D.

As the obesity epidemic continues to grow, people ask, "How can we get kids moving?" Yet many programs leave children bored, inattentive, and eager to quit. What works for adults - competitive games, repetitive exercise routines - does not necessarily work for children. Children tend to be excited by spontaneity, creativity, imagination, adventure, novelty, and FUN. At the same time, they enjoy a challenge: they like to learn, achieve, develop skills, and accomplish goals. Playgrounds provide a widely accessible opportunity for all children to become physically fit. And children love playgrounds. Release children onto a playground, and they excitedly race toward their favorite apparatus, screaming with delight as they anticipate adventure, challenge, and camaraderie.

The Play On! curriculum contains 100 fun playground activities that are innovative, developmentally appropriate, and diverse. They align with the national physical education standards, incorporate six elements of play, promote moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, feature color photos and safety and teaching tips, and offer realistic accommodations for children of varying abilities. The color-coded, detachable, readymade layout of this guide makes the activities easy to implement and fun to use. The activities are printed on heavier-stock paper so the educator can detach the activities of interest, place them on a clipboard, and head to a playground. There is no need to juggle a text book in one hand, while trying to explain each activity or waste time searching for the correct page.

View sample learning activity cards:
Kindergarten and 1st Grade
2nd and 3rd Grades
4th and 5th Grades
Fun for All

Play On! also contains a FUN-damentals section. Included in this section is research-based data on the value of physical activity; a description of the importance of play; a discussion of safety issues on playgrounds; and thoughts on inclusion, teaching strategies, and the National Association for Sport and Physical Education’s national standards. Also included are playground funding tips; an equipment list; a matrix of how NASPE standards align with the individual activities; and an assessment sheet the educator may find useful for providing skill-related feedback, motivating students to set goals, or tracking achievement.

A Special Send-Home Section for Parents provides information about the developmental benefits playgrounds provide, and helps get families moving together in their schools, parks, and backyards. It’s meant to be copied and sent home, and is printed in both English and Spanish. Families can also download the resource at www.AAPAR.org or www.PlayCore.com.

Order your copy of Play On! today and don’t be surprised if these activities excite you as much as the children! We hope that this program will help you to appreciate playgrounds in a new light, and that you use this resource to promote physical fitness through fun. Why wait? Grab some children, find a playground, and Play On!

Beta Site Leaders Wanted: AAPAR is seeking elementary-level physical educators and recreation professionals to participate in an evaluative study of the Play On! program. Want to help with the research project - and receive a free curriculum and discounted playground equipment at the same time? Take advantage of this unique opportunity by responding now to this call for Play On! Beta Site Leaders.

Selected participants will be given a free copy of Play On!, Playground Learning Activities for Youth Fitness, and asked to implement the program and provide feedback about it. To be known as Play On! Beta Site Leaders, these volunteers will inform program research and gain valuable insight into children’s physical development and fitness on the playground. Beta Site Leaders will also receive promotional pricing for a GameTime (PlayCore brand) playground that is 100 percent aligned with the Play On! program for promoting children’s fitness through elements such as swinging, sliding, brachiating, balancing, spinning, and climbing. Beta Site Leaders will receive results of the study, and will be able to compare site-specific outcomes to the average national results. Most importantly, kids will have fun and get fit while being physically active on the playground. Parents will also benefit through program resources specifically designed for families.

For an application form, write to AAAPAR@aahperd.org. Applications are due October 15. Or, if the research study is not right for you, you can simply order a copy of Play On! from the AAHPERD online bookstore.

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