How Keeping Kids Active is Good for Both Body & Brain | Pledge to Save Play
As your children settle back into school, will they be getting enough time and space to play? Sadly, despite numerous studies proving that play is vital to children’s learning and health, schools across the country are slashing recess; piling on homework; and banning tag, soccer, and even running on the schoolyard.
It’s time to do something about these disturbing trends, and here’s why:
- Since 1990, American creativity scores have been falling, attributed in part to the lack of “creativity development” in our schools. At the same time, an IBM poll of 1,500 CEOs identified creativity as the number one “leadership competency” of the future.
- Children in Finnish elementary schools—who get an average of 75 minutes of recess a day—consistently rank higher than U.S. children in International Student Assessment Scores.
- Two reviews of more than 180 homework studies reveal very little correlation between the amount of homework and achievement in elementary school.
- The decline of play is closely linked to childhood obesity; ADHD; behavioral problems; and stunted social, cognitive, and creative development.
- Increased physical activity during the school day can help children’s attention, classroom behavior, and achievement test scores.
Are you concerned that your child’s school is all work and no play? Sign this Back-to School pledge, brought to you by VolunteerSpot and KaBOOM!, and we’ll get you started with a PDF copy of How to Save Play at Your School—featuring 15 action ideas that parents can take this fall to make school grounds and school days more playful. Plus, learn how you can win $750 to spruce up your school playground!
6 comments
1 ping
melissa betts says:
September 22, 2011 at 8:28 am (UTC -7)
I manage a 250 student preschool and mdo in cullman alabama. We were hit by the storms in april of this year. We are working daily to figure out ways to save play! We had great play spaces that have since been “off limits” due to clean up and renovations. $750 would definatly help us re establish PLAY! Consider us!
admin says:
September 26, 2011 at 4:09 pm (UTC -7)
So sorry to hear about your school, Melissa – what an awful tragedy for your school and so many others. Please be sure to take the pledge to Save Play on VolunteerSpot’s facebook page so you get the $750 giveaway info. : http://www.facebook.com/VolunteerSpot
Debey Dick says:
September 22, 2011 at 10:49 pm (UTC -7)
I’m so concerned that certain behaviors and activities are proscribed, but no alternatives are being suggested.
The other day at a neighborhood playground I told my grandson and another little kid how to play “Hide & Seek”. They were fascinated and, before long, there were 13 kids – aged 4 through 8 playing. I realized that I had made a few mistakes in the rules (I looked the real rules up on the Internet that evening!) so I’m anxious to get back and set the record straight. Next on the agenda: “Red Rover, Red Rover”.
admin says:
September 26, 2011 at 4:07 pm (UTC -7)
Awesome, Debey! More neighborhoods need a play champion like you to share the lost-art of play! Thanks for sharing!
Reinaldo says:
September 27, 2011 at 8:14 am (UTC -7)
And where is the facebook like link ?
admin says:
September 28, 2011 at 11:42 am (UTC -7)
http://facebook.com/volutneerspot < thanks for asking!
5 Reasons Why Kids Should Play in School « MomsRising Blog says:
October 3, 2011 at 8:52 am (UTC -7)
[...] post originally appeared on RoomMomSpot.com [...]