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Let' Move Blog

Roll Up Your Sleeves and Play!

It’s time for us to rally around our parks and playgrounds. Every child has the right to a safe, well-maintained, inspiring place to play, and with a little elbow grease and community energy, we can improve our play spaces, strengthen our neighborhoods, and ensure the happiness and health of our children. A simple enhancement project can go a long way.

Here are some ideas:

  • Planting a community garden promotes healthier eating for families and teaches children about nature.
  • Building park benches or picnic tables encourages people to stay longer and interact with the community while the children play.
  • Painting a mural supports a sense of pride in the park.
  • Cleaning park amenities or removing graffiti reclaims the park for more playful use.

To help build stronger neighborhoods, the national non-profit KaBOOM! is encouraging all communities to host a Play Day. The KaBOOM! Play Day program, presented by Mott’s, is an opportunity to celebrate and improve the quality of play, since every kid needs a great place to play within walking distance.

Join the movement and build national momentum for play by hosting a Play Day in your community during the week of September 18 – 26. Play Red Rover, paint a mural, or run a three-legged relay race; the only rule is to have fun! If you include an improvement project you can earn a Play Day Grant for up to $10,000 from Mott’s and NFL PLAY 60 to further improve your play space.

Visit the KaBOOM! Play Day website for fun game and project ideas—watch videos, download digital activity cards, and invite friends to join.

KaBOOM! has partnered with the National Environmental Education Foundation, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Marine Corps Community Services, and the Corporation for National & Community Service to get everyone to join the fun!

You don’t have to host a big event to have a fun Play Day and do impactful improvement projects. It’s all about getting outside to play and improving your favorite park. Roll up your sleeves and play!

The KaBOOM! Play Day program is presented by Mott’s and made possible by the ongoing philanthropic support of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, as well as NFL PLAY 60. Operational support for the KaBOOM! Play Day program provided by National Environmental Education Foundation, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and Marine Corps Community Services. Together with KaBOOM!, these organizations are working together to sign up thousands of communities to host events that support the importance of play in children’s lives.

Cross-posted from www.Serve.gov