KaBOOM! and The Home Depot Commission First Gallup Survey on Playground Use in the United States

"Can we go to the playground today?" This is probably one of the most common requests parents receive from their children daily. However, what happens when, due to the lack of safe, accessible play spaces in their community, parents have to respond with "No?"

According to the first-ever Gallup study on playground use in the United States, children and adolescents do not have adequate access to playgrounds and skateparks, despite the proven benefits of unstructured play on their physical and mental development.

The Gallup Organization study, commissioned by KaBOOM! and The Home Depot, randomly surveyed 1,200 individuals nationwide on several topics including access to playgrounds and their maintenance as well as the benefits of playground use. Among the findings:

• Less than half of American children have a playground within walking distance of their homes;
• Sixty-one percent of Americans say simple lack of access to a playground is a barrier to their children playing on one;
• One in three people feel there are not enough playgrounds in their community to serve the number of children who live there;
• One in four Americans say the location of the nearest playground was an important factor in their decision to choose where they currently live.
• Only one in two households believe the nearest playground is in very good condition and is well-maintained.
• Two of three surveyed agree that using a playground is a deterrent to watching television.

In response to the survey, Darell Hammond, co-founder and "chief executive of play" of KaBOOM!, issued a call to action to parents and community leaders alike. "Considering the alarming number of schools that have eliminated recess, it is imperative that children and parents have access to playgrounds in their neighborhoods," said Hammond, who co-founded the national non-profit organization dedicated to the construction and maintenance of safe play spaces for children and adolescents in 1995.

"There are dozens of ways people can get involved to increase the number of playgrounds and skateparks in their communities. Working with community groups and our corporate sponsors, KaBOOM! will facilitate the construction of 500 more playgrounds and skateparks over the next five years," Hammond said.

"Concerned parents and community leaders should contact KaBOOM! or visit our website, www.kaboom.org, to download our free Getting Started Kit or utilize our free online playground development resource, Playground Planner. Visitors may also obtain information on how they can improve an existing neighborhood playspace, build a new one, or learn more about the state of play in their community."

According to Hammond, KaBOOM! and The Home Depot commissioned the study as part of their ongoing playground-building partnership to substantiate what their own research already indicated: there are not enough safe play options nationwide to serve the needs of children in communities. In essence, Hammond said, there is a "playground deficit" in the United States. The study also touched upon the importance of playgrounds for community building and neighborhood improvement, a guiding principle in the KaBOOM! - The Home Depot relationship.

"Playgrounds are excellent places for neighbors to build vital social networks within their communities. This study reinforces how important it is for all of us to work together to build and maintain these valuable resources," said John Costello, executive vice president of marketing for The Home Depot. "In seven years, The Home Depot built 100 playgrounds with KaBOOM! and we're committed to build 100 more by 2004."

Fitness expert Mindy Mylrea applauded the KaBOOM! - The Home Depot partnership and said, "Children are our most precious resource and we should all make it our top priority to create environments for them to play, explore and create magic."

Mylrea added, "A playground not only allows a child to enjoy the act of play but it also facilitates family fitness fun. Families who play together grow together as a team. Amazing things happen to relationships when play is added. A well structured playground comes with only one instruction — come play with me!"

Dr. Michael Chobanian voiced his concern that parents who recognize the value of outdoor play for children are finding a scarcity of playgrounds. "Playgrounds are vital tools in a child's development, especially in the area of physical fitness," he said.

Chobanian added that a lack of regular exercise and high frequency of TV viewing are both factors that contribute to child and adolescent obesity. "It's simple. Without places to play, children are less likely to play. We need to make sure that all children have the option of unstructured outdoor activities and give them the opportunities to just go out and play. The benefits are endless, physically, socially and creatively." This belief was reflected in the study, in which parents responded that playground activities sharpened not only a child's physical fitness, but also leadership and problem solving skills.

Hammond agreed, "As children return to school and face competing demands for their time, parents need to make sure that their children don't just hit the books, but hit the playground as well. There's a lot of growing to be done outside the classroom, too."

So what can YOU do to address our nation's playground deficit? Start by making your voice heard by your local legislators, Congress and the president. Take your stand for the child's right to play, today!

The Gallup study revealed that only one in three parents supervises the play of their children at a playground. Be sure to monitor how your children use playground equipment, be on the lookout for any maintenance issues, and encourage children to play safely and cooperatively.

Take your supervision one step (or jump!) forward and integrate a little family fitness while supervising. Our study showed that 95 percent of Americans claim that physical fitness is a trait enhanced in children through playground use. Encourage and use the playground equipment to help you stretch, sprint a few laps around the playground perimeter, and squeeze your stomach muscles while you swing!

What are you waiting for? Address the playground deficit in your community.
Start building today so more children can play tomorrow.

The KaBOOM!/Gallup playground study information is based on a national survey of adults conducted in March 2003. In all 1,200 interviews were completed. Random digit dialing was supplemented with a listed sample of parents with children under 12 years of age. A three-call design was used. The data were weighted to project the survey results to total U.S. households based on geography, number of adults in household, and the children's ages in the household. For results based on a sample of 1,200 respondents, one can say with 95 percent confidence that the error attributable to sample and other random effects would be 2.8 percent. A full description of the survey methodology is available up on request.