WEDNESDAY, Feb. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Children who live in densely populated urban areas may be less likely to be overweight if they have parks and lawns in their neighborhoods, a U.S. study suggests.

This is probably because children are more active if they have access to green spaces that make physical activity more enjoyable, said lead author Dr. Gilbert Liu, of the Children's Health Services Research Program at Indiana University School of Medicine.

Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) has introduced legislation to help promote increased physical activity to kids, families and communities across the country. The Promoting Lifelong Active Youth (PLAY) Every Day Act, which is co-sponsored by Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY), supports the development of a well-validated community assessment tool — known as a "community play index" — to measure the barriers in communities to youth participating in physical activity. The legislation also assists coalitions to craft plans to promote physical activity and wellness in communities.

Want more information about kids being active? Visit the Partnership for Play Every Day, a national partnership whose mission is to ensure all American youth have at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day.

On Feb. 9 when they left school, there was nothing. But when Woodmere Elementary students returned to class Monday morning, there was a brand-new playground made to impress almost any child.

The entire play space was built Feb. 10 with the help of more than 400 volunteers.

"I was on cloud 59 and almost speechless," Principal Gretchen Williams said as she observed the construction Feb. 10.

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 15, 2007
Contact Information:
Krista Conger, Stanford University: (650) 725-5371
Jennifer Hoyer, NRPA: (703) 858-2160
Kelly Kennai, YMCA of the USA: (202) 835-9043
Paula Kun, NASPE: (703) 476-3461

PARTNERSHIP FOR PLAY CALLS ON NATION TO INCREASE
THE VOICES, SPACES AND QUALITY OF PLAY
Senator Harkin Proposes Community Play Bill; Recent Stanford Findings Highlight Barriers
To Physical Activity in Children

WASHINGTON, DC—The Partnership for Play Every Day, a newly-founded public-private-non-profit sector collaboration, calls on all sectors of our communities to work together toward a comprehensive, action oriented response to ensure all American children engage in at least 60 minutes of play every day.

At Benjamin Franklin Elementary School in New Orleans, 45 students gathered in the cafeteria late last year to design their very own "dream playground" on blank pieces of paper.

What started out as a few outlandish scribbles has turned into a beacon of hope for a city ravaged by natural disaster and crime.

The children's designs were the first step in the New Orleans "Playground Building Blitz" — a 24-hour construction project of six new playgrounds at area elementary schools — that is under way right now.

Three cheers for U Play! New Orleans. More than 350 attendees gathered for workshops, mingling and more,  making this one very successful training. The event culminated with a playground build at Woodmere Elementary, where the volunteers joined community members, a National Civilian Community Corps team, Hands On Network volunteers, and several KaBOOM! staffers.

Join in the post-U Play! forum conversations, and view a photo album here. Hear about the U Play! experience directly from attendees below.

A year ago, the William F. Stanley Elementary School was embroiled in controversy between Anglo and Spanish-speaking parents over its principal at the time, Waltham's first Hispanic administrator.

Today, the parents are finding common ground in, of all places, a playground.

They have joined forces to design and raise money for a state-of-the-art recreation area that both disabled and able-bodied children can enjoy. Due to be finished this summer, it will have the largest variety of wheelchair-accessible play equipment in the city.

Local elementary school students will start raising money so that some orphaned Sri Lankan children can have a playground of their own.

Two fundraisers will raise money for a playground at the Children's Home in Nawalapitiya, Sri Lanka, said Bruce Szcyubialka, Cherith International Board member and elementary school phys ed teacher.

The first fundraising event is a friendly competition between Jacob Shapiro Elementary School and Emmeline Cook Elementary School from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday at Jacob Shapiro, Szcyubialka said. More than 115 kids have signed up so far.

When people talk about the disconnect between children and nature (if they are old enough to remember a time when outdoor play was the norm), they usually begin by telling stories about their own childhoods: their tree house or fort, their special woods or ditch or creek or meadow.

Whatever our political or religious background, none of us wants to see that sense of wonder, that connection to the larger world, fade from childhood. This is why the work that Greater Cincinnati's Leave No Child Inside campaign is doing is so vital to the future of the Cincinnati region, and to the country. By bringing parents, grandparents and nonprofit and business organizations together around this issue, Cincinnati leaders are showing the way to give the gift of nature to children.