 What's Working - Best in Class
Action for Healthy Kids
National Evaluation - Excellent
August 2006
Peaceful Playgrounds
Peaceful Playgrounds (PPP) is a school based physical activity program with
the goals and research support that has shown an increase children's physical
activity level, decrease in bullying and decrease in playground injuries.
Program Purpose
Peaceful Playgrounds addresses a number of national standards as identified
by the following organizations:
Action for Healthy Kids Goals -
•Provide daily recess periods for elementary school students, featuring time for
unstructured but supervised active play.
•Encourage the use of school facilities for physical activity programs offered
by the school and/or community-based organizations outside of school hours.
These goals are met as Peaceful Playgrounds is a recess and after school program
described best in April 2003 Parent Teachers Organization magazine as " Peaceful
Playgrounds concept takes a resource most playgrounds already have-open
space-and transforms blacktops and fields into play areas for different age
groups with activities such as tetherball, wall ball and Frisbee golf."
Professional Standards that Peaceful Playgrounds addresses:
Physical activity has been identified as one of our nation’s leading health
indicators in Healthy People 2010 and PPP addresses this national goal. It is
recommended that children and adolescents participate in at least 60 minutes of
moderate intensity physical activity most days of the week, preferably daily.
CDC & USDA.
Target Audience
The target audience is K-6 grade students in a school setting and has been
successfully implemented in all socioeconomic situations and proven to be
culturally sensitive and accepted in each setting.
Evaluation/Monitoring
Peaceful Playgrounds has participated in numerous studies that can be
reviewed at: www.peacefulplayground.com/research.htm
The SDCC study was conducted in conjunction with Dr. Thom McKenzie evaluator and
designer for SPARK and CATCH programs. His SOPLAY validated instructment was
used to determine the MVPA levels of students at recess in over 500 school site
recess observation sessions.
This research indicates that students were more
physically active and drawn to the recess markings thus indicating that behavior
was effected. -Behavior- MVPA increased (evidence playground observation)
-Knowledge-students acquired knowledge in game rules, and sports skills
(evidence game participation) -Attitude- Attitude changes in a decrease in
perception of bullying incidents ( documented in CA Healthy Kids Survey) -Policy
changes have varied per school site. Most policy changes occur in the recess
reinstatements. -School Environment . Changes in physical environment documented
in the playground repainting and adding games. Emotional environment changes as
students report feeling safer in a "peaceful environment." evidence recess
surveys pre & post implementation of Peaceful Playgrounds).
Participation Rate
Over 8000 schools across the nation are in various stages of implementing
Peaceful Playgrounds. It's rapid expansions attests that the approach is both
practical and a realistic intervention for schools interested in this cost
effective childhood obesity intervention that gets kids moving. Internationally,
various departments of health are implementing obesity prevention programs based
on adding markings to school playgrounds (UK & Australia)
Impact
Research studies (San Diego Consortium PEP Grant Evaluation Report)
documented that "more students were drawn to the playground markings which
resulted in more active children." Over 500 observational sessions by trained
observes with SOPLAY a research validated instrument supported the notion that
students found the markings both engaging and interacted with the new
environment. -Additional research has documented that student acquire skills in
conflict resolution, and acquire both knowledge in game rules and skills to
participate in games.
Application/Adoption
1. Peaceful Playgrounds has a website that supports implementation with a frequently ask
questions webpage and on-demand webcast. Monthly newsletters (2500) keep
constituents, stakeholders, and school community members updated on latest
research and recommendations. A Peaceful Playgrounds implementation guide can be downloaded from
website. A 40 hour a week toll free phone number is available. Website filled
with free training materials, forms, offer more than 400 pages of support.
2. Training resources. Peaceful Playgrounds comes with a staff development component including an
overview instructional video, a PowerPoint PPP presentation with facilitator
notes, and participant handouts. Website has downloadable materials as well.
3. Technical Support/Additional resources: Website, 800 phone number, web
information request, e mail distribution list of newsletter recipients sent
monthly, parent materials all round out the level of support provided by
Peaceful Playgrounds.
4. Instructions/Materials in Languages in addition to English-Translation of
parent newsletters in Spanish in progress.
School Goals and Student Achievement
Peaceful Playgrounds fits into required school mandates in CA as recess is mandated in CA Ed.
Code. It also contributes to the recommended 30-60 minutes daily of physical
activity as required by the CA Supt. Task Force on Childhood Obesity Prevention.
Additionally, CA fitness results indicated that there is a relationship between
the fitness performance and academic achievement. PPP contributes to the well
being and fitness through increasing students in MVPA.
Curriculum Integration
Peaceful Playgrounds has been shown to easily be integrated in to classroom practice though
the use of the problem solving techniques adapted school wide in most settings.
With recess built into the school day, enhancing recess is readily accepted and
enthusiastically implemented. Peaceful Playgrounds fulfills the PA component in a Coordinated
School Health Program. Most schools also implement the concepts in the before
and after school settings as well.
Stakeholder Support
Peaceful Playgrounds is a school wide program that when properly implemented
brings about
whole school change. At best the entire staff is trained and plays a role in
consistent student behavior expectations. A strong base of support is cultivated
through an awareness session discussing the playground problems that currently
need to be addressed and the lack of positive interventions available to
schools. When schools realize that the playground will be more peaceful,
students will solve problems appropriately, bullying is decreased they learn
that they have fewer interruptions to the classroom learning environment and
students have the ability to be active resulting in more attentive students.
Sustainability
Sustainability is achieved through the painted markings which last on average
5-7 years. Research indicated that students will spread out over the play space
thus reducing confrontations, pick a less preferred game, be more active,
experience bullying less frequently in this environment.
Program Categories
Achievement - Advertising + Marketing in Schools - Childhood Obesity -
Co-Curricular Programs - Community Family Outreach - Coordinated School Health
Program - Guidelines + Policies + Recommendations - Minority Outreach Programs -
Physical Education - Physical Activity - Children's Health and Nutrition -
Changing the School Environment
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