First Lady Michelle Obama made a big announcement about a new part of the her Let’s Move campaign last week, introducing the Let’s Move Schools program to encourage students to participate in 60 minutes of physical activity at school every day. We could not be more psyched about this.
As Playworks CEO and Founder Jill Vialet says, “Play has become the last, best hope for getting kids moving.” And what better place to bring play and physical activity to kids across the nation than the one place they spend 7+ hours of their day — school. Schools can provide activity for students before and after school, through physical education, via staff involvement and family and community engagement and during school–including in lessons, at recess and periodical energy breaks.
In Playworks schools, students participate in active daily recess, gain another 20-45 minutes of physical activity through weekly class game time, are active during before school recess and/or after school program, and run and move during interscholastic evening sports leagues.
Not only are children at Playworks schools more active, but the entire school climate is improved. In fact, teachers at Playworks schools report less bullying, students feeling safer at recess, and less time to transition from recess to class time learning.
We are able to do this through the power of one playful adult and a school partnership that values play. Each Playworks coach not only becomes a rockstar to the students of the school, but s/he becomes the one adult at their school who always prioritizes play and physical activity. Coaches are champions of play for the kids and their schools.
You too can be a champion at your school. Michelle Obama stated that to reach the Let’s Move Active Schools goal, “We’re looking for school champions to lead this effort in communities across the country. Every school needs a champion, and anyone can be that champion. From P.E. and classroom teachers to administrators, staff, and parents, all it takes is one dedicated person to step up and start making a difference.”
Are you your school’s champion? Join Let’s Move Schools by signing up online. And be a play champion by making a healthy recess a part of your active school program.
